voa标准英语2008年-Global Fears Force Shares Down in Europe

Worries about the health of the global economy are again taking their toll¹ on the world markets. Following earlier drops in Asia, European indexes are down across the board. For VOA, Tom Rivers in London reports.

The reason for the global gloom rests with recession fears in the United States. Electronics retailer³ Circuit City is the latest high-profile casualty. It has filed for bankruptcy⁴ protection.

Also, worries about the big-three U.S. automotive giants continue to focus nervous investor⁵ attention. After posting a $2.5 billion loss in the third quarter, General Motors said it could run out of operating cash next year. Shares in GM plunged⁶ 23 percent overnight to levels not seen since the end of World War II.
　

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown addresses his monthly press conference inside 10 Downing Street in London, Tuesday, 11 Nov. 2008

In Europe, oil prices are down. Financial sector⁷ stocks like UBS and Deutsche Bank are also taking a hit.

In London, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he wants to see coordinated⁸ action on the stimulus⁹ front when world leaders gather later this week in Washington to talk economics.

"We are in a position to take the action," Mr. Brown said. "Other countries including Germany and France and others I have mentioned like China are taking action. We have taken some action already and we are prepared to look at further action. That is the way to get the economy through this difficult time. And one initiative here and there is not going to make the difference. What you need is a coordinated strategy and preferably a coordinated strategy across the world and not just in one country."

Mr. Brown says nations have only one effective option and that is to work together.

"This is, I repeat, a global problem that you can see spreading across every part of the world so it does need these global solutions," Mr. Brown said. "And that is why I pressed hard for this Washington meeting, it is also why I hope out of the Washington meeting, people will get a sense that all countries are prepared to take the action that is necessary."

The economic slowdown is becoming more evident by the day in Europe. In Britain, housing sales are at their lowest level in more than 30 years and retail² sales figures for October show the largest falls in three years.

Many analysts¹⁰ feel that stimulus plans among those countries attending the Washington gathering¹¹ will help to boost domestic consumption in places like Britain. They also warn against the urge to place protectionist barriers up.

1 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

2 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

3 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

4 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

5 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

6 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

7 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

8 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

9 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

10 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

11 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。