VOA标准英语2009年-Overseas Markets Drop Despite US Presidential C

Despite the excitement the inauguration¹ of Barack Obama generated around the world, overseas markets continued their downward slide.
　
Man walks past electronic stock board in Tokyo, while showing President Obama at inauguration ceremony, 21 Jan 2009

Concern over rising bank losses and their effect on the world economy overshadowed the inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama.

In Tokyo and Hong Kong, both major indices were down two percent.

In Japan, machinery² orders for November posted their steepest monthly fall since the government survey began 22 years ago.

In Europe, the same gloom persists.

Germany has revised downward its prediction its economy will shrink by 2.25 percent this year. That would be the worst performance in 60 years.

In Britain, Prime Minister Gordon Brown had to again defend his position of trying to spend his way out of this downturn and of further supporting banks with more taxpayer³ money in an effort to spur lending.
　
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown (file photo)

"I believe that the indication that President Obama has given in the last few days - that he is going to take the fiscal⁴ stimulus⁵ action that we have taken and he is going to take action in relation to the banks in the way we have done - shows that the world can work together to deal with this problem. One thing that President Obama did not say in his speech yesterday was, 'fellow Americans, let us do nothing,'" he said.

Speaking in parliament, Mr. Brown said the banking⁶ measures were temporary, but absolutely essential right now.

"When markets fail, and banks are unable to do the job for which they are intended, the only agency that can step in is the government. And if the government does not take action, no on else will. And that is the lesson that has been learned in every single country of the world and that is the lesson that President Obama said yesterday is the work that will be pursued in America," said Mr. Brown.

New British unemployment figures show a worsening job situation with nearly two million people out of work, the highest total since 1997.

1 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

2 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

3 taxpayer   

n.纳税人

参考例句：

• The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
• The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。

4 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

5 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。

6 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。