VOA标准英语2009年-Zimbabwe Leaders Review Economic Progr

Finance Minister Tendai Biti says the country needs billions of dollars to pull its economy back to the levels of a decade ago when it was at its peak.

Ish Mafundikwa | Harare 24 December 2009

 
Photo: AP
Zimbabwe Finance Minister Tendai Biti

Finance Minister Biti was addressing the media at the launch of a three-year economic blueprint¹.  He warned uncertainty² over the future of the fragile unity³ government is hampering⁴ economic recovery.

Zimbabwe's economy has experienced negative growth during the past decade.  But it is forecast to expand by more than four percent this year and grow by seven percent in 2010.  The economy has stabilized⁵ since the national unity government came to power in February and the Zimbabwe dollar was replaced.

Minister Bitty said Zimbabwe must carry out a land audit⁶ following the sometimes-violent land-reform program carried out by President Robert Mugabe.  The exercise saw white farmers being run off their farms for the resettlement of landless blacks.

Critics of the program say most of the land went to individuals close to the president.  Some of the beneficiaries, they say, have helped themselves to more than one property.   After the land reforms, the agriculture-based economy was decimated and Zimbabwe became dependent on international food aid.  The new owners have no title deeds.

Meanwhile, President Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, the three leaders of the unity government met to discuss outstanding matters on the deal that brought the government together. 

Afterward⁷, they addressed the media in what turned out to be an end-of year review of their partnership⁸ in government.  Asked when the outstanding issues would be resolved, Mr. Mugabe said time frames could not be kept as negotiations⁹ are about give and take.

 
AFP
PM Morgan Tsvangirai (L) and President Robert Mugabe (R) are pictured at Zimbabwe International Investment Conference in Harare, 09 Jul 2009

"Arguments that take place go beyond those time frames because they are arguments not just of ourselves they are argument even of the bodies that we represent and the bodies that we represent are prone¹⁰ to criticizing us much more than to accepting our decisions," he said.

The president said the unity government had fulfilled much more than what remains¹¹ to be resolved.  He added that negotiations should not get bogged¹² down over the appointment of individuals such as Attorney General Johannes Tomana.  Mr. Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change insists the appointments of Tomana and central-bank governor Gideon Gono were in breach¹³ of the unity government agreement.

Prime Minister Tsvangirai said the difficult negotiations happened before the government was formed and now it is about implementation¹⁴, which takes time.

"It is going to be frustrating¹⁵, but that is now about implementation, it is not about substance.  The substance we have already concluded," he said.

Mr. Tsvangirai said the parties' negotiating teams should be given time to deal with the outstanding issues.
 

1 blueprint   

n.蓝图，设计图，计划；vt.制成蓝图，计划

参考例句：

• All the machine parts on a blueprint must answer each other.设计图上所有的机器部件都应互相配合。
• The documents contain a blueprint for a nuclear device.文件内附有一张核装置的设计蓝图。

2 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

3 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

4 hampering   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• So fraud on cows and development aid is seriously hampering growth. 因此在牛问题上和发展补助上的诈骗严重阻碍了发展。
• Short-termism, carbon-trading, disputing the science-are hampering the implementation of direct economically-led objectives. 短效主义，出售二氧化碳，进行科学辩论，这些都不利于实现以经济为主导的直接目标。

5 stabilized   

v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The patient's condition stabilized. 患者的病情稳定下来。
• His blood pressure has stabilized. 他的血压已经稳定下来了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 audit   

v.审计；查帐；核对；旁听

参考例句：

• Each year they audit our accounts and certify them as being true and fair.他们每年对我们进行账务审核，以确保其真实无误。
• As usual,the yearly audit will take place in December.跟往常一样，年度审计将在十二月份进行。

7 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

8 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

10 prone   

adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的

参考例句：

• Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
• He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。

11 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

12 bogged   

adj.陷于泥沼的v.（使）陷入泥沼， （使）陷入困境( bog的过去式和过去分词 )；妨碍，阻碍

参考例句：

• The professor bogged down in the middle of his speech. 教授的演讲只说了一半便讲不下去了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The tractor is bogged down in the mud. 拖拉机陷入了泥沼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

14 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

15 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》