VOA标准英语2013--Europe Warily Watches US 'Fiscal Cliff' Talks

 

Europe Warily¹ Watches US 'Fiscal² Cliff' Talks

But it has been a turbulent 12 months for Europe - and German Chancellor³ Angela Merkel ended the year on a somber⁴ note, warning that the coming year will be even more difficult.

“The reforms that we've introduced are beginning to have an impact," she said. "Nevertheless we need to have further continued patience. The crisis is far from over.”

Her speech may have dampened year-end celebrations - but she has good reason to be cautious, says Spyros Economides of the London School of Economics.

“There’s an election in Germany in about 10 months’ time and that means that nothing drastic can really happen before that election cycle is closed," he said. "If Angela Merkel were to win, I think you’d see a slightly more assertive⁵ Germany saying ‘well now we have to make quite big changes to European institutions.’”

While not a member of the euro currency, Britain is also trying to drive through changes in Europe. Many lawmakers in Prime Minister David Cameron’s own party want Britain to leave the EU altogether. In his end-of-year speech, Cameron also struck a cautionary tone.

"Britain is in a global race to succeed today. It is race with countries like China, India and Indonesia; a race for the jobs and opportunities of the future," he said. "So when people say we can slow down on cutting our debts, we are saying no."

Debts continue to drag down Spain’s economy. Bankia, which had already been rescued once by the state, is now getting an EU bailout - but it will cost 350,000 savers and pensioners⁶ their investments.

Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the Spanish state finances had at least survived 2012.

"Is avoiding a bailout the greatest achievement of the year? No. I think the most important thing this year has been to change course, correct the direction of economic policy,” he said.

Sony Kapoor of the economic analyst⁷ group Re-Define says such talk is complacent⁸.

“The growth prospects⁹ have never looked worse," Kapoor said. "Unemployment is at record levels and the political space and political capital that is available to handle these increasing economic problems is actually shrinking.”

European politics is about to witness the return of an old face, as former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi - forced to resign in 2011 at the height of the debt crisis - plans to lead the center-right campaign into the February general elections. He’ll face incumbent¹⁰ Mario Monti.

But Europe’s recovery could be completely derailed if the U.S. Congress fails to reach a deal on government borrowing, and falls off the so-called ‘fiscal cliff’ - says Majoj Ladwa of London brokerage firm, TJ Markets.

"If the situation isn't resolved, equity¹¹ markets could start pricing in the negative aspects of this whole episode, and that is the U.S. economy potentially going into recession," Ladwa said.

Analysts¹² say the old adage¹³ still rings true - that when the U.S. sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold.

1 warily   

adv.留心地

参考例句：

• He looked warily around him,pretending to look after Carrie.他小心地看了一下四周，假装是在照顾嘉莉。
• They were heading warily to a point in the enemy line.他们正小心翼翼地向着敌人封锁线的某一处前进。

2 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。

3 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

4 somber   

adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• He had a somber expression on his face.他面容忧郁。
• His coat was a somber brown.他的衣服是暗棕色的。

5 assertive   

adj.果断的，自信的，有冲劲的

参考例句：

• She always speaks an assertive tone.她总是以果断的语气说话。
• China appears to have become more assertive in the waters off its coastline over recent years.在近些年，中国显示出对远方海洋的自信。

6 pensioners   

n.领取退休、养老金或抚恤金的人( pensioner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He intends to redistribute income from the middle class to poorer paid employees and pensioners. 他意图把中产阶级到低薪雇员和退休人员的收入做重新分配。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am myself one of the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. 我自己就是一个我们的高贵的施主遗留基金的养老金领取者。 来自辞典例句

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 complacent   

adj.自满的；自鸣得意的

参考例句：

• We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。
• She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。

9 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

10 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

11 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

12 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。

13 adage   

n.格言，古训

参考例句：

• But the old adage that men grow into office has not proved true in my experience.但是，根据我的经验，人们所谓的工作岗位造就人材这句古话并不正确。
• Her experience lends credence to the adage " We live and learn!"她的经验印证了一句格言: 活到老，学到老！