澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2011-12-25

 In business, a Chinese state-owned company plans to take over one of the few remaining independent coal miners in Australia. Chinese coal giant Yanzhou will merge¹ with Gloucester Coal, which has mines in Queensland and New South Wales, in a $2 billion deal. The new company will be listed on the Australian share market if regulatory approval is granted.

 

The US President Barack Obama has welcomed an agreement reached by political leaders in Congress to extend an existing reduction in income tax for a further two months. He says the deal is good for 160 million American workers. Many Republicans have backed the plan, but conservatives say it's an inefficient² way to stimulate³ the economy.

 

And the Federal treasurer⁴ has approved the takeover of regional pay TV operator Austar by Foxtel under foreign investment laws. The $2.5 million deal still needs to be approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

 

To the market numbers, in the US, the Dow Jones is higher at the end of the trading week. Back home, and the All Ordinaries finished the session yesterday 50 points higher. In Asia, the Nikkei was down 65 points. The Hang Seng was up 251 points.

1 merge   

v.(使)结合，(使)合并，(使)合为一体

参考例句：

• I can merge my two small businesses into a large one.我可以将我的两家小商店合并为一家大商行。
• The directors have decided to merge the two small firms together.董事们已决定把这两家小商号归并起来。

2 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。

3 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

4 treasurer   

n.司库，财务主管

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith was succeeded by Mrs.Jones as treasurer.琼斯夫人继史密斯先生任会计。
• The treasurer was arrested for trying to manipulate the company's financial records.财务主管由于试图窜改公司财政帐目而被拘留。