VOA标准英语10月-Key International Central Banks Coordinate Intere

U.S. and European central banks have in unison¹ cut their interest rates by half a percentage point. The coordinated² move is aimed at bringing some stability back to the shaky global economy and slumping³ stock markets. For VOA, Tom Rivers reports from London.
　

Double-decker bus advertising4 chocolate drives past The Bank of England in central London, 08 Oct 2008

The half-a-point lending rate cut was coordinated between the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, and the Banks of Canada, Sweden, Switzerland and England.

China also made a cut of just over a quarter of a point and the Bank of Japan strongly expressed its support for the coordinated international move.

In Britain, a Bank of England cut was anticipated, but that was not supposed to happen until Thursday.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the move was highly significant.

"The coordinated cut in interest rates is an important signal that the world will come together to deal with this economic problem and I believe that it has come at the right time to show that the action that we are taking and the action that the Americans are taking and the action taken in other countries in Europe is action that is designed to together solve the problem that we face," said Brown.

Building on this international coordination⁵ the prime minister said, was very important. He said during the next couple of days accounting⁶ standards will be discussed among G7 members, an IMF meeting is scheduled for Saturday and he hoped that an international leaders' meeting on the economic crisis could be held soon.

"We need to have responsibility and integrity at the heart of the global financial system," he said. "We need a global early warning system and cooperation among regulators that to be frank, we in Britain have tried for for years, but have not been able to persuade other countries to support and we will continue to seek coordinated action on economic policy."

The interest-rate announcement was made just after the British government disclosed its own $87.5 bank-rescue plan.

The lending rate cut managed to pull the major European markets out of the steep declines seen early in Wednesday's trade and some of that lost value was regained⁷ in later trading.

1 unison   

n.步调一致，行动一致

参考例句：

• The governments acted in unison to combat terrorism.这些国家的政府一致行动对付恐怖主义。
• My feelings are in unison with yours.我的感情与你的感情是一致的。

2 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

3 slumping   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的现在分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Hong Kong's slumping economy also caused a rise in bankruptcy applications. 香港经济低迷，破产申请个案随之上升。
• And as with slumping, over-arching can also be a simple postural habit. 就像弯腰驼背，过度挺直也可能只是一种习惯性姿势。

4 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

5 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

6 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

7 regained   

复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。