VOA标准英语2009年-Australian Farmers Seek Swift Trade Pact with S

Australian farmers are urging their political leaders to secure a swift trade accord with South Korea, ahead of free-trade negotiations¹ that are scheduled to start in May. Australian beef producers are worried that their hopes for greater access to the lucrative² Korean market will be derailed by an expected return of American beef exports, which have been affected⁴ by a case of mad cow disease.
　
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak shakes hands with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd during press conference in Canberra, 05 Mar³ 2009

Earlier this month, Canberra and Seoul announced talks on a free-trade agreement will start soon.

Australia's beef farmers have moved quickly to urge the government to make sure their lucrative sales to South Korea are maintained, as American producers prepare to re-enter the market.

Until four years ago, the United States was the largest exporter of beef to South Korea. The trade was halted after bovine⁵ spongiform encephalitis - or mad cow disease - was discovered in an American cow. South Koreans subsequently banned importation of American beef.

Sales of U.S. beef are to resume when Washington and Seoul ratify⁶ their free-trade agreement, which would likely give American exporters preferential terms.

David Inall from the Cattle Council of Australia says it is important that the interests of its members are looked after, amid the threat of more competition from American farmers.

"The South Korean market is critically important for the Australian beef industry. It's our third largest market. It has recorded significant growth over the past four to five years," he said.

Exports of Australian beef generate $480 million, annually⁷.

Australian Trade Minister Simon Crean is keen to maintain his country's strong beef exports to South Korea.

"The U.S. free-trade agreement that now gives, opens up access again to U.S. beef into the Korean market is another reason why we have to get this FTA (Australian-South Korean free-trade agreement) up," he said. "We can't be put at a competitive disadvantage now that we've established such a strong toehold. So yes, beef's one of those key areas of interest."

Any free-trade pact⁸ between Australia and South Korea would be expected to lower a range of tariffs⁹ to help expand trading links between the two nations.

In 2008, bilateral¹⁰ trade stood at $23 billion.

1 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。

2 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

3 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 bovine   

adj.牛的；n.牛

参考例句：

• He threw off his pack and went into the rush-grass andand munching,like some bovine creature.他丢开包袱，爬到灯心草丛里，像牛似的大咬大嚼起来。
• He was a gentle,rather bovine man.他是一位文雅而反应迟钝的人。

6 ratify   

v.批准，认可，追认

参考例句：

• The heads of two governments met to ratify the peace treaty.两国政府首脑会晤批准和平条约。
• The agreement have to be ratify by the board.该协议必须由董事会批准。

7 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

8 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

9 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

10 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。