VOA标准英语2009年-British PM Points to Coordinated Progress

Back from his globe-trotting trip to lay the groundwork for what he calls a new economic order, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met with his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd at Ten Downing Street Monday. Mr. Brown said world leaders are making good progress on developing coordinated¹ action to be unveiled Thursday at a key summit in London.

Despite differences over further fiscal² stimulus³ among some European countries attending the summit later this week, Prime Minister Gordon Brown says in his view, the world is coming together to fight this deep, worldwide recession collectively.

"We are seeing an unprecedented⁴ global response to an unprecedented global crisis," he said.
　
Britain's PM Gordon Brown, right, and Australian PM Kevin Rudd, during a meeting at 10 Downing Street London, 30 Mar⁵ 2009

Mr. Brown has just returned from a whistle-stop tour of France, the United States and South America to drum up support for unified⁶ economic action. He says that since the Washington summit in mid-November, much work has been done.

"Every major economy has taken action to stimulate⁷ growth. There have been coordinated cuts in interest rates," he continued. "There have been cuts in taxes. There have been increases in spending and new ways of injecting resources into the economy."

And he pointed⁸ to the issue of trying to develop agreed standards of reform in the global financial world where progress has been made, but where much more work is required.

"Action has also been taken in Britain, America and Australia, and many other countries to tighten⁹ financial regulation and we are bringing regulatory structures into line with the reality of global 21st century financial markets," said Mr. Brown.

With the world's major economies forecast to shrink this year for the first time since World War Two, Britain's Financial Times newspaper reports the G20 participants will likely resolve to strive for economic growth in 2010.

1 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

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 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

4 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

5 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。

6 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

7 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。

8 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。