英语听力：澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2014-02-26

 Economic forecaster BIS Shrapnel  is warning our export industries won't be competitive while the Australian dollar remains¹ high. 

 

The organization's chief economist² Doctor Frank Gilber says cutting costs and wages would do little to remedy the situation.

 

“You know, the dollar's too high, we are losing industry. In the current industry, it's just the latest, you know, long list of examples that we've been going through for the last seven or eight years and before. And there..there won't be the last. There will be more before this is over while the dollar remains too high.”

 

One of the world's largest bitcoin exchanges Mt. Gox has gone off line. Bitcoin exchanges allow the users to the digital currency for US dollars and other currencies.

 

The exchange has been hit by technical issues and recently halted all customer withdrawals³ after it spotted⁴ what it called “unusual activity”. The move is a setback⁵ for backers of bitcoin who'll be pushing for greater adoption⁶ of the currency. 

 

Let's go to the markets.

 

And stocks in the US lost ground as key figures revealed the American home price gains slowed in December. In London overnight, the FTSE lost half a percent.

 

To commodity prices.

 

West Texas Crude is trading at 102 US dollars a barrel. Tapis Crude is 115 US dollars a barrel. And gold is trading at 1341 US dollars an ounce.

 

To the currencies.

 

The Australian dollar is buying 90 US cents, 66 Euro cents and 54 pence sterling⁷.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

3 withdrawals   

n.收回，取回，撤回( withdrawal的名词复数 )；撤退，撤走；收回[取回，撤回，撤退，撤走]的实例；推出（组织），提走（存款），戒除毒瘾，对说过的话收回，孤僻

参考例句：

• He has made several withdrawals from his bank account. 他从银行账户上提了几次款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is not the bank's policy to deduct interest on withdrawals. 提款需扣除利息这并非是本银行的政策。 来自辞典例句

4 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

5 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

6 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

7 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。