英语听力：澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2014-03-19

 The David Jones releases its half-year result today and a possible merge¹ with Myer is firmly back on the table. The retailer² has reappointed consulting firm Port Jackson partners to assess the advantages of becoming a combined company worth more than three billion dollars.

 

It also announced the immediate³ departure of Director Leigh Clapham who was caught up in allegations of questionable⁴ share trading, but wasn't pursued by the corporate⁵ regulator. 

 

The Federal Government wants to make it much harder for shareholders⁶ to force extraordinary general meetings as part of its war on red tape.

 

Now the shareholders' association actually supports the move, but it does show one condition.

 

“Well, we agree that if 100 Teltra shareholders call an GM(general meeting), that got 150 million shareholders. That'll cost, you know, a couple of million dollars to bring in to have the meetings. So, we are saying a quid pro⁷ quo here is you got to make it easier to put on resolutions at an aide GM. ”

 

Now to the markets.

 

And the Dow closed one percent ahead. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 closed higher as well. In London, the FTSE closed one percent up.

 

Looking at commodity prices.

 

West Texas Crude is trading at 100 US dollars a barrel. Tapis Crude is trading at 112 US dollars a barrel. And gold is trading at 1315 US dollars an ounce. 

 

The Australian dollar is buying 91 US cents, 65 Euro cents and 55 pence sterling⁸.

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 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

3 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

4 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。

5 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

6 shareholders   

n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The meeting was attended by 90% of shareholders. 90%的股东出席了会议。
• the company's fiduciary duty to its shareholders 公司对股东负有的受托责任

7 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

8 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。