VOA标准英语 G-20 Leaders Get to Work Trying to Find Common Groun

Leaders of the world's 20 major economies get down to work Thursday as they meet in London to try to find common ground for greater cooperation to stem the global economic crisis.
　
Germany's Chancellor¹ Angela Merkel (l) and President Barack Obama during a dinner at 10 Downing Street, 01 Apr 2009

Their first day in London was one of introductions, bilateral² meetings, a reception at the royal palace with Queen Elizabeth and dinner at Number 10 Downing Street, the official residence of British prime ministers.

This took place as police scuffled with thousands of protesters, who had taken to the streets of central London to demonstrate for and against a variety of causes - from anti-war and anti-poverty to pro-environment and pro-jobs and better housing.

That was Wednesday. On Thursday the world leaders meet in working sessions to discuss what to do to stem the global recession and get back on the road to growth.

They seem in general agreement that the situation is serious and something must be done.

U.S. President Barack Obama set the tone, warning against trying to go it alone.

"History shows us that when nations fail to cooperate or when turn away from one another, when they turn inward, the price for our people only grows," said President Obama. "That is how the great depression deepened. That is a mistake we cannot afford to repeat."

A strong commitment to working together will be crucial, says economist³ Gianluca Benigno of the London School of Economics - crucial for public perception and for jittery⁴ markets.

"The perception that the leaders understand the deepness of the crisis is important," said Gianluca Benigno. "And, that they are ready to act cooperatively is also important. I think that's what the [final] statement should somehow emphasize."

But, serious differences remain. The U.S. and Britain want other governments to pump more money into their economies as stimulus⁵. But, most European countries, notably⁶ Germany, oppose that for fear of adding to ever growing debt burdens.

The Europeans, with France and Germany in the lead, want more stringent⁷ measures to regulate the banking⁸ and investment sectors⁹. They say that is needed to make sure the current crisis does not happen again.

Both matters are to be addressed, but concrete agreement on either is not expected.

Instead, Gianluca Benigno says there is more likely to be agreement on greater support for international institutions such as the International Monetary¹⁰ Fund, to allow it to better help out ailing¹¹ economies.

"Provide more funding to the IMF and maybe boosting the role of the IMF in the crisis," said Benigno.

World leaders have already tried to temper expectations, warning that the current crisis did not come about overnight and will not be resolved in such short order either.

But many average people here in Britain are skeptical¹² of yet another summit. They want their government to do something, they want world leaders to work together, but they also want to see results in their own, everyday lives.

1 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

2 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。

3 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。

4 jittery   

adj. 神经过敏的, 战战兢兢的

参考例句：

• However, nothing happened though he continued to feel jittery. 可是，自从拉上这辆车，并没有出什么错儿，虽然他心中嘀嘀咕咕的不安。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• The thirty-six Enterprise divebombers were being squandered in a jittery shot from the hip. 这三十六架“企业号”上的俯冲轰炸机正被孤注一掷。

5 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。

6 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

7 stringent   

adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的

参考例句：

• Financiers are calling for a relaxation of these stringent measures.金融家呼吁对这些严厉的措施予以放宽。
• Some of the conditions in the contract are too stringent.合同中有几项条件太苛刻。

8 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

9 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

11 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

12 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。