VOA标准英语2010年-IMF, World Bank Say Currency Dispute C

Top international economic leaders said continuing disputes over currencies and trade could escalate¹ and hurt the fragile economic recovery. The heads of the World Bank and the International Monetary² Fund both had blunt warnings Thursday for national and economic leaders.

World Bank President Robert Zoellick says if nations do not stop bickering³ and start compromising on currency issues, the economic downturn could get far worse. "First, one needs to manage the tensions, if one lets this slide into conflict or forms of protectionism, then we run the risk of repeating the mistakes of the 1930s."

Those mistakes preceded the Great Depression.

The warning comes as the United States, China, European and other nations continue squabbling over the value of currencies. Also, Japan recently intervened in markets to push down the value of its currency, the yen⁴.

Zoellick says the tensions grow out of the slow and uneven⁵ economic recovery, which is leaving millions of people out of work. "Whenever you have high unemployment, you have risks of other tensions, we see this now in debates on currencies."

Having a weaker currency can help cut unemployment by boosting exports. It does this by making a nation's products less expensive and easier to sell on international markets. More sales mean more demand for products and more jobs.

That strategy will not work, however, if too many nations try to do it at once. This means the various nations need to work out compromises, but it is hard to make deals right now because high unemployment is putting domestic political pressure on national leaders.

The head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, urged political and economic officials to tone down their rhetoric⁶ and find less provocative⁷ ways to bolster⁸ their economies. "Many (nations) do consider their currency as a weapon, and that is certainly not for the good of the global economy."

The IMF chief also sent a message to emerging economies that have been clamoring for a greater voice in IMF decisions. Strauss-Kahn said countries that want to have a greater say also need to accept more responsibility for maintaining a healthy global economy.

The IMF and the World Bank have called for China to allow the value of its currency to rise. But economic experts say one of China's major trading partners, the United States, should also make changes, like cutting budget deficits⁹ and boosting savings¹⁰.
 

1 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

2 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。

3 bickering   

v.争吵( bicker的现在分词 )；口角；（水等）作潺潺声；闪烁

参考例句：

• The children are always bickering about something or other. 孩子们有事没事总是在争吵。
• The two children were always bickering with each other over small matters. 这两个孩子总是为些小事斗嘴。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 yen   

n. 日元；热望

参考例句：

• He wanted to convert his dollars into Japanese yen.他想将美元换成日币。
• He has a yen to be alone in a boat.他渴望独自呆在一条船上。

5 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

6 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

7 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

8 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

9 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

10 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。