VOA标准英语2013--Egyptians Wary of IMF Loan
时间:2019-01-14 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2013年(四月)
As Egypt's economy falters 2, its government is trying to find relief anywhere it can. Officials say they are closer to securing a nearly $5 billion package from the International Monetary 3 Fund, while recently announcing a $3 billion bond deal with Qatar.
As much as the foreign money is welcome, Egyptians worry about the lenders' motives 4. Some see the IMF as too close to the interests of Egypt's former government, and they view Qatar's largess as prompted less by neighborly goodwill 5 than by regional ambition.
Economist 6 Magdy Sobhy Youssef of the Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies:
Youssef said it is normal for lenders or aid donors 7 to have conditions that allow them to exploit the country they are helping 8, either through political concessions 9 or the economy. He added that is as true for the West as it is for Qatar and other Gulf 10 nations.
But economists 11 say Egypt has the potential to build itself up without selling itself out. It starts, they argue, with ending the stalemate in domestic politics that has put meaningful reform on hold.
Youssef said that to see the problem as something with only an economic solution will lead to failure. "What is needed," he added, "is political harmony between the government and the opposition 12."
One of the biggest sticking points in pushing through a reform program is the political fallout from austerity measures. Neither side appears to want to take the blame for cutting subsidies 13 - a huge drain on the budget. In recent weeks, rising prices and shortages of diesel 14 and cooking fuel have led to murderous rage. And historically, a boost in the cost of bread has led to riots across Egypt.
But economists say there are ways to close loopholes so that only the, far fewer, truly needy 15 get help. Omneya Helmy, director of the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies, says while curtailing 16 subsidies is important, it is only part of the answer.
“It is not only about removing subsidies or lowering subsidies, but it is also about if people are offered or helped to have a good job with a decent salary," she said."This would really alleviate 17 the problem.”
So, too, she said, would the strategic use of aid from foreign countries to build Egypt's domestic economy.
“When we get from the IMF the loan, or from other donors, I do not want to see it all going only to finance the budget, but also to other developmental projects that create jobs and improve the quality of life of Egyptians," she said.
For all the concern about outside influence, the crumbling 18 economy, and continuing political and security troubles, Helmy remains 19 optimistic.
“We are in a critical situation. But Egypt will not collapse 20. I am confident," she said. "At the end of the day, Egyptians will make it.”
Hers may be a minority view based on a healthy dose of apolitical common sense. Other economists worry “the end of the day” is still a long way off.
- He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
- Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头,突然警惕起来。
- He never falters in his determination. 他的决心从不动摇。
- The plan never falters; the design never changes. It is all ordered. 大自然从不步履蹒跚,从不三心二意,一切都是有条不紊。
- 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。
- His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
- We paid £10,000 for the shop,and £2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店,两千英镑买下了它的信誉。
- 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。
- Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去,请给我们发电子邮件。
- About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
- By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
- The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工,公司将不得不作出一些让步。
- The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。
- The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
- There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。
- The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
- Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
- The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。
- European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
- Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
- My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。
- Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷,但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
- They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。
- They will be curtailing the discussions at two thirty. 他们将把讨论缩短至两点半。 来自互联网
- Individually, banks are acting rationally by retaining their capital and curtailing lending. 此外,银行们正在合理地保留其资本和减少贷款。 来自互联网
- The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
- Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
- an old house with crumbling plaster and a leaking roof 一所灰泥剥落、屋顶漏水的老房子
- The boat was tied up alongside a crumbling limestone jetty. 这条船停泊在一个摇摇欲坠的石灰岩码头边。
- 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。