Belarus Shoppers Panic as Ruble Collapses
英语课
Panicky shoppers in Belarus are buying up consumer goods and scarce food supplies as fast as they can, after a sharp devaluation of the ruble failed to halt a slide in the national currency's value.
Weeks of economic crisis have prompted many Belarusians to buy foreign currency - usually U.S. dollars or euros - to protect themselves against the ruble's plunge 1. The government announced Tuesday the official exchange rate would be 4,930 rubles for $1 as of Wednesday, compared to the previous rate of 3,155 rubles, but that triggered an immediate 2 shift in the ruble's unofficial or black-market price, which now stands at about 6,500 rubles per dollar.
President Alexander Lukashenko unexpectedly announced Wednesday that he may release hundreds of political activists 3 who have been jailed since street protests that greeted the president's re-election five months ago. This is being interpreted as a signal that Mr. Lukashenko may try to barter 4 the prisoners' freedom for financial aid from the West.
This week, Belarusians hoping to protect their savings 5 tried to buy foreign currency before possible further devaluations erode 6 the value of their rubles. Only limited supplies of foreign currency normally are available in state-regulated shops, but those currencies have now disappeared.
Retail prices on imported goods and many domestic supplies already have risen sharply, but consumers descended 7 on shops Wednesday, using their ruble savings to buy any goods before prices could rise again - everything from appliances to jewelry 8, and foods such as rice and frozen chicken.
Word that Mr. Lukashenko is considering a mass release of political prisoners came in a speech the president delivered in Kazakhstan, but it is unclear which detainees might be affected 9.
Dozens of people rounded up after the election-day protests in December have been convicted and sentenced, but many others are awaiting trial.
Among those already sentenced is opposition 10 leader Andrei Sannikov, an opposition candidate who was reported to have the second highest vote total in the disputed presidential ballot 11.
Human-rights groups and Western governments have condemned 12 Mr. Lukashenko for the crackdown on protesters.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)
v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲
- Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
- That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
- 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。
n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )
- His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
- Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
n.物物交换，以货易货，实物交易
- Chickens,goats and rabbits were offered for barter at the bazaar.在集市上，鸡、山羊和兔子被摆出来作物物交换之用。
- They have arranged food imports on a barter basis.他们以易货贸易的方式安排食品进口。
n.存款，储蓄
- 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。
v.侵蚀，腐蚀，使...减少、减弱或消失
- Once exposed,soil is quickly eroded by wind and rain.一旦暴露在外，土壤很快就会被风雨侵蚀。
- Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits.金融市场的竞争降低了利润。
a.为...后裔的，出身于...的
- A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
- The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。
n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝
- The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
- Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。
adj.不自然的，假装的
- She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
- His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
n.反对，敌对
- 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。