(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report in Special English.
European Union countries have struggled to find common ground as they worked out a budget agreement in Belgium this month. European leaders finally had success last week. They agreed on the European Union's multiannual financial framework, or MMF, for the period from 2014 to 2020.
The MMF sets the EU's total spending at $1.3 trillion. That represents one percent of the total income of EU members. Members agreed to reduce total spending by over three percent for the period. This is the first time spending cuts have been made.
British Prime Minister David Cameron during the EU Budget summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013.
European Council President Herman Van Rompuy spoke after the agreement was announced. He said the compromise budget may not be perfect. But he said it should help all EU members.
"Our support to the most vulnerable people remains intact, so does our external action funding even despite the crisis. This budget will allow Europe to keep engaging on vital global issues such as climate change, nuclear safety and development aid."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel praised the long-term spending plan. She said the agreement makes policy more predictable and enables members to act in the interest of Europe.
Some EU leaders have been calling for greater spending controls in their home countries. They wanted the EU to show that it is willing to cut costs.
British Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed the agreement. Before the two-day meeting, he had threatened to veto the budget if there were no steps toward cutting spending.
"So I think the British public can be proud that we have cut the seven-year credit card limit for the European Union for the first time ever. And as a result the EU's seven-year budget will cost less than one percent of Europe's gross national income. That is also for the first time ever."
The European parliament still must approve the measure. But some parliament members say it fails to deal with problems like the sharp wealth differences between rich and poor. Guy Verhofstadt from Belgium is a member of the European parliament. He does not think the measure will pass.
"I don't think that we shall have a majority in the parliament to approve this proposal...we are creating a big deficit of more than 50 billion euros and that is not acceptable."
If approved, the measure will affect 28 European Union countries. The EU says Croatia is expected to join the group in July.
译文属可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载
词汇解释
1.intact adj. 完整的；原封不动的；未受损伤的
The money was returned intact by its finder.
钱原封未动地被捡拾者送还。
2.compromisen. 妥协，和解；折衷
Compromise makes for success in negotiations.
妥协有助于谈判的成功。
3.development aid [经] 开发援助，发展援助
Leaders of G-Eight nations agreed to increase development aid.
八国集团首脑同意加大开发援助力度。
内容解析
1.This budget will allow Europe to keep engaging on vital global issues such as climate change, nuclear safety and development aid.
engage on 从事；开始
He is engaged on a study of population.
他着手于人囗的研究.
He has been engaged 10 years on the dictionary.
他从事这本词典的编纂工作已达10年之久.
2.Before the two-day meeting, he had threatened to veto the budget if there were no steps toward cutting spending.
threaten to 威胁着要……
They threatened to shut down the factory.
他们威胁着要关闭这家工厂。
They threatened to dump her if she didn't pay up.
他们威胁说如果她不出钱的话就要把她干掉。
参考译文
这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。
本月，欧盟各国在比利时努力达成共识以制定预算协议。欧洲领导人上周终于如愿以偿，他们就欧盟的2014年到2020年的多年度金融框架(MMF)达成一致。
MMF将欧盟的总开支设置在1.3万亿美元，相当于欧盟成员国总收入的1%。各成员国同意在这一时期将总开支削减3%左右，这是首次进行的开支削减。
欧洲委员会主席赫尔曼·范龙佩在协议宣布后发表讲话，他说这份妥协预算或许不完美，但有助于欧盟各国。
“我们仍然会对最弱势群体提供支持，即使是在危机中，我们的对外行动拨款也不会变。该预算将使欧洲继续参与关键的国际事务，诸如气候变化、核安全和发展援助。”
德国总理安吉拉·默克尔赞扬了这份长期开支计划，她说该协议使得政策更具预测性，使得成员国为了欧洲的利益而行动。
有的欧洲领导人呼吁对本国的开支进行更有力的控制，希望欧盟表现出愿意削减开支的诚意。英国首相戴维·卡梅隆对该协议表示欢迎，在这两天会议之前，他曾威胁说，如果不对开支削减采取措施，他就要否决该预算。
“看到我们首次为欧盟削减了7年信用卡限额，所以我认为英国公众应该感到骄傲。这样一来欧盟的7年预算将只占欧洲国民收入的不到1%，这也是历史上的第一次。”
欧洲议会也必须批准该措施，但有的议会成员称协议未能解决诸如贫富差距严重等问题，来自比利时的Guy Verhofstadt是欧洲议会成员，他说该措施无法得到通过。
“我认为该提议不会得到议会多数支持，我们创造了500多亿美元的巨大赤字，这是无法接受的。”
一旦通过，该措施将影响28个欧盟国家，欧盟称克罗地亚有望今年7月加入欧盟。
