缪金华 - 2008-5-20 7:39:00
Zimbabwe
Billionaires' woe
May 16th 2008
From Economist.com
Zimbabwe issues a Z$500m banknote, as inflation rockets to unbelievable highs
A BOTTLE of beer may cost half a billion dollars; by next week it could be a billion. Hyperinflation in Zimbabwe reached a terrifying 355,000% in March, with prices doubling roughly once a week. It is probably much higher now. In a vain attempt to keep up, the country has just issued a Z$500m banknote, which is worth some $2 (or less by the time you reach the end of this sentence). The billion-dollar note is surely on its way. After a decade of recession Zimbabwe is reaching all sorts of extremes: it has the fastest-contracting peacetime economy; its people are fleeing both repression and chronic hunger; life-expectancy is plummeting to the mid-20s. Despite all this, Robert Mugabe, the incumbent, expects to win a run-off presidential election on June 27th.
issue：vt. to produce new stamps, coins, shares, etc. for sale to the public issues a Z$500m banknote 发行面额为5亿津巴布韦元的钞票
rocket：vt. If things such as prices or social problems rocket, they increase very quickly and suddenly. (JOURNALISM)
Fresh food is so scarce that prices have rocketed.
The nation has experienced four years of recession, rocketing crime and escalating social injustice.
[+]soar
hyper- prefix more than usual, especially too much
hypersensitive // hyper-inflation //a hyper-extended knee
double:v. to become, or make sth become, twice as much or as many
vain: adj. a vain attempt, hope or search fails to achieve the result you wanted
on the (or its) way: about to arrive or happen.
extreme: n. a feeling, situation, way of behaving, etc. that is as different as possible from another or is opposite to it
contract: v. to become less or smaller; to make sth become less or smaller
[+]shrink
life expectancy: The life expectancy of a person, animal, or plant is the length of time that they are normally likely to live.
Smoking reduces life expectancy.
[+]lifespan
plummet v. to fall suddenly and quickly from a high level or position
[+]plunge
in·cum·bent n someone who has been elected to an official position, especially in politics, and who is doing that job at the present time
In the June elections, Morris easily defeated the incumbent, Tom Smith.
run-off: n. A run-off is an extra vote or contest which is held in order to decide the winner of an election or competition, because no-one has yet clearly won.决赛，决定性竞选
There will be a run-off between these two candidates on December 9th.
...next month's presidential runoff election.
Billionaires' woe
May 16th 2008
From Economist.com
Zimbabwe issues a Z$500m banknote, as inflation rockets to unbelievable highs
A BOTTLE of beer may cost half a billion dollars; by next week it could be a billion. Hyperinflation in Zimbabwe reached a terrifying 355,000% in March, with prices doubling roughly once a week. It is probably much higher now. In a vain attempt to keep up, the country has just issued a Z$500m banknote, which is worth some $2 (or less by the time you reach the end of this sentence). The billion-dollar note is surely on its way. After a decade of recession Zimbabwe is reaching all sorts of extremes: it has the fastest-contracting peacetime economy; its people are fleeing both repression and chronic hunger; life-expectancy is plummeting to the mid-20s. Despite all this, Robert Mugabe, the incumbent, expects to win a run-off presidential election on June 27th.
issue：vt. to produce new stamps, coins, shares, etc. for sale to the public issues a Z$500m banknote 发行面额为5亿津巴布韦元的钞票
rocket：vt. If things such as prices or social problems rocket, they increase very quickly and suddenly. (JOURNALISM)
Fresh food is so scarce that prices have rocketed.
The nation has experienced four years of recession, rocketing crime and escalating social injustice.
[+]soar
hyper- prefix more than usual, especially too much
hypersensitive // hyper-inflation //a hyper-extended knee
double:v. to become, or make sth become, twice as much or as many
vain: adj. a vain attempt, hope or search fails to achieve the result you wanted
on the (or its) way: about to arrive or happen.
extreme: n. a feeling, situation, way of behaving, etc. that is as different as possible from another or is opposite to it
contract: v. to become less or smaller; to make sth become less or smaller
[+]shrink
life expectancy: The life expectancy of a person, animal, or plant is the length of time that they are normally likely to live.
Smoking reduces life expectancy.
[+]lifespan
plummet v. to fall suddenly and quickly from a high level or position
[+]plunge
in·cum·bent n someone who has been elected to an official position, especially in politics, and who is doing that job at the present time
In the June elections, Morris easily defeated the incumbent, Tom Smith.
run-off: n. A run-off is an extra vote or contest which is held in order to decide the winner of an election or competition, because no-one has yet clearly won.决赛，决定性竞选
There will be a run-off between these two candidates on December 9th.
...next month's presidential runoff election.