大学英语听说教程III听力原文(Unit12)
2005-4-8
UNIT 12
Text 1
The Launching of the Euro
As firework displays ushered in the euro from Paris to Athens, Rome to Madrid, curiosity drove Europeans to cash machines at midnight December 31, 2001 for the first look at the brightly colored new notes. More than 300 million Europeans began changing their old currencies for the euro in the most ambitious currency changeover in history. To prepare for the large demand, banks across the euro zone disabled 200,000 ATMs in the afternoon, changing software and loading them with euro notes. Altogether 15 billion banknotes and 52 billion coins--worth 646 billion euros, or $568 billion--have been produced for the switchover.
Knowing how people can be attached to their national currencies, architects of the euro expressed hope that it will help realize dreams of a united Europe.
Across the continent, officials welcomed the euro as a sign of economic stability a new symbol to bind 12 nations on a continent at the heart of two world wars.
"We will become a greater Europe with the euro," ELI Commission President said in Vienna, shortly after he used the new currency to buy flowers for his wife. "We shall become stronger, wealthier."
His view was shared by Helmut Kohl, the former German Chancellor, who with the late French leader Francois Mitterrand had championed the single currency to bring peace and security to Europe. Kohl wrote in a newspaper, "A vision is becoming a reality. For me, the common currency in Europe fulfills a dream. It means there is no turning back from the path toward unification of our continent."
The nations adopting the euro are: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain. Those staying out are Britain, Sweden and Denmark.
Text 2
Britain's Reaction to the Single Currency
Buckingham Palace and other royal residences open to the public do not accept euros at their gift shops and entry turnstiles.
The new currency was launched in 12 European Union countries on January 1st, 2002, but Britain was not one of them.
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said the decision not to accept the euro was purely a business one and not a political statement. The retail outlets at the official residences have never accepted any other currencies. It is simply because as very small retail outlets, they don't have the facilities for changing currencies.
However, many retail outlets in Britain have prepared to accept the new currency since millions of tourists are expected to visit the country every year. In 2002 alone, visitors from the euro zone were estimated to spend more than 6.55 billion euros in Britain.
Major department stores Debenhams and Marks & Spencer and a big electronics retailer accept euros, but only on a limited basis initially.
Twenty-nine of Marks & Spencer stores, primarily those in tourist locations, have at least one cash register on each floor to process euro transactions. Its other stores have at least one designated area --either a register or a customer service desk where the currency is accepted. Products are not priced in euros, however, and change is given in British money.
The British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Britain will only join the single currency if economic conditions are right. A series of recent opinion polls show many Britons oppose the euro and see it as against Britain's sovereignty.
Part C
Tapescript
Withdrawing Money
Teller: Hi. Can I help you?
Peter: Hi. I've, uh, just opened a checking account and I want to withdraw 150 euros. What I want to know is, who do I make the check out to?
Teller: Well, since the money is for you yourself, you make it out to cash.
Peter: OK. W...how do I do that?
Teller. You just write the word 'cash' on this line.
Peter: This line here?
Teller: Yes, next to 'pay to the order of'.
Peter: OK. C-A-S-H. Now, I want to make this 150 euros. There, how's this?
Teller. Well, you've written the amount in numbers, but you have to write it out in words, too. That goes on the second line, there.
Peter: Oh, yeah.
Teller: By the way, it's a good idea to draw a line from the end of the amount to the word 'euros' so nobody can change the amount.
Peter: Oh, thanks. Well, that should do it. Here you go.
Teller: You forgot to sign your name. There, in the bottom right comer.
Peter: Woops, sorry. Here you go.
Teller: The date.
Peter: W...huh?
Teller. The date -- you forgot it. It goes in the top right comer.
Peter: Oh, right. OK, am I done?
Teller: Yes. That's fifty --a hundred a hundred and fifty euros.
Peter: Thanks a lot. Have a good day.
Teller: You too.
参考资料：http://www.xmwaiyu.com/Info/list.asp?id=619