BBC新闻100篇 News Item 28-英语听力

[00:00.00]The Bank of America has agreed to pay 33 million dollars
美国银行已经同意支付三千三百万美金， [00:03.83]to settle accusations by the US government
以解决美国政府对其的指控， [00:06.19]over billions of dollars of bonuses
指控称其去年为了投资美林证券公司， [00:08.24]paid out last year by its investment on Merrill Lynch.
花费了十亿多美金，而这些钱本来用于发放红利。 [00:10.98]Bank of America took over Merrill Lynch
美国银行接管了美林证券， [00:13.40]to save it from collapse in a deal
让其免于破产， [00:15.33]backed by American taxpayers' money.
不过其后盾是美国纳税人的钱。 [00:17.45]John Bithry reports.
John Bithry 报道。 [00:19.07]Bank of America had promised its shareholders
美国银行曾向其股东保证， [00:21.80]that no bonuses would be paid to bankers at Merrill Lynch
若未收到明确准许， [00:24.79]without its express permission.
则不会向美林证券的银行家支付一分钱。 [00:26.84]It's agreed to buy the struggling investment bank in September.
九月，美国银行同意收购这所形势危急的投资银行。 [00:30.01]On the same weekend
同一周， [00:31.38]that talks to save Lehman Brothers from collapse failed.
关于帮助雷曼兄弟（投资银行）免于破产的洽谈以失败告终。 [00:33.68]Like Lehman, Merrill Lynch was brought
与雷曼兄弟的情况相似， [00:36.30]to its knees by debt
美林证券也因与美国房地产市场有关的债务问题 [00:37.48]links to the US housing market
而濒临破产， [00:39.03]that became toxic and lost its value.
因房地产市场充斥着大量有毒资产，并遭遇贬值。 [00:41.71]But after Merrill was rescued by BOA,
但美林证券被美国银行拯救了之后， [00:44.07]it went ahead and paid its staff 3.6 billion dollars in bonuses anyway.
它得以继续运转，并且向其员工发放了三十六亿红利。 [00:48.49]Shortly afterwards Bank of America
随后不久，美国银行 [00:51.22]was forced to go to the government
就被迫向政府 [00:52.66]for billions of dollars in extra taxpayer support,
申请了额外数十亿的纳税人资助， [00:55.45]and the revelation of the payments caused a public outcry.
而这一交易暴露后，引起极大民愤。