Given that many Greeks thrive off that bureaucracy, Mr Karamanlis must be brave as well as a quick learner.

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"He's young, he's got no real experience but he's a very quick learner and I think he would be useful, " he said.

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It is widely said in Caracas that Mr Chavez is a great communicator, a quick learner, a good listener, and a pragmatic realist.

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He is a quick learner: within a year of joining the New York Fed he could debate the intricacies of monetary policy with academic experts.

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But he has grown during the campaign, has shown a better grasp of his brief and, just as important, has proved to be a quick learner.

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He seems a quick learner and has built up an impressive team of advisers, drawing in seasoned hands like Paul Volcker, Robert Rubin and Larry Summers.

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