VOA慢速英语2015 中国经济走弱向全世界释放冲击波

AS IT IS 2015-09-04 Weaker Chinese Economy Sends Shockwaves Worldwide 中国经济走弱向全世界释放冲击波

Many people are concerned about signs of weakness in the Chinese economy. They want to know how these changes will affect economic activity in the rest of the world.

The Group of 20 major economies are holding talks in Turkey at the end of this week. American and Japanese officials want financial leaders and central bankers to make China’s economy a central issue at the G20 meetings.

On Tuesday, Japan’s Finance Minister called for a “frank debate at the G20 about what is happening in the Chinese economy.” And a U.S. official speaking before the meeting called on China’s government to “carefully communicate its policy intentions and actions to financial markets.”

Falling stock prices have shown that investors¹ are very concerned. Many believe that a weak Chinese economy will affect other markets. On Tuesday, China’s official manufacturing index fell to its lowest level in three years. Leading measures of stock values dropped in East Asia, Europe and the United States.

The world’s financial leaders are watching. International Monetary² Fund chief Christine Lagarde spoke³ during a visit to Indonesia. She said rapid changes in stock market prices show concerns that economic uncertainty⁴ could spread.

"What has been demonstrated in the last few weeks,” she said, “is how much Asia is at the core of the global economy, and how much disruptions occurring in one market in Asia can actually spill over to the rest of the world.”

Asia is not the only area that could be affected⁵. Experts note that China’s problems could hurt manufacturing in Germany, Europe’s largest economy. Experts note that Chinese reform efforts have been uneven⁶ and present different problems for China’s trading partners.

Scott Kennedy is with the Centers for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. He says China’s economy is changing.

“The Chinese economy is gradually shifting from one that is primarily based on industry and fixed⁷ asset investment to one where services and individual consumption are much more important."

But he adds that issues like reducing debt and reforming state-owned businesses may hold back the economy.

“And if China’s industrial economy doesn’t find a way to absorb the debt that it’s built up — deleverage reform state owned enterprises that’s going to keep the Chinese economy from growing rapidly.”

Mr. Kennedy says the economic slowdown in China is affecting two groups of countries. The first group provides raw, unprocessed materials to China. The other group includes Southeast Asia and countries that are trade competitors of China. They are affected by the devaluation of China’s currency. It makes Chinese exports less costly⁸ and reduces the value of the country’s money.

Words in This Story

intentions – n. the thing that you plan to do or achieve; an aim or purpose

core – adj. the most important or basic part of something

disruptions – n. to interrupt the expected progress or activities

1 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

2 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

7 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

8 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。