voa标准英语2008年-Putin Says Russia Can Weather Global Economic C

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says the global economic crisis tests the stability of all countries, including his own. Mr. Putin is expressing confidence that Russia has adequate financial resources but as VOA Moscow Correspondent Peter Fedynsky reports, Russia may now be spending money faster than it can save it.
　

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin addresses the 10th United Russia Party Congress in Moscow, 20 Nov. 2008

Speaking as head of Russia's ruling United Russia Party, Prime Minister Putin laid out a long-term vision for his country to delegates at the party's annual congress in Moscow. He blamed the United States for jeopardizing¹ his hopes for an expanded Russian middle class, increased life expectancy², improved health care, adequate pensions, better housing, and lower levels of corruption³.

Mr. Putin says abuse of cheap credit and mortgage troubles in the United States created a chain reaction, which has paralyzed the global financial system and sown general distrust on markets.

Nonetheless, Mr. Putin told party members that Russia will avoid steep inflation and sharp declines in the value of its currency. He said the country will also maintain its reserves and budget stability regardless of falling global oil prices. Those reserves were accumulated through taxation⁴ of profits when the price of oil soared in recent years. Russia is a major oil exporter.

Mr. Putin says the reserves will allow Russia to maintain the salaries of civil servants, pension payments, and social benefits. He adds that the system of social support will continue to work normally.

Nikolai Petrov, a political analyst⁵ at the Moscow Carnegie Center, told VOA that Mr. Putin's plan assumes the global economic crisis will end soon.

Petrov says the situation in the country is reminiscent of a doctor who thinks about the mood of his patient and fears any radical⁶ measures, and instead of treating a serious disease, spends all of his efforts lifting the sick person's spirits.

Russia's national media report extensively on U.S. economic troubles, and do not dwell on negative domestic financial news, including a 70 percent drop in the Russian stock market since May. According to Bloomberg News, Russian currency reserves have fallen by nearly $123 billion since early August. On Wednesday, Russian Central Bank Chairman Sergei Ignatyev said the institution spent more than $57 billion in the last two months to support the declining market value of the ruble, which has dropped to its lowest level since April 2006.

With an estimated $475 billion in the reserve fund earlier in November, Nikolai Petrov notes that Russia can continue tapping its currency reserves at the present rate for about six months.

Russia's 2008 budget assumed revenues based on oil prices of $70 per barrel. Next year's budget was set for $95. The current price per barrel has fallen below $60.

1 jeopardizing   

危及，损害( jeopardize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Plans may also become inefficient in the attainment of objectives by jeopardizing group satisfactions. 用危及群体利益方法去达到目标的计划，也是无效率的。
• That boosted government revenues in the short term, but is now jeopardizing them. Morales将天然气工业，电信业和部分采矿业收归国有的举措吓跑了投资者们。

2 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

3 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

4 taxation   

n.征税，税收，税金

参考例句：

• He made a number of simplifications in the taxation system.他在税制上作了一些简化。
• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。