VOA标准英语2012--World Bank Downgrades Global Growth Forecast

World Bank Downgrades Global Growth Forecast

The world's economy is expected to grow more slowly this year.
Hans Timmer, head of development projects at the World Bank, projects overall growth in 2012 at around 2.5 percent - more than a full percentage point below the bank's initial estimate.
"This will be a very slow recovery and it will take many, many years before the damage done by the great recession and the damage done by the imbalances created in a boom period before the recession are undone," said Timmer.
Developing countries will continue to outpace growth in richer, more developed economies but emerging countries face significant risks. World Bank economist¹ Lin Yifu says that includes reduced capital flows and trade if the European crisis worsens.
"The sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone has appeared to be contained, however the risks of global freezing up of capital markets as well as a global crisis, similar to what happened in 2008 are real," said Yifu.
Although the World Bank says high-income countries are primarily responsible for preventing a larger crisis, it says developing countries also have an obligation. Timmer says a crucial element is the role of Asian investment.
"To say it differently, the world is no longer dependent on the U.S. consumer or the European consumer, but it's increasingly dependent on what you could call the Asian investor," he said.
The World Bank says no region can escape the consequences of a serious downturn. It urged governments in developing countries to support cooperative trade mechanisms² and develop contingency³ plans aimed at softening⁴ the impact of a potentially deeper and longer lasting⁵ crisis.

1 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

2 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 contingency   

n.意外事件，可能性

参考例句：

• We should be prepared for any contingency.我们应该对任何应急情况有所准备。
• A fire in our warehouse was a contingency that we had not expected.库房的一场大火是我们始料未及的。

4 softening   

变软，软化

参考例句：

• Her eyes, softening, caressed his face. 她的眼光变得很温柔了。它们不住地爱抚他的脸。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• He might think my brain was softening or something of the kind. 他也许会觉得我婆婆妈妈的，已经成了个软心肠的人了。

5 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。