German economy speeds up: leading institutes

     BERLIN, April 7 (Xinhua) -- German economy will increase 2.8 percent in 2011, according to a joint¹ report issued by Germany's leading economic institutes on Thursday.

    The expectation was much better than the 2 percent increase for 2011 in the prediction（预言预报） of last year. It is also higher than the government's forecast of 2.3 percent. The growth rate will slide to 2 percent in 2012, the report said.

    The strong increase was driven both by external demand and by domestic consumption, the report said.

    The report used the word "buoyant" to describe the world economy this year and attributed the main engine to the emerging economies.

    Private consumption in Germany is expected to rise 1.2 percent this year and next, much higher than the 0.4 percent increase last year, due to the continuing improvements in job markets since last year.

    Unemployment people in Germany have been reduced to its lowest level since the reunification due to the strong economic rebound² last year.

    In 2011, 300,000 new jobs are expected to be created and the unemployment rates will be reduced to 6.9 percent this year and 6. 5 percent in 2012.

    Driven by the good economic outlook, German government's financial status is also expected to witness obvious improvements this year and next, with government's deficit³ narrowed to 1.7 percent of GDP this year and 0.9 percent in 2012.

    The report also said at present the world economy has not been seriously affected⁴ by the turmoil⁵ in the Arab world and the big earthquake, Tsunami⁶ and on-going nuclear crisis in Japan, but their future developments are still worrying.

    The institutes include the Institute for Economic Research in Halle (IWH), The Munich-based Institute for Economic Research (Ifo) , the Kiel-based Global Economy Institute (IfW) and the Essen- based Rhineland-Westphalia Institute (RWI).(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

3 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

4 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。

5 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

6 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。