VOA慢速英语2013 A Look Back at Economic News of 2012

 

A Look Back at Economic News of 2012

 

From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report in Special English.

The American economy is improving, but the rate of growth remains¹ low. America’s jobless rate fell in 2012 to its lowest level in four years. Average home prices are no longer falling. And money has been flowing into financial markets.

But as the year ends, most observers say the economic recovery has not been as strong as they had hoped. One reason for the recovery is federal spending. Like many other countries, the United States is spending more money than it is receiving in taxes.

Some countries are spending money they do not have in an effort to get their economies growing again. Richard Rahn is an economist² with the Cato Institute.

“If countries had only been spending within their means in keeping spending growing no faster than the rate of economic growth, we wouldn’t have the global economic mess.”

But other economists³ say the mathematics is not that simple. Desmond Lachman is with the American Enterprise Institute. He notes that deep budget cuts in Greece have produced a deep recession.

“Because what we’re doing is, we’re really applying very stringent⁴ austerity measures. The IMF concedes that the austerity hasn't been working, yet the Europeans are persisting in the same kind of austerity that got them into trouble in 2012, so something’s got to give.”

Financial reform activist⁵ Robert Bixby says the biggest problem for the American economy is the country’s political system.

“Political dysfunction in this country is a bigger threat than economic dysfunction.”

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the country does not have to be this way. He has been urging lawmakers to provide leadership.

“Such uncertainties⁶ will only be increased by discord⁷ and delay. In contrast, cooperation and creativity to deliver fiscal⁸ clarity, in particular, a plan for resolving the nation’s longer-term budgetary issues without harming the recovery could help make the New Year a very good one for the American economy.”

Bruce Stokes is an economist at the Pew Research Center. He says if the economy does not improve, many nations will be affected⁹.

“There’s an old saying that if we get the sniffles, the rest of the world gets a cold and so if we end up going to a recession as well, I think everybody is going to suffer.”

As one year ends and a new one begins, the world is watching President Obama and congressional leaders. Many people want to know how America’s political leaders will move to cut the budget deficit¹⁰ while protecting the economy.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 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。

3 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 stringent   

adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的

参考例句：

• Financiers are calling for a relaxation of these stringent measures.金融家呼吁对这些严厉的措施予以放宽。
• Some of the conditions in the contract are too stringent.合同中有几项条件太苛刻。

5 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

6 uncertainties   

无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物

参考例句：

• One of the uncertainties of military duty is that you never know when you might suddenly get posted away. 任军职不稳定的因素之一是你永远不知道什么时候会突然被派往它处。
• Uncertainties affecting peace and development are on the rise. 影响和平与发展的不确定因素在增加。 来自汉英非文学 - 十六大报告

7 discord   

n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐

参考例句：

• These two answers are in discord.这两个答案不一样。
• The discord of his music was hard on the ear.他演奏的不和谐音很刺耳。

8 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

9 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。

10 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。