VOA常速英语2008年-New Report Predicts Economic Growth for Asia De

By Naomi Martig
Hong Kong
27 March 2008

An annual U.N. Economic and Social report is projecting that economic growth in the Asia Pacific region will continue this year, despite the expected recession in the United States.  As Naomi Martig reports from Hong Kong, the survey says that together with U.S. economic uncertainty¹, rising food prices and poor agricultural policies are key challenges for the region.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific says developing countries in the Asia Pacific region are expected to grow at a slightly lower rate, at 7.7 percent in 2008, after enjoying its fastest growth in a decade in 2007.

China and India, the region's economic drivers, are projected to grow at 10.7 percent and 9 percent.  And for the region's developed economies, the U.N. says they can expect a growth of 1.6 percent this year, slightly lower than the two percent recorded in 2007.

Shamika Sirimanne is a senior United Nations economist².  She says while the Asia Pacific economies will see some moderation in growth through 2008, they are fundamentally stronger than a decade ago during Asia's 1997 financial crisis.

"We think these economies are very, very resilient," she said. "They have low debt, they have budget deficits³ under control, surpluses in trade balances in
many places plus there is about three-point-five trillion dollars in reserves. Plus the fact at the moment there is very low exposure to the
U.S. subprime crisis in the region."

But Sirimanne warns there are still great uncertainties⁴ facing the region, especially over the degree of the slowdown in the United States economy.

The U.N. report noted⁵ that rising food prices are a much greater inflation challenge than oil prices, because food accounts for a far higher proportion of consumer spending. 

The Food and Agricultural Organization says food costs worldwide spiked⁶ 23 percent from 2006 to 2007.  Grains went up 42 percent, while dairy increased by 80 percent.

The survey also stressed that chronic⁷ neglect of the agriculture sector⁸ in the region is keeping 218 million people stuck in extreme poverty. 

Malcolm Cook is the Program Director for East Asia at the Lowy Institute in Australia.  He says policy makers⁹ in many parts of the Asian region, including the Philippines and Indonesia, have failed to improve some vital areas of its agricultural sector, and have financially lost a lot because of it.

"Maintaining irrigation systems, extending irrigation systems, and improving farm to market access roads, so pretty much your meats and potatoes of agricultural policies," he said.

The report called on governments to implement¹⁰ policies that focus directly on improving agricultural productivity, such as connecting the rural poor to cities and markets and making it easier for farmers to access loans and crop insurance.

The report also says liberalizing global trade in agricultural would bring 48 million people out of poverty. Agriculture provides employment for 60 percent of the working population in the region.

1 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。

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 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

4 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

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 spiked   

adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的

参考例句：

• The editor spiked the story. 编辑删去了这篇报道。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They wondered whether their drinks had been spiked. 他们有些疑惑自己的饮料里是否被偷偷搀了烈性酒。 来自辞典例句

7 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

8 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

9 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。