VOA标准英语2013--IMF Lowers Its Global Economic Prospects 国际货币基金组织下调全球经济增长预期

 

IMF Lowers Its Global Economic Prospects¹ 国际货币基金组织下调全球经济增长预期

国际货币基金组织下调全球经济增长预期。在国际货币基金组织最新的季度报告中,经济放缓在一部分原因是因为发展中国家对“持续增长的失望”而且欧洲经济的衰退比预期的更严重。华盛顿的机构说情况可能会在明年年初得到改善。

The world’s economy is not growing as fast as many had hoped. The IMF revised its global growth forecast in 2013 to just a bit more than 3 percent - down from earlier projections² of 3.3 percent.

IMF chief economist³ Olivier Blanchard said the revisions are based on several factors.

“The main effect really comes from the slowdown in emerging market economies, but we are also revising down the euro area forecast,” said Blanchard.

Global demand for goods and services has declined - especially in Europe - where a debt crisis and tough austerity measures have produced the longest economic slump⁴ in the 17-nation eurozone’s history.

Peter McGuire, Asia market strategist at Baxter FX, said, "It is not surprising. When you think about as far as global demand, that seems to be softening⁵, and of course with Europe in the position that it's been in, it's just protracted⁶ slowness to a point of nearly negative growth across the whole zone. “

It's a vicious circle. Reduced demand has slowed growth in faster-growing economies, particularly in the so-called BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India, and China.  

Blanchard said that has repercussions⁷ for advanced economies.

“If, for example, growth in BRICs was to go down by two percent relative to what we predict, then the effect on the U.S., for example, would be half a percent. So it matters,” he said.

The IMF has lowered expectations for U.S. growth, even though recent housing and employment data suggest slow but steady progress.  

Steady enough, say some analysts⁸, for the Federal Reserve to scale back on monetary⁹ policies that have kept long-term interest rates at record lows.

Although rising U.S. interest rates could create difficulties for some countries, Blanchard said it also would signal a stronger recovery for the world’s largest economy.

“Along the way, you may have quite a bit of volatility¹⁰, but on that, the bottom line remains¹¹ the same, which is - it’s good news for the world.”

The IMF sees improving global economic conditions in 2014, but only if the world’s major economies continue to promote policies that foster near-term growth, while cutting long-term debt.

1 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

2 projections   

预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物

参考例句：

• Their sales projections are a total thumbsuck. 他们的销售量预测纯属估计。
• The council has revised its projections of funding requirements upwards. 地方议会调高了对资金需求的预测。

3 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。

4 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。

5 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。

6 protracted   

adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The war was protracted for four years. 战争拖延了四年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We won victory through protracted struggle. 经过长期的斗争，我们取得了胜利。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 repercussions   

n.后果，反响( repercussion的名词复数 )；余波

参考例句：

• The collapse of the company will have repercussions for the whole industry. 这家公司的垮台将会给整个行业造成间接的负面影响。
• Human acts have repercussions far beyond the frontiers of the human world. 人类行为所产生的影响远远超出人类世界的范围。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

9 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

10 volatility   

n.挥发性，挥发度，轻快，（性格）反复无常

参考例句：

• That was one reason why volatility was so low last year.这也是去年波动性如此低的原因之一。
• Yet because volatility remained low for so long,disaster myopia prevailed.然而，由于相当长的时间里波动性小，灾难短视就获胜了。

11 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。