VOA常速英语2018--俄罗斯经济或于2019年遭遇危机

From the bright and joyful¹ displays on Red Square, it’s hard to tell that anyone is worried about possible economic troubles ahead. It’s clear in Moscow’s retail² districts that some people are doing well. I don’t plan to economize³. This is a planned holiday for which the budget has already been allocated⁴ without any real economy.

从红场上明亮又喜庆的陈列中，很难看出大家对可能即将盗来的经济问题担忧。显然，莫斯科的一些零售区里，有些人过得很好。我不打算缩衣节食。这是已经计划好了的节日，预算也已经安排上了，不需要考虑实体经济的问题。

But in shopping for the biggest feasts of the year, not all are spending with abandon. Some, especially among Russia’s estimated 40 million pensioners⁶, are worried about having enough money in the New Year. I see that the situation among the ordinary people is not getting better. I wish someone would think more about the pensioner⁵. Those concerns are not unfounded in an economy that analysts⁷ describe as contradictory⁸.

但是在参与今年最大规模的购物盛宴时，也有人会有所节制。一些人，尤其是俄罗斯大概4000万名领退休金的老人，会担心新年钱不够用。我注意到普通人的生活境况并没有改善。我希望有人能为领退休金的老人着想。这些担心不是没有根据的，毕竟很多分析师都认为俄罗斯经济有矛盾之处。

Despite the fact that we have economic growth, we have had four years’ slump⁹ in real incomes. Here is one more Russian paradox¹⁰: High salaries, drawing salaries and decreasing real incomes. This is all because of quite big shadow sector¹¹ but black economy, without an official taxation¹². Analysts predict an overall drop in spending this holiday season due to international sanctions and government policies that include higher taxes and rising interest rates. The direction of the economy in 2019 will be crucial for President Vladimir Putin, whose supporters mostly live away from the glitz of the capital. For Russians, this is a chance to eat, drink and prepare for whatever the New Year brings.

虽然经济有所增长，但实际收入已经是下滑4年了。除此之外，还有一个矛盾现象——工资上涨之后，就取出来花，而实际收入是下降了的。这些都是因为存在着相当大的灰色收入，也就是非法经济，没有官方征税。有分析师预测认为，本节日季将会出现支出整体缩水的情况，原因是诸多国际制裁和政府政策都抬高了税收和利率。2019年的经济走向对于普京总统来说十分严峻，因为普京的支持者大多不在首都。对于俄罗斯人来说，这是一个畅快吃喝的时节，一个为新年做准备的时节。

1 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

2 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

3 economize   

v.节约，节省

参考例句：

• We're going to have to economize from now on. 从现在开始，我们不得不节约开支。
• We have to economize on water during the dry season. 我们在旱季不得不节约用水。

4 allocated   

adj. 分配的 动词allocate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The Ford Foundation allocated millions of dollars for cancer research. 福特基金会拨款数百万美元用于癌症研究。
• More funds will now be allocated to charitable organizations. 现在会拨更多的资金给慈善组织。

5 pensioner   

n.领养老金的人

参考例句：

• The tax threshold for a single pensioner is$ 445.单身领退休年金者的纳税起点为445英镑。
• It was the pensioner's vote late in the day that influenced the election of Mr.Sweet.最后是领取养老金者的选票影响了斯威特先生的当选。

6 pensioners   

n.领取退休、养老金或抚恤金的人( pensioner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He intends to redistribute income from the middle class to poorer paid employees and pensioners. 他意图把中产阶级到低薪雇员和退休人员的收入做重新分配。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am myself one of the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. 我自己就是一个我们的高贵的施主遗留基金的养老金领取者。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 contradictory   

adj.反驳的，反对的，抗辩的；n.正反对，矛盾对立

参考例句：

• The argument is internally contradictory.论据本身自相矛盾。
• What he said was self-contradictory.他讲话前后不符。

9 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。

10 paradox   

n.似乎矛盾却正确的说法；自相矛盾的人(物)

参考例句：

• The story contains many levels of paradox.这个故事存在多重悖论。
• The paradox is that Japan does need serious education reform.矛盾的地方是日本确实需要教育改革。

11 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。

12 taxation   

n.征税，税收，税金

参考例句：

• He made a number of simplifications in the taxation system.他在税制上作了一些简化。
• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。