Business Channel 2007-06-30&07-02, 供求渐升---俄罗斯经济

Script:

In the frozen arctic region of the East Siberia, teams from the Russian oil company Rosneft, work in numbing¹ -40 degree cold, digging exploration wells. The massive Vankor field promises to be one of the largest in Russia. Russia’s oil and gas remain the backbone² of its economy, but production growth is slowing. Last year, according to analysis of government statistics by the Economists³, oil production rose just 2.6 percent. But Russia’s gross domestic product hit a six year high, in the first quarter of this year, rising 7.9 percent, compared to 5 percent in the same period last year. There was major growth in construction, manufacturing and trade, and here is one of the major reasons---Russia’s consumers. Just take a look at Moscow’s newest mall, the European, Yevropeisky, one of the biggest in Europe. Here in Moscow and across Russia, shoppers are flocking to malls like these. Russians have more and more disposable income, and they are spending it like there is no tomorrow. Retail⁴ sales are up 30.5 percent this quarter over the same period last year, imports of goods and services up nearly 37 percent. Last year, domestic credit in Russia grew more than 46 percent.

Alexander Gonchruk is part of that growth. He’s president of the Russian corporation Sistema, a 20-billion-dollar conglomerate⁵ with five companies in ten industries including telecommunications, construction and services.

The service sector⁶ is growing very strongly, unbelievably fast. The purchasing power of consumers is increasing, and that’s stimulating⁷ growth in that sector. And in past year, the business climate has seriously improved. It’s become predictable and more stable.

This June at the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum⁸, President Putin told CEOs from major global corporations, Russia is gradually integrating with the world economy. Another message, the government’s economic strategy isn’t focused just on oil and gas. Russia intends to become a high-tech⁹ and industrial leader. For now, Russia’s economy and the purchasing power of consumers remain dependent on global oil prices. If those prices stay high, Russians will continue to have more to spend and the consumer boom will go on.

Jill Dougherty, CNN, Moscow

notes:

Conglomerate: A corporation made up of a number of different companies that operate in diversified¹⁰ fields.

1 numbing   

adj.使麻木的，使失去感觉的v.使麻木，使麻痹( numb的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Watching television had a numbing effect on his mind. 看电视使他头脑麻木。
• It was numbing work, requiring patience and dedication. 这是一种令人麻木的工作，需要有耐心和忘我精神。 来自辞典例句

2 backbone   

n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气

参考例句：

• The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
• The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。

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 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。

5 conglomerate   

n.综合商社，多元化集团公司

参考例句：

• The firm has been taken over by an American conglomerate.该公司已被美国一企业集团接管。
• An American conglomerate holds a major share in the company.一家美国的大联合企业持有该公司的大部分股份。

6 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。

7 stimulating   

adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的

参考例句：

• shower gel containing plant extracts that have a stimulating effect on the skin 含有对皮肤有益的植物精华的沐浴凝胶
• This is a drug for stimulating nerves. 这是一种兴奋剂。

8 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

9 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

10 diversified   

adj.多样化的，多种经营的v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 )；进入新的商业领域

参考例句：

• The college biology department has diversified by adding new courses in biotechnology. 该学院生物系通过增加生物技术方面的新课程而变得多样化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Take grain as the key link, develop a diversified economy and ensure an all-round development. 以粮为纲，多种经营，全面发展。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》