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欧洲经济仍在危机中徘徊

It was a better year for the economy in Europe, an important buyer of exports from around the world. But, the crisis that has gripped the continent since 2008 is not over yet.

2013年欧洲经济有所改善， 欧洲是从全球各地大量进口的地区。不过，从2008年以来一直处于经济危机困境的欧洲尚未摆脱危机。

According to the statistics, Europe's economic crisis is stubbornly lingering into a sixth year. But you wouldn't know it on London’s Oxford¹ Street, the week before Christmas.

数据显示，欧洲经济危机顽固地延续到第六年，可是在圣诞节前的这个星期，伦敦的牛津街上感受不到危机的压力。

“I definitely feel that this year, in comparison to the last two to three years, I think the mood is that people can treat themselves and their family a bit better,” said Robert, a communications specialist.

企业公关专家罗伯特说：  “我觉得，和过去2，3年相比，今年大家感到可以对自己和家人稍微慷慨一些了。”

“I think this year has been really good," said software saleswoman, Sandra. "Also I think London is a bit of a bubble. Things are really good in London, whereas if you go outside into other cities in Europe it may not be exactly the same case.”

电脑软件销售桑德拉说：“我想今年非常不错，不过我也认为伦敦有一定的泡沫。伦敦的形势很好，可是如果你到欧洲其他城市去看看，情形就不一定是这样。”

She’s right. Britain’s economy is among the strongest in Europe, and even here retailers² introduced discounts well before Christmas. In several countries that use the euro, the economic downturn is much more noticeable, according to Capital Economics analyst³ Ben May.

桑德拉说得对，英国经济在欧洲是最好的之一。尽管如此，零售商还是在圣诞前早早就开始打折。资本经济分析师本?梅说，在欧元区的几个国家，经济衰退的迹象要明显得多。

“Debt is still very high, as is unemployment," he said. "There’s a need for further austerity in some of these countries, and there’s a growing unwillingness⁴ amongst the population to accept that.”

资本经济分析师本?梅说： “债务仍然很沉重，失业率也很高，一些国家还是需要进一步采取紧缩措施，可是民众越来越不愿接受。”

That “unwillingness” has been reflected in protests, like this one in Greece, and at the ballot⁵ box, where voters in some countries have elected anti-austerity governments.

Austerity is controversial even among economists⁶ because it hurts growth. And Ben May says Europe's growth will continue to be weak in 2014, during what he calls a “grinding” and “fragile” recovery.

即使在经济学家当中，对紧缩政策也是有争议的，因为它妨碍经济增长。本?梅说，目前的经济复苏既“痛苦”又“脆弱”，而2014年的欧洲经济将仍然增长乏力。

“The situation has improved in the eurozone, but I think there are still a lot of problems, and there’s plenty of scope for the region to lurch⁷ back into crisis,” he said.

本?梅说：“欧元区的形势有所改善，不过我想现在还是有很多问题，这个地区重新陷入危机的可能性仍然很大。”

Still, even beyond the relatively⁸ strong economies of Britain and Germany, there is reason for hope. Professor Iain Begg of the London School of Economics says one positive sign is that talk of the euro system collapsing⁹ has all but ended.

不过，除了相对强大的英国和德国经济之外，其他经济体也还是有希望的。伦敦经济学院的伊恩?贝格教授说，一个好的迹象是，有关欧元体系奔溃的说法几乎销声匿迹了。

“I’d say it was a year that European leaders will look back on with, if not affection, at least some satisfaction that things have improved," he said. "It doesn’t yet filter through into the sentiment on the street because incomes are stagnating¹⁰, unemployment is still high.”

伦敦经济学院伊恩?贝格说： “可以说，当欧洲领导人回顾过去一年时，他们即使没有激情，至少会感到一定的满意，因为情况有所好转。不过，大众并没有这种感觉，因为收入没有增加，失业率仍然很高。”

That was clear on Oxford Street, where many people said they were worried about the future, even as they spent money on Christmas presents.

在牛津街可以明显感到这种情绪。很多人即使在花钱买圣诞礼物的时候仍然说，他们担心未来。

“I won't do like crazy spending," said one man. "I’ll buy stuff for my kids, for my woman, and for my family as well, just a little present to say ‘Merry Christmas.’ But I’m not doing like crazy.”

一名路人说： “我不会乱花钱，我给孩子们，还有给我的太太和家人买礼物，只是买些小礼物，表示圣诞快乐，我不会乱花钱。”

That seems to reflect the views of many Europeans, as the continent emerges from five years of crisis to promises of prosperity many people have not yet seen, and are not convinced will come.

这也是很多欧洲人的想法。欧洲经历了5年危机，刚刚看到繁荣的希望。可是，很多人尚未看到繁荣，也不相信繁荣会到来。