万花筒2008-01-28:Beijing tries to curb inflation

A potential U.S. recession is giving Chinese policymakers a headache. CNN's Eunice Yoon reports

Investors¹ in Asia went on a wild ride this week. Markets zigzag² on fears of a looming³ recession in the US. Things look a little different in China, though. Our Asia business editor Eunice Yoon has more.  

Well, China has chocked a double-digit economic growth for the 5th straight year. But authorities there are trying to slow their economy in the possibility where recession is making their lives that much harder. Buying groceries in China's street markets, these items are getting tougher for people there to afford.  

"The price of almost everything is going up and by a lot. "Those rising food prices have helped fuel inflation in China. The latest government figures show inflation hovering⁴ at a highest level in more than a decade. The government has been struggling to keep prices of rice, pork, cooking oil and other food staples⁵ under control in an effort to keep the economy from overheating. This comes as China deals with the prospect⁶ of a US-led global slowdown. 

These are uncharterable waters for the country. China is most likely going to suffer from the lag effects of all of the strong measures they have taken in the past year, you know, a half to slow down growth. And that they are really going to start to hit at a time, when they are getting slower demand out of the US. China has been on a campaign to cool its economy, raising interest rates and using price controls.  

If properly applied⁷, price control can be 100-percent effective. Now the question is this, is this a good idea? I do expect that the economy will slow down by the middle of this year. And that will lift some of the demand pressures from some of the goods and particularly wages. So the outlook for inflation is quite good.  

The latest government figures show inflation eased in December and growth was slightly slower. But the economy still expended⁸ at a blistering⁹ 11. 2% rate in the fourth quarter. Some analysts¹⁰ say China could help drive world growth in the event of a recession in the US. Still economists¹¹ point out as economic events unfold around the world, China will be challenged at home, balancing its inflation, fighting initiative with sustainable growth.  

And this morning the rapid growth is making Chinese investors a little bit nervous.  

Plenty of nerves around the place, Eunice Yoon, thank you very much.

1 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

2 zigzag   

n.曲折，之字形；adj.曲折的，锯齿形的；adv.曲折地，成锯齿形地；vt.使曲折；vi.曲折前行

参考例句：

• The lightning made a zigzag in the sky.闪电在天空划出一道Z字形。
• The path runs zigzag up the hill.小径向山顶蜿蜒盘旋。

3 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

4 hovering   

鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫

参考例句：

• The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
• I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。

5 staples   

n.（某国的）主要产品( staple的名词复数 )；钉书钉；U 形钉；主要部份v.用钉书钉钉住( staple的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The anvil onto which the staples are pressed was not assemble correctly. 订书机上的铁砧安装错位。 来自辞典例句
• I'm trying to make an analysis of the staples of his talk. 我在试行分析他的谈话的要旨。 来自辞典例句

6 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

7 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

8 expended   

v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽

参考例句：

• She expended all her efforts on the care of home and children. 她把所有精力都花在料理家务和照顾孩子上。
• The enemy had expended all their ammunition. 敌人已耗尽所有的弹药。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 blistering   

adj.酷热的；猛烈的；使起疱的；可恶的v.起水疱；起气泡；使受暴晒n.[涂料] 起泡

参考例句：

• The runners set off at a blistering pace. 赛跑运动员如脱缰野马般起跑了。
• This failure is known as preferential wetting and is responsible for blistering. 这种故障称为优先吸湿，是产生气泡的原因。 来自辞典例句

10 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。

11 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》