VOA慢速英语2012 Economics Report - Ethic Violence in Kenya Raises Concerns Among Investors

 

Economics Report - Ethic¹ Violence in Kenya Raises Concerns Among Investors²

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

A recent study shows that investors are concerned about conditions in Kenya. The nation is preparing for general elections in March twenty thirteen. But, the Kenyan business community is showing less confidence in the health of the country’s economy.

The Kenya Private Sector³ Alliance and the Synovate research group reported the findings. Synovate researchers talked to one hundred forty-five business leaders between July and August. A measure of the leaders’ confidence, or trust, was down fifty-three percent. That compares to between sixty and seventy percent a year ago.

Patrick Obath is chairman of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, or KEPSA. It represents more than two hundred Kenya-based companies. Patrick Obath says investors’ trust has fallen because of recent ethnic⁴ violence and political problems.

PATRICK OBATH: “We normally do a survey every six months on the business community to look at the various indicators⁵ that show the way the economy is going and the kind of fears they have, so this is a regular thing that we do. But this particular one showed indications that there is obviously some pessimism⁶ about the economy as a result of the activities that normally lead up to the election.”

He also says he knows of some investors are withdrawing their investments. He says two behaviors could lead to economic problems before the elections.

PATRICK OBATH: “Two things happen, one is that if there iss any investment to be done it is delayed until after the election, once things are clearer. The second thing that we have experienced is that also the spending of people changes because people are also a bit more conscious and they tend to keep money aside just in case things don’t go the way that they expect. So that downturn is what we normally see every year before election.”

Kenya experienced ethnic violence after disputed presidential elections in December two thousand seven. At least one thousand three hundred Kenyans were killed. More than three hundred thousand others fled their homes to escape the unrest.

Since then, Kenyans have experienced four years of relative security. A new constitution is in place. It is meant to prevent the kinds of anger and political struggles that caused the violence five years ago.

But Kenya is not completely calm. Many people have died because of ethnic violence between competing communities in the Tana Delta⁷ area. Patrick Obath says the violence has not helped investors' confidence. He says it also harms his country’s image around the world.

And that’s the VOA Special English Economics Report. For transcripts⁸, MP3s and now PDFs of our programs for e-readers, go to www.voanews.cn. You can also find captioned⁹ videos at the VOA Learning English channel on YouTube. I’m June Simms.

_________

Reporting by Mohammed Yusuf for VOA News

1 ethic   

n.道德标准，行为准则

参考例句：

• They instilled the work ethic into their children.他们在孩子们的心中注入了职业道德的理念。
• The connotation of education ethic is rooted in human nature's mobility.教育伦理的内涵根源于人本性的变动性。

2 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

3 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。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 indicators   

（仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号

参考例句：

• The economic indicators are better than expected. 经济指标比预期的好。
• It is still difficult to develop indicators for many concepts used in social science. 为社会科学领域的许多概念确立一个指标仍然很难。

6 pessimism   

n.悲观者，悲观主义者，厌世者

参考例句：

• He displayed his usual pessimism.他流露出惯有的悲观。
• There is the note of pessimism in his writings.他的著作带有悲观色彩。

7 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

8 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句

9 captioned   

a.标题项下的； 标题所说的

参考例句：

• This paper reviews the production, development and nationalization of the captioned materials. 本文就铜系合金引线框架材料的生产、发展和国产化进程作一论述。
• Please advise other considerable hotels for this captioned group. 请推荐其它一些高级的旅馆给这一群打标语的人。