VOA慢速英语2012 Economics Report - The IMF Details Concerns About Zimbabwe's Debt

 

Economics Report - The IMF Details Concerns About Zimbabwe's Debt

 

经济报道 - IMF详述对津巴布韦经济的担忧

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。

The International Monetary¹ Fund, or IMF, says Zimbabwe's debt remains² a serious problem for the country's financial future. The IMF released a report this week that said Zimbabwe's economy is expected to slow this year after two years of high growth. And experts warn that Zimbabwe’s economy will not improve unless agricultural production increases.

国际货币基金组织（简称IMF）表示，津巴布韦的债务对该国未来的财务状况来说仍然是一个严重的问题。IMF本周发布的一份报告称，预计在两年的高增长后，津巴布韦的经济今年将放缓。专家警告说，除非农业产量提高，否则津巴布韦的经济不会得到改善。

The IMF report said Zimbabwe’s high growth rate would slow down to five percent this year. Poor harvests are partly to blame. But concerns about upcoming elections to change the country’s three-year-old coalition³ government add to economic worries.

IMF的报告称，今年津巴布韦的高增速将放慢到5%，农业歉收是部分原因。但对即将举行的会改变该国为期三年的联合政府的选举的忧虑增加了对经济的担忧。

The IMF predicts that growth will slow to about four percent in the years immediately ahead. Zimbabwe's economy had shown strong growth of over nine percent in two thousand ten and two thousand eleven.

IMF预测今后几年津巴布韦的经济增长将放慢到4%左右。在2010年和2011年，津巴布韦经济显示出9%以上的强劲增长。

John Robertson from Robertson Economic Information Services says the IMF expects to see changes in Zimbabwe.

罗伯逊经济信息服务中心的约翰·罗伯逊（John Robertson）表示，IMF希望看到津巴布韦的变革。

JOHN ROBERTSON: “The IMF is trying to promote us or prompt us to makes changes. They do suggest that they want to see changes before they become more generous with their assistance. And they will not be supporting much in the way of assistance to the country until they see change.”

罗伯逊：“IMF试图推动或鼓励我们变革。他们确实表明，他们希望在他们慷慨援助前看到变革。在看到变革前，他们不会更多支持对该国的援助。”

Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Tendai Biti said he believes his country is economically secure although it carries heavy debt.

津巴布韦经济部长滕达伊·比蒂(Tendai Biti)表示，他相信自己的国家在经济上是安全的，尽管它背负着沉重债务。

TENDAI BITI: “We believe that our macro-economic fundamentals are sound, and that there is no reason at all why a positive decision would not be made in our favor.”

比蒂：“我们相信我们的宏观经济基本面是好的，没有任何理由不作出对我们有利的积极决定。”

The IMF says Zimbabwe’s debt now stands at about ten point seven billion dollars.

IMF表示，津巴布韦的债务目前大约为107亿美元。

Zimbabwe’s agriculture-based economy began to weaken in early two thousand. That year the country started a program of poorly organized and sometimes violent land seizures⁴. The seizures targeted white-owned commercial farms. Those large farms were broken up and given to many small farmers.

2000年初，津巴布韦以农业为基础的经济开始走弱。这一年该国开始了一个组织混乱的方案，有时暴力没收土地。这些没收是针对白人拥有的商业农场。这些大农场被分拆，分给了很多许多小农户。

After ten years of economic problems, Zimbabwe’s economy has improved since the creation of a unity⁵ government in two thousand nine. But Tendai Biti has said the recovery will remain weak until international institutions such as the IMF cancel Zimbabwe’s debt.

在经历十多年的经济问题后，自2009年联合政府的创建以来，津巴布韦的经济有所好转。但比蒂表示经济复苏将继续疲弱，直到IMF之类的国际机构取消津巴布韦的债务。

Economist⁶ John Robertson says the finance minister was wrong to expect IMF to be merciful to Zimbabwe.

经济学家罗伯逊表示，比蒂错误地期望IMF对津巴布韦慈悲。

JOHN ROBERTSON: "I think the clemency⁷ issue was not in any sense a write-off or a forgiveness of debt. The IMF does not do that."

罗伯逊：“我认为宽大处理不是任何意义上的注销或债务减免。IMF不会那么做。”

The IMF has said that dealing⁸ with Zimbabwe’s debt requires strong financial policy and re-payment. It said failure to do so make it more difficult to reach agreement with creditors⁹.

IMF表示，处理津巴布韦的债务需要强有力的财政政策和偿付。它说，如果不这样做，就会使之更难与债权人达成一致。

And that’s the VOA Special English Economics Report. Find transcripts¹⁰ and videos at www.voanews.cn. I’m Mario Ritter.

 

1 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

2 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

5 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

6 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

7 clemency   

n.温和，仁慈，宽厚

参考例句：

• The question of clemency would rest with the King.宽大处理问题，将由国王决定。
• They addressed to the governor a plea for clemency.他们向州长提交了宽刑的申辨书。

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 creditors   

n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They agreed to repay their creditors over a period of three years. 他们同意3年内向债主还清欠款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 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