VOA标准英语2009-World Bank President Says China Could Help Globa

World Bank President Robert Zoellick says the outlook for the global economy remains¹ uncertain, but China might help to foster global economic recovery.
　
Robert Zoellick (File photo)

World Bank President Zoellick spoke² Tuesday to a global private equity³ conference in Washington, D.C. He said he has been hearing mixed reports from economists⁴ and financial leaders.

"My reading of these different reports is that we still face a very high degree of uncertainty⁵," said Robert Zoellick. "But of course, it's a deadly mistake to let uncertainty paralyze you."

Zoellick encouraged business leaders to invest in developing markets, saying they will present new opportunities when the world emerges from the "wreckage⁶" of the current global recession. And he said he sensed some optimism among global leaders he met last month at the G-20 summit in Europe.

"One could sense sighs coming from the room," he said. "Now they could have been sighs of weariness, but I think primarily they were sighs of relief because the ministers and central bankers feel that they have broken the fall."

Zoellick said since this economic downturn is global, the world can expect a slower, more gradual recovery. But he said China could play a positive role.

"Now a positive spark is that I suspect China might surprise us on the upside," said Zoellick. "China acted quite quickly and aggressively to stimulate⁷ demand, and has had some pretty good first quarter numbers."

Zoellick said when you examine the numbers closely, the good news from China results mainly from government spending, and it remains to be seen when the country's private sector⁸ will boost its investments again.

China reported Tuesday that its exports decreased for the sixth straight month, suggesting that overseas demand for Chinese products is still weak.

And the Commerce Department said the U.S. trade deficit⁹ rose in March for the first time since last July to $27.6 billion, with the global recession also hurting American exports. America's politically-sensitive deficit with China rose 10 percent in March, to $15.6 billion. China has been the country with the largest trade surplus with the United States for more than a decade.

1 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。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

4 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》

5 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

6 wreckage   

n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏

参考例句：

• They hauled him clear of the wreckage.他们把他从形骸中拖出来。
• New states were born out of the wreckage of old colonial empires.新生国家从老殖民帝国的废墟中诞生。

7 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

8 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。

9 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。