VOA标准英语2009-OECD Looks for Global Economic Growth in 201

The Paris-based Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development has offered its most positive forecast in months on the world economy, saying 2010 is likely to usher¹ in modest growth.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development did not offer a particularly upbeat economic forecast either for this year or next. Its new report predicts the economies of its 30-member states will shrink by 4.1 percent this year.

Trade likely to fall
　
Secretary-General Angel Gurria presents the new economic outlook on at the OECD headquarters in Paris, France, 24 Jun 2009

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria told reporters that trade is likely to fall 16 percent, while 25 million more people will be out of work next year than was the case in 2007. But Gurria said the worst may be over.

"The good news is that economic activity in the OECD countries is reaching bottom," he said. "But that is following the deepest decline since the Second World War, which means you stopped contracting at a very low level of economic activity."

"In fact, this is the first economic outlook in two years that our projections³ are not more pessimistic. We are revising up previous projects of OECD economic growth compared to [the] previous economic outlook," he added.

That includes a slightly more positive take on this year's economic contraction⁴ to only 4.1 percent, compared to a previous estimate of 4.3 percent.

Hopes for recovery

Gurria said improved financial markets and business activity are giving OECD economists⁵ hope for recovery. The OECD projection² covers about 80 percent of the world economy. But the turnaround will be slow. OECD economies will grow only about 0.7 percent on average next year.

And that growth will be uneven⁶. While China is already recovering from the downturn, recovery in the United States next year could be weak and offset⁷ by a 10 percent unemployment rate. Overall, the US economy is expected to shrink by more than two percent this year, compared to a modest 1.1 percent growth in 2008.

 

1 usher   

n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员

参考例句：

• The usher seated us in the front row.引座员让我们在前排就座。
• They were quickly ushered away.他们被迅速领开。

2 projection   

n.发射，计划，突出部分

参考例句：

• Projection takes place with a minimum of awareness or conscious control.投射在最少的知觉或意识控制下发生。
• The projection of increases in number of house-holds is correct.对户数增加的推算是正确的。

3 projections   

预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物

参考例句：

• Their sales projections are a total thumbsuck. 他们的销售量预测纯属估计。
• The council has revised its projections of funding requirements upwards. 地方议会调高了对资金需求的预测。

4 contraction   

n.缩略词，缩写式，害病

参考例句：

• The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.肌肉的收缩使前臂抬起。
• The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.扩张力和收缩力相互平衡。

5 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》

6 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

7 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。