Spain Warns Deficit Could Grow

 　　Spain warned Monday that the government's deficit¹ for last year could be even higher than it predicted just days ago.

　　Spain's new conservative government last week projected the 2011 deficit at 8 percent of the country's annual output of goods and services. But Monday, Finance Minister Luis de Guindos said the deficit could be even bigger.

　　His assessment² came as the government said that later this week it would unveil new austerity measures on top of the more than $19 billion in tax increases and spending cuts it had already announced. Guindos said the government will promote a "very aggressive reformist agenda" over the next several weeks.

　　One financial investment manager, Pascal Bernachon, said Europe's governmental debt crisis remains³ unresolved as the new year starts.

　　"The problems of the eurozone remain identical [to last year's]. Spain dampened the mood last week with its announcement that it could not meet its targets on the deficit, so because of that it has had to create more austerity measures," said Bernachon. "So, going into 2012 the European zone uncertainties⁴ remain and it's necessary to resolve these problems and reduce the deficits⁵."

　　The 17-nation bloc⁶ that uses the euro currency is seeking to impose tighter financial controls over spending by individual governments, an effort aimed at ending the continent's two-year debt crisis. Greece, Ireland and Portugal have already needed to secure international bailouts, but financial experts are worried that possible defaults by much larger Italy and Spain could overwhelm Europe's ability to pay back their debts.

　　With a weak Spanish economy and an unemployment rate of more than 21 percent, voters ousted⁷ the socialist⁸ government in November. Now, the country could face years of tight government spending. Some analysts⁹ say the Spanish economy could contract by more than 2 percent this year.

1 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。

2 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

3 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。

4 uncertainties   

无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物

参考例句：

• One of the uncertainties of military duty is that you never know when you might suddenly get posted away. 任军职不稳定的因素之一是你永远不知道什么时候会突然被派往它处。
• Uncertainties affecting peace and development are on the rise. 影响和平与发展的不确定因素在增加。 来自汉英非文学 - 十六大报告

5 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

6 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

7 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

8 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

9 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。