智利新总统继承低迷的经济

 　　SANTIAGO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chile's president-elect Michelle Bachelet will inherit "a sluggish¹ economy," Chile's incoming Finance Minister Alberto Arenas² said Wednesday.

　　Bachelet, who led Chile from 2006 to 2010, is to be sworn in on March 11.

　　"The new government will inherit a sluggish economy from the current administration, an inheritance of low growth," Arenas told a press conference after a meeting of Bachelet's economic team.

　　At the meeting, officials reviewed the latest economic indicators³ released by the Central Bank of Chile.

　　The country's economy registered a 1.4-percent growth in January, lower than the 1.9 percent rate analysts⁴ had expected, Arenas said.

　　Despite the lackluster figure, the future finance chief expressed his optimism that the new administration can boost the economy.

　　His remarks were immediately refuted by the current conservative administration of President Sebastian Pinera.

　　"Economic forecasts are fundamentally based on what is going to happen rather than what has already happened," Pinera's Interior Minister Andres Chadwick said, claiming that economic indicators dipped due to the return of center-left power which made investors⁵ nervous.

　　"Chile's economy saw an average growth of 5.4 percent in the past four years despite adverse⁶ international conditions and damages caused by a devastating⁷ earthquake," Chadwick said, adding that "it is one of the highest growth rates among Latin American countries."

　　Current government officials have also claimed that the incoming government's plan to raise the price of utility services supplied to large companies has dampened investors' enthusiasm.

　　Last week, a financial market survey showed that analysts expect the economy to grow 3.8 percent in 2014.

1 sluggish   

adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的

参考例句：

• This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish.这种湿热的天气使人感到懒洋洋的。
• Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.脚部的循环比手部的循环缓慢得多。

2 arenas   

表演场地( arena的名词复数 )； 竞技场； 活动或斗争的场所或场面； 圆形运动场

参考例句：

• Demolition derbies are large-scale automobile rodeos that take place in big arenas. 撞车比赛指的是在很大的竞技场上举行的大型汽车驾驶技术表演。
• Are there areas of privacy in the most public of arenas? 在绝大部分公开的场合中存在需要保护隐私的领域吗？

3 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。

4 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。

5 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

6 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。

7 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。