日本经济连续两个季度衰退

 　　TOKYO — The Japanese economy deteriorated¹ more severely² than expected in the third quarter, according to government data released on Monday, extending a downturn into a second consecutive³ three-month period and putting the country in technical recession.

　　东京——日本政府周一公布的数据显示，日本经济在第三季度严重恶化，程度超过预期，致使日本经济连续两个季度衰退，陷入技术性衰退。

　　In a preliminary estimate, the Cabinet Office said output declined by an annualized 0.8 percent. Economists⁴ surveyed by news agencies had expected a contraction⁵ of 0.3 percent, on average.

　　内阁府表示，根据初步估算，日本经济产出按年率计算萎缩了0.8%。新闻机构调查的经济学家曾预计会出现平均0.3%的收缩。

　　Worsening business confidence appeared to have contributed to the fall. Companies reduced investment in the quarter and drew down on inventories⁶ rather than increasing production, the data showed.

　　商业信心的减弱似乎在一定程度上导致经济出现衰退。数据显示，各个公司在本季度缩减投资，减少库存，而不是增加产量。

　　With its work force shrinking, Japan grows more slowly than other countries at the best of times. Small setbacks can easily send it into reverse. The latest recession was its fifth since the global financial crisis of 2008, though by some measures, including unemployment, the picture looks much less dire⁷.

　　随着劳动力的减少，日本经济即便在最好的情况下，增长速度也低于其他国家。小挫折很容易导致经济出现倒退。这是自2008年金融危机以来日本经济的第五次衰退，但从失业率等标准来看，前景看起来没那么可怕。

　　The recession could nonetheless intensify⁸ skepticism about Japanese economic policy. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gained office three years ago on a pledge to reset⁹ Japan’s growth trajectory¹⁰. So far, his “Abenomics” program, centered on aggressive stimulus¹¹ by the central bank, has struggled to reach its ambitious goals for lifting incomes, spending and investment.

　　尽管如此，这种衰退景象可能会加剧人们对日本经济政策的怀疑。日本首相安倍晋三(Shinzo Abe)三年前凭借重置日本经济增长轨迹的承诺赢得选举。迄今为止，他采取的以央行积极刺激举措为中心的“安倍经济学”政策，难以实现其雄心勃勃的目标——提高收入、开支和投资。

1 deteriorated   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。
• His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。

2 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

3 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

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 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。

6 inventories   

n.总结( inventory的名词复数 )；细账；存货清单（或财产目录）的编制

参考例句：

• In other cases, such as inventories, inputs and outputs are both continuous. 在另一些情况下，比如存货，其投入和产出都是持续不断的。
• The store must clear its winter inventories by April 1st. 该店必须在4月1日前售清冬季存货。

7 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

8 intensify   

vt.加强；变强；加剧

参考例句：

• We must intensify our educational work among our own troops.我们必须加强自己部队的教育工作。
• They were ordered to intensify their patrols to protect our air space.他们奉命加强巡逻，保卫我国的领空。

9 reset   

v.重新安排，复位；n.重新放置；重放之物

参考例句：

• As soon as you arrive at your destination,step out of the aircraft and reset your wristwatch.你一到达目的地，就走出飞机并重新设置手表时间。
• He is recovering from an operation to reset his arm.他做了一个手臂复位手术，正在恢复。

10 trajectory   

n.弹道，轨道

参考例句：

• It is not difficult to sketch the subsequent trajectory.很容易描绘出它们最终的轨迹。
• The path followed by a projectile is called its trajectory.抛物体所循的路径称为它的轨道。

11 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。