新奇事件簿 日本经济下滑影响世界经济

Japan has slipped back into recession, leaving financial analysts¹ to ponder over the implications for the global economy. Japan's economy unexpectedly shrank for the second consecutive² quarter. Two successive negative quarters officially puts a country in recession. The slide in the last quarter has taken economists³ by surprise. Figures indicated that Japan's economy would grow by 2.1 per cent in the last quarter. Instead, gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 1.6 per cent between July and September. Many economists attributethe fall to April's increase in sales tax from five to eight per cent. Many Japanese consumers have tightened⁴ their purse strings⁵ and are simply not spending.

日本又一次进入了经济萧条期，金融分析师认为这将对全球经济造成影响。出乎人们所料，日本经济连续第二个季度下滑。连续两季度的下滑使日本陷入了萧条的泥沼当中。最后一季度的下滑出乎了经济学家的预料。数据表明日本的经济在最后一个季度将会增长2.1%。但是，日本的国民生产总值在7月到9月之间下滑了1.6%。许多经济学家把这一次的下降归结于四月份不断增长的销售税，从5%增长到了8%。许多日本消费者勒紧了腰包。

World leaders are worried that Japan's slide back into recession could be ominous⁶ for the global economy. British leader David Cameron said the world was on the brink⁷ of a second economic disaster. He told reporters he saw "red warning lights" for the global economy because of international "instability and uncertainty⁸" and a slowing of growth in emerging markets, especially Brazil and China. Mr Cameron said the problems were "plain to see". He added: "The Eurozone is teetering on the brink of a possible third recession, with high unemployment, falling growth and the real risk of falling prices. Emerging markets, which were the driver of growth in the early stages of the recovery, are now slowing down."

世界各国的领导人都担心日本的下滑将会对世界经济产生不良影响。英国首相大卫·卡梅隆说世界正在第二次经济灾难的边缘。他告诉记者他看到了全球经济的红线，这是因为全球的不稳定性和不确定性所导致的，新兴国家的经济也有所减缓，特别是中国和巴西。卡梅隆先生说这个问题显而易见。他补充到：欧洲区很有可能面临第三次经济萧条，高失业率，增长减缓，以及价格下降。新兴市场是经济复苏早期的加速器，但是现在他们的经济也下降了。

1 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。

2 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。

3 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》

4 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

5 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

6 ominous   

adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的

参考例句：

• Those black clouds look ominous for our picnic.那些乌云对我们的野餐来说是个不祥之兆。
• There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.电话那头出现了不祥的沉默。

7 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

8 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。