欧元区失业率创下新高

 Eurozone unemployment has hit a record 11-point-6 percent, raising fears of a continuing economic slowdown. As Jack¹ Barton reports, the new data is prompting some analysts² to speculate that the region may have already slipped into another recession.

In yet another grim economic development for the Eurozone unemployment has now hit a record high of 11.6 percent. Eighteen and-a-half million people were out of work across the Euro area in September, a gain of 146,000 on the previous month. Spain, which is still suffering the fallout of a burst property sector³ bubble, had the highest rate at 25.8 percent.

Ilaria Maselli, economist⁴ of Center for European Policy Studies, said,"The problem in Spain is that there are so many construction workers who are currently unemployed⁵ that even if there was growth in the next quarter it would be difficult to re-employ them in aother sector. Therefore in the case of Spain it is likely that unemployment will remain high for a while."

And Greece was not far behind with a jobless rate that is also now above 25 percent.

Youth unemployment is more than 50 percent in Greece and Spain, both of which are at the epicenter of Europe’s three-year old debt crisis, but other countries like Portugal, Italy and Cyprus are also struggling to curb⁶ high and rising unemployment.

Fabian Zuleeg, Chief economist of European Policy Center, said,"Very clearly these economies are in deep trouble, they have a growth problem, they had a growth problem when the crisis hit, and now we have on top of the general growth problems we have the programs, the austerity programs, the reform programs and these are also hitting the economy, so they mean lower growth and lower growth means more unemployment."

Unemployment remained relatively⁷ low in countries like Germany and Austria, but some core member states like France, with a rate of almost 11 percent, are also clearly suffering.

Jack Barton, Brussels, said," The latest unemployment figures have heightened expectations that when the initial third quarter economic data is released in the middle of next month, it will clearly show that the Eurozone as a whole has slipped into recession."

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 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。

3 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

4 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

5 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

6 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

7 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。