2006年VOA标准英语-New World Bank Report on Regional Trade Bl

By Ivana Kuhar and George Dwyer
Washington, DC
07 February 2006
 
watch World Bank report

World Bank report  
  
A new report by the World Bank says most post-communist European countries are now better integrated into the world economy than at any time since the Russian revolution. But the new study also finds that two new -- and starkly¹ uneven² -- regional trade blocks are emerging among those nations. VOA's Ivana Kuhar produced this report, which is narrated³ by George Dwyer.

-------------------------------------------------

A new World Bank report shows that, since 1995, trade in Eastern Europe's post-communist transitional economies, including the former Soviet⁴ Union, has grown at a faster pace than any other region in the world. Exports there have tripled, while imports have increased two and a half times. But the nature and pace of economic reintegration among the 27 countries of the region is sharply split, says the report's author, Harry⁵ Broadman.

 
Harry Broadman 
  
"The study suggests that there is an emerging two trade blocks in the region: a richer, Euro-centric block that trades increasingly with the wealthier countries of the world (particularly with the EU 15 or Western Europe), and a poorer, Russia-centric block" said Mr. Broadman.

The "Euro-centric" block consists of eight new members of the European Union: Turkey, and the seven Southeastern European countries.  The "Russia-centric" block includes members of the 12-nation Commonwealth⁶ of Independent States -- former Soviet republics. The study finds that open trade is a potent⁷ driver of development in the region, and that countries that have liberalized their trade and reformed their economic sectors⁸, Poland and Hungary for example, enjoy the highest rate of economic growth and prosperity.

At the other end of the spectrum⁹ are countries such as Belarus and Uzbekistan whose economies are less successful, it is believed, for having remained relatively¹⁰ closed to competition. The report says countries on a successful reform track, most notably¹¹ Croatia, have enhanced their credentials¹² for membership in the European Union by reorganizing their economies.

Countries that have lagged need to reorient their trade policies. Russia, says the report, could improve its position by joining the World Trade Organization.

Mr. Broadman suggests, "It also needs to engage in a series of structural¹³ reforms behind the border such as creating a more hospitable¹⁴ domestic environment both for Russians to invest in their economy, for foreign investors¹⁵ to invest in their economy, and also to allow for greater trade among Russia's regions."

1 starkly   

adj. 变硬了的,完全的 adv. 完全,实在,简直

参考例句：

• The city of Befast remains starkly divided between Catholics and Protestants. 贝尔法斯特市完全被处在天主教徒和新教徒的纷争之中。
• The black rocks stood out starkly against the sky. 那些黑色的岩石在天空衬托下十分显眼。

2 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

3 narrated   

v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Some of the story was narrated in the film. 该电影叙述了这个故事的部分情节。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Defoe skilfully narrated the adventures of Robinson Crusoe on his desert island. 笛福生动地叙述了鲁滨逊·克鲁索在荒岛上的冒险故事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

5 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

6 commonwealth   

n.共和国，联邦，共同体

参考例句：

• He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
• Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。

7 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

8 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

10 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。

11 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

12 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

13 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

14 hospitable   

adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的

参考例句：

• The man is very hospitable.He keeps open house for his friends and fellow-workers.那人十分好客，无论是他的朋友还是同事，他都盛情接待。
• The locals are hospitable and welcoming.当地人热情好客。

15 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