VOA标准英语2008年-African Growth Threatened by Higher Food, Fuel

By Barry Wood
Washington
22 May 2008

Economists² specializing in Africa say the continent's five-year run of record economic growth is threatened by sharply rising fuel and food prices.  VOA's Barry Wood reports on a Capitol Hill forum³ Thursday sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. 

Peter Lewis, the director of African studies at Johns Hopkins University, said food and fuel price increases have been devastating⁴, threatening to erode⁵ five years of impressive economic gains.

"The scale and scope and speed of the accelerated price hikes have really been quite stunning," he said.

Peter Ondiege, a research economist¹ at the African Development Bank, said continuing growth in 2008 is being negatively influenced by price increases.

"It had been assumed that oil prices would stabilize⁶ at around $90 a barrel," he said.  "And [now] we are seeing it approaching $135 to $140 a barrel. So this is a big threat to the African economies, especially those that are importing oil."

Global food prices nearly doubled over the past year while oil costs four times as much as it did in 2003. African economies have registered growth for five consecutive⁷ years, expanding five point seven percent last year.

Ondiege says he worries that higher food and fuel prices could prompt some governments to roll back market-based reforms.

"They might attempt to provide subsidies," he added.  "They might try to over-borrow to cushion the poor."

The International Monetary⁸ Fund last month forecast that sub-Saharan Africa would register growth of 6.6 percent in 2008. The extent to which that forecast is being scaled back is not yet known.

1 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。

2 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》

3 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

4 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。

5 erode   

v.侵蚀，腐蚀，使...减少、减弱或消失

参考例句：

• Once exposed,soil is quickly eroded by wind and rain.一旦暴露在外，土壤很快就会被风雨侵蚀。
• Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits.金融市场的竞争降低了利润。

6 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

7 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。

8 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。