VOA标准英语2009年-EU says Europe Emerging from Recession

The European Union says it is emerging from a recession driven by the global economic downturn, but the recovery will be shaky and slow.

The EU economic outlook for 2009 is far from upbeat. Overall, the bloc¹'s economy will shrink by four percent in 2009.

But the European Union also predicts a modest growth of about 0.2 percent in the third quarter, which ends at the end of September. It predicts growth of about 0.1 percent for the fourth quarter, capping this year.
　
EU economic affairs commissioner² Joaquin Almunia, 14 Sep 2009

At a press conference in Brussels, EU economic affairs commissioner Joaquin Almunia summed up the year for the 27-member bloc.

"We started 2009 from a lower point because of the downward revision from the end of 2008, but we will end 2009 in a better position than we were expecting a few months ago and this gives us a more positive outlook, not only for the second part of this year but also for the beginning of 2010," said Joaquin Almunia.

But Almunia said the outlook was fraught³ with uncertainty⁴ and gloomy indicators⁵. Unemployment will continue to rise and European government finances are strained by expensive financial bailout packages and other demands. Meanwhile, he predicted energy and food prices will increase, possibly leading to inflation by the year's end.

The EU projections⁶ are based on data from seven countries - Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. These seven countries account for 80 percent of the bloc's gross domestic product. Germany, Europe's biggest economy, is expected to lead the recovery

1 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

2 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

3 fraught   

adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的

参考例句：

• The coming months will be fraught with fateful decisions.未来数月将充满重大的决定。
• There's no need to look so fraught!用不着那么愁眉苦脸的！

4 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。

5 indicators   

（仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号

参考例句：

• The economic indicators are better than expected. 经济指标比预期的好。
• It is still difficult to develop indicators for many concepts used in social science. 为社会科学领域的许多概念确立一个指标仍然很难。

6 projections   

预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物

参考例句：

• Their sales projections are a total thumbsuck. 他们的销售量预测纯属估计。
• The council has revised its projections of funding requirements upwards. 地方议会调高了对资金需求的预测。