(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.
International economists say they are hopeful about Africa's economy. They say economic growth on the continent will increase by as much as five or six percent over the next two years. That would be the continent's highest growth rate since the worldwide economic recession in 2009.
Economic experts say the growth is partly because governments have established policies inviting to foreign investors. They say increased trade among African nations is also growing the continent's economy. And the experts say the growth is widespread. They made the observations in the African Economic Outlook 2014 report.
The Africa Development Bank Community Agriculture Infrastructure Improvement Project reduced transport costs and helped farmers earn higher incomes form agricultural commodities. (Photo: AfDB)
The African Development Bank, the United Nations Development Program and the OECD Development Center produced the report together. Angela Lusigi is a U. N. Development Program economist and policy adviser for Africa.
"A lot of people think growth in Africa, they think the only driven by mineral wealth or oil-exporting countries, but we find now the report that even countries that are not resource rich are still growing effectively. This is mainly because of their agricultural sector but also growth in services [including tourism] and a little in manufacturing," said Lusigi.
The report says Africa's top foreign trade partner is Europe. About 40 percent of African trade is with European nations. 25 percent is with Asian countries and about 12 percent is with North America.
The report says African countries traded $81 million worth of goods among themselves in 2012. Much of it is in the making of clothing, leather, building material, farm tools and wood products like furniture.
Angela Lusigi says there's strong demand in Africa for manufactured goods. These include television sets, telephones and other mobile technology. She says many of these products can be made in Africa.
The report says East and West Africa are leading the economic expansion. The report says low inflation especially in energy and food prices is helping economic growth in Africa. And it says African nations have put in place careful economic policies to cut spending and improve tax collection.
However, the report notes that official development assistance remains an important support for poor countries that lack enough foreign direct investment. Total official development assistance is estimated to be $55 billion.
And that's the VOA Learning English Economics Report. You can find more stories about economics and other subjects online on our website as well. I'm Mario Ritter.
文本来自51voa，译文属可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载
词汇解释
1.observation n. 观察；监视；观察报告
This book contains observations about the causes of addictions.
这本书包含关于上瘾原因的观察结果。
2.inflation n. 膨胀；通货膨胀；夸张；自命不凡
We are battling against inflation and unemployment.
我们正与通货膨胀和失业做斗争。
3.recession n. 衰退；不景气；后退；凹处
The oil price increases sent Europe into deep recession.
石油价格的上涨使欧洲陷入严重的经济衰退。
内容解析
1.And it says African nations have put in place careful economic policies to cut spending and improve tax collection.
put in place 到位；落实到位；正在实施
They put in place the tools of my new business.
他们把我干这一新行当所需要的用具安放得井井有条。
They're offended by the elaborate security measures the police have put in place.
他们被警方部署的繁复安全措施惹怒了。
参考译文
这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。
国际经济学家称对非洲经济充满希望，称未来两年这片大陆上的经济将以5-6%的速度增长，这将是2009年世界经济衰退以来非洲最快的增长。
经济专家称增长部分是因为各国政府制定了吸引外国投资者的政策，称非洲国家间贸易的增长也促进了这片大陆经济的发展。专家称增长很普遍，他们在2014年非洲经济展望报告中做出了这样的评论。
非洲开发银行、联合国开发项目和OECD发展中心联合做出该报告，安吉拉·卢思吉是联合国开发项目经济学家兼非洲政策顾问。
“很多人认为非洲之所以发展是受到矿产资源丰富或石油出口国的驱动，但我们在报告中发现即使是资源不丰富的国家也发展迅速，这主要是因为它们的农业部门在发展，同时包括旅游业在内的服务业和一小部分制造业也在发展。”
这份报告称非洲最大的外贸伙伴是欧洲，非洲40%的贸易是和欧洲国家进行的，25%是和亚洲国家，12%是和北美国家。
报告称2012年非洲国家之间的货物贸易价值8100万美元，其中多为服装、皮革、建材、农具和家具等木制产品的制造。
安吉拉·卢思吉说非洲对制造产品的需求强劲，包括电视机、电话和其他移动技术，她说很多产品都可以在非洲生产。
这份报告称东非和西非是经济发展的领导者，称低通胀率尤其是能源和粮食价格帮助促进非洲经济发展，称非洲国家已经实施谨慎的经济政策来削减开支和提高税收。
然而，这份报告指出，对于缺少外国直接投资的贫困国家来说，官方发展援助
仍是这些国家主要的支撑，总的官方发展援助估计在550亿美元。
这就是美国之音慢速英语经济报道，登陆我们的网站获得更多经济报道等节目，我是马里奥·利特。
