From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。

The world economy is not growing as fast as many experts had hoped. The International Monetary Fund recently announced it was changing its prediction for future economic activity.
世界经济的增长速度没有许多专家希望的那么快。国际国际基金组织（简称IMF）最近宣布正在改变其对未来经济活动的预期。

The IMF now says it expects the world economy to grow only a little over 3 percent in 2013, that is down from an earlier prediction of 3.3 percent.
国际货币基金组织表示，目前该组织预测2013年世界经济增长仅仅略高于3%，低于之前预测的3.3%。

The IMF blamed the slower growth in part on what it called "continuing growth disappointments" in developing countries, and a deeper than expected recession in Europe.
国际货币基金组织将增长放缓部分归咎于发展中国家所谓的“增长持续令人失望”，以及欧洲经济衰退超过预期。

Olivier Blanchard is the chief economist at the IMF.
奥利维尔·布兰查德（Olivier Blanchard）是国际货币基金组织首席经济学家。

"The main effect really comes from the slowdown in emerging market economies, but we are also revising down the euro area forecast."
他说，“主要的影响来自于新兴市场经济体的增长放缓，但我们下调了对欧元区的预测。”

International demand for goods and services has decreased as people buy less, that is especially true in Europe. There a debt crisis and government cost-cutting measures have produced the longest economic slowdown in the history of the 17-nation eurozone.
随着人们减少购买，商品和服务的国际需求随之降低。这一点在欧洲尤其明显。欧洲的债务危机和政府削减支出措施已经导致欧元区17个国家史上最长时间的经济增长放缓。

Peter McGuire studies Asia markets for the financial service company Baxter FX.
彼得·麦圭尔(Peter McGuire)在金融服务公司Baxter FX研究亚洲市场。

"It is not surprising. When you think about as far as global demand, that seems to be softening, and of course with Europe in the position that it's been in, it's just protracted slowness to a point of nearly negative growth across the whole zone."
他说，“这令人惊讶。当你深入考虑到全球需求，它似乎在走弱。欧盟也是如此。整个欧元区（的需求）持续放缓到近乎负增长的位置。”

Reduced demand has slowed growth in faster-growing economies, especially in the countries known as BRIC - Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
需求下降导致快速增长经济体的增长放缓，尤其是在被称为金砖四国的巴西、俄罗斯、印度和中国。

Olivier Blanchard says economic activity in the BRIC countries has an affect on more developed economies.
奥利维尔·布兰查德说，金砖四国的经济活动对发达经济体也有影响。

"If, for example, growth in BRICs was to go down by two percent relative to what we predict, then the effect on the U.S., for example, would be half a percent. So it matters."
他说，“举例来说，如果金砖四国的增长相对于我们的预测下降两成，那么以美国为例，对美国的影响将会是半个百分点。所以这很重要。”

The IMF has lowered its expectations for economic growth in the United State. Yet recent reports on American housing and employment have suggested slow but steady growth.
国际货币基金组织下调了其对美国经济增长的预期。然而，关于美国房屋与就业的最新报告显示（美国经济增长）速度虽然放缓但增长稳定。

This growth has been strong enough for America's central bank to change monetary policies that have kept long-term interest rates at record-low level.
这一增长已经足够让美国央行改变保持长期利率处于历史低位的货币政策。

Olivier Blanchard says rising American interest rates could create difficulties for some countries, but he believes it would also be evidence of the stronger recovery for the world's largest economy.
布兰查德表示，美国利率上涨可能会给一些国家造成困难，但他相信，这也将成为世界最大经济体强劲复苏的证据。

"Along the way, you may have quite a bit of volatility, but on that, the bottom line remains the same, which is - it's good news for the world."
他说，“在此过程中可能会有些波动，但是底线保持不变，这对世界来说是个好消息。”