word trade and economic crisis

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report. 

这里是VOA特别英语经济报道

The economic crisis is claiming another victim: world trade. Last month the World Bank predicted a two percent decrease this year -- the largest drop since the nineteen forties. 

世界贸易成为经济危机的又一个受害者。上个月世界银行预计今年世界贸易会下降2%，自19世纪40年代来最大的跌幅。

Economies that depend on exports for growth have been hit hard. Japanese exports decreased almost twenty-seven percent in November from a year earlier. Japan has the world's second largest economy. 

经济依靠出口增长型的（国家）受影响最严重。日本作为世界第二大经济体，11月出口与上一年同期萎缩将近27%。

A new report this week from China showed that its economy became the world's third largest in two thousand seven, passing Germany. China could also pass Germany as the world's biggest exporter. But Chinese exports fell almost three percent in December from a year earlier -- the sharpest drop in at least ten years. 

一项来自中国的新报告显示2007年中国超过德国，成为世界第三大经济体。中国同样超过德国成为世界上最大的出口国。但是中国11月的出口与上年同期相比几乎下降了3%，这是十年来最强烈的下降。

A story in the Chinese news magazine Outlook warned that factory closings could lead to unrest as the economy slows. 

中国新闻报纸的一则文章的观点警示：工厂倒闭会带来和经济衰退同样的社会动荡。

The latest reports show that German exports in November were down almost twelve percent from the year before. 

最近的报告显示德国11月的出口和上一年相比几乎下降了20%.

American exports decreased almost two percent in November from a year earlier. They were down six percent from October -- but imports were down twelve percent. That reduced the monthly trade deficit to the lowest level in five years. 

美国11月的出口和上一年相比几乎下降了2%，和月相比下降了6%，但是进口下降了12%。这使每月贸易逆差降低到了5年来的最低水平。

Credit has improved in some cases since the financial crisis worsened in September. But falling demand, including reduced demand for oil, has cut trade around the world. The International Monetary Fund recently called for government spending, tax cuts and international cooperation to support growth. 

从9月经济危机以来银行贷款提高

To ease credit, the Bank of England last week reduced its main interest rate to one and one-half percent -- its lowest ever. The bank was established in sixteen ninety-four. Britain's economy may have shrunk by one percent just in the final three months of last year. The first estimates are expected at the end of January. 

为更容易贷款，英格兰银行上周降低主要利率到1%和1.5%，这是历史最低。英格兰银行成了于1694年，仅仅和去年第四季度相比英国的经济缩水了1%。（今年）的估算将于1月末公布。

This week, Germany's coalition government agreed to an economic aid package worth about sixty-seven billion dollars. The two-year plan calls for spending on public works and a tax cut for low-income Germans. Critics considered an earlier measure too small to fight the recession in Europe's largest economy. 

本周德国联邦政府通过了一项高达670亿美元的经济援救计划。这项长达两年的计划用于公共事业和降低低收入德国人的税额。评论家认对欧洲最大的经济体的经济衰退来说这显得太早、太微弱。

Aides to President-elect Barack Obama have been negotiating with Congress on a two-year recovery plan for the world's largest economy. On Wednesday, Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York suggested that the price could reach eight hundred fifty billion dollars. 

当选总统奥巴马的助手已经在和国会谈判一项为期两年的振兴世界上最大经济体的计划。星期三，纽约的民主党参议员Charles Schumer暗示（援助计划)的金额应该达到8500亿美元。