VOA慢速英語(yǔ): 亞洲國(guó)家從低價(jià)石油中獲益

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[00:00.00]From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report. [00:06.57]Today we tell you more about the effects of falling oil prices. [00:12.61]Lower demand for oil and too much supply have sent prices to their lowest levels in five years. [00:21.60]Last week, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries decided to keep production at current levels. [00:31.25]Representatives of the 12-nation group met in Vienna, Austria. [00:37.55]They were unable to reach agreement on changing OPEC’s production targets. [00:44.70]Lower oil prices are causing economic hardship in some OPEC members. [00:52.29]Officials there are exploring ways to cut government spending. [00:59.71]The president of Venezuela announced last week that he and other government officials should take pay cuts as part of budget reductions. [01:11.52]The Reuters news service says the reductions are meant to answer the lower oilprices. [01:18.95]It says Venezuela gets 96 percent of its export earnings from oil sales. [01:27.35] The nation has among the highest inflation rates in Latin America. [01:33.98]Russia is a major oil exporter, but does not belong to OPEC. [01:40.60]This week, Russia’s economic development ministry predicted that the Russian economy will shrink by eight-tenths of a percent in 2015. [01:52.91]Oil exports are important to Russia. [01:56.85]The value of Russian money has lost about 40 percent of its value this year compared to the American dollar. [02:05.96]Observers have blamed the drop on falling profits from oil exports, and Western sanctions to punish Russian actions in Ukraine. [02:18.59]But economists say the fall in oil prices is helping economies in Asia. Andrew Colquhoun is with Hong Kong-based Fitch Ratings. [02:30.26]"Most Asia-Pacific economies are oil importers and therefore the decline in oil prices is equivalent to a kind of income gain for them and [02:41.73] the impact depends on whether they save or spend the income gain." [02:46.07]In a recent report, Fitch Ratings said China and most major Asian economies would effectively earn more money from sustained lower oil prices. [02:59.07]Thailand spends 15 percent of national income on oil, the largest percentage in the area. [03:07.54]Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia all are moving to reduce oil price supports, or subsidies, which are often a major part in government spending. [03:19.22]Last month Indonesian President Joko Widodo raised subsidized fuel prices by over 30 percent. [03:28.96]Trade unions and opposition parties criticized the move. [03:34.10]The Indonesian government says it is providing social assistance to over 15million people to ease the effect of higher fuel costs. [03:46.21]But some experts say it is a matter of time before prices recover. [03:52.27]Jack Gerard is president of the American Petroleum Institute. [03:57.68]He says demand for oil will rise, and prices will find an equilibrium. [04:04.91]And that’s the VOA Learning English Economics Report. I’m Mario Ritter.

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Some Asian Countries Gain from Low Oil Prices

一些亞洲國(guó)家從低價(jià)油中獲益

Motorists fill up their vehicles at Petronas petrol station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in this 2010 file photo. Many asian nations are seeing gains from lower oil prices. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin)

From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.

這里是美國(guó)之音的經(jīng)濟(jì)報(bào)道。

Today we tell you more about the effects of falling oil prices. Lower demand for oil and too much supply have sent prices to their lowest levels in five years.

今天我們會(huì)講一下石油價(jià)格下降的更多影響。由于對(duì)石油需求降低，而供應(yīng)較多，這樣導(dǎo)致五年內(nèi)石油價(jià)格出現(xiàn)最低水平。

Last week, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries decided to keep production at current levels. Representatives of the 12-nation group met in Vienna, Austria. They were unable to reach agreement on changing OPEC’s production targets.

上周，石油輸出國(guó)組織決定按照現(xiàn)有的水平生產(chǎn)石油。12國(guó)的代表在奧地利首都維也納會(huì)面，他們沒(méi)能就歐佩克的石油生產(chǎn)目標(biāo)達(dá)成一致意見(jiàn)。

Lower oil prices are causing economic hardship in some OPEC members. Officials there are exploring ways to cut government spending.

石油價(jià)格低導(dǎo)致歐佩克成員國(guó)出現(xiàn)經(jīng)濟(jì)困難，官員正在尋求辦法削減政府開(kāi)支。

The president of Venezuela announced last week that he and other government officials should take pay cuts as part of budget reductions. The Reuters news service says the reductions are meant to answer the lower oil prices. It says Venezuela gets 96 percent of its export earnings from oil sales. The nation has among the highest inflation rates in Latin America.

委內(nèi)瑞拉的總統(tǒng)宣布他和其他政府官員應(yīng)該接受降薪作為削減預(yù)算的一部分。路透社新聞報(bào)道削減預(yù)算是應(yīng)對(duì)低價(jià)油的一種方式，委內(nèi)瑞拉96%的出口收入來(lái)自石油。委內(nèi)瑞拉是拉丁美洲通貨膨脹最高的國(guó)家。

Russiais a major oil exporter, but does not belong to OPEC. This week, Russia’s economic development ministry predicted that the Russian economy will shrink by eight-tenths of a percent in 2015. Oil exports are important to Russia. The value of Russian money has lost about 40 percent of its value this year compared to the American dollar. Observers have blamed the drop on falling profits from oil exports, and Western sanctions to punish Russian actions in Ukraine.

俄羅斯是主要的石油輸出國(guó)之一，但是它不屬于歐佩克組織。這周，俄羅斯的經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展部門預(yù)測(cè)2015年，俄羅斯的經(jīng)濟(jì)會(huì)縮減8%。石油輸出對(duì)俄羅斯來(lái)說(shuō)非常重要。與美元相比，俄羅斯的盧布面值已經(jīng)貶值40%。觀察者把利潤(rùn)的下降歸因于石油出口，西方的制裁作為對(duì)俄羅斯在烏克蘭所作所為的懲罰。

But economists say the fall in oil prices is helping economies in Asia. Andrew Colquhoun is with Hong Kong-based Fitch Ratings.

但是經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家稱石油價(jià)格的下降對(duì)亞洲經(jīng)濟(jì)有所幫助。安德魯·科洪是香港惠譽(yù)國(guó)際評(píng)級(jí)的一員。

"Most Asia-Pacific economies are oil importers and therefore the decline in oil prices is equivalent to a kind of income gain for them and the impact depends on whether they save or spend the income gain."

“大部分亞太經(jīng)濟(jì)體都是石油進(jìn)口國(guó)，因此，石油價(jià)格的下降在某種程度上等于是增加了亞太經(jīng)濟(jì)體的收入；石油價(jià)格下降的影響在于他們是否能夠省錢或者更好地使用他們財(cái)政收入。”

In a recent report, Fitch Ratings said China and most major Asian economies would effectively earn more money from sustained lower oil prices. Thailand spends 15 percent of national income on oil, the largest percentage in the area.

最近的一篇報(bào)道中，惠譽(yù)國(guó)際評(píng)級(jí)稱中國(guó)和主要的亞洲經(jīng)濟(jì)體會(huì)從持續(xù)的低價(jià)石油中賺更多錢。泰國(guó)15%的收入用在購(gòu)買石油上，這一比例是該地區(qū)所占比重最大的國(guó)家。

Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia all are moving to reduce oil price supports, or subsidies, which are often a major part in government spending.

泰國(guó)、馬來(lái)西亞和印度尼西亞會(huì)減少石油的資金扶持或者補(bǔ)助，而用在石油上的這部分資金占政府支出的主要部分。

Last month Indonesian President Joko Widodo raised subsidized fuel prices by over 30 percent. Trade unions and opposition parties criticized the move. The Indonesian government says it is providing social assistance to over 15million people to ease the effect of higher fuel costs.

上個(gè)月，印度尼西亞的總統(tǒng)佐科·維多多增加了30% 的燃油補(bǔ)貼。工會(huì)和反對(duì)黨批評(píng)他這一行為。印度尼西亞政府稱為1500萬(wàn)的人提供社會(huì)援助，幫助減輕高水平的燃油費(fèi)用。

But some experts say it is a matter of time before prices recover. Jack Gerard is president of the American Petroleum Institute. He says demand for oil will rise, and prices will find an equilibrium.

但是一些專家稱油價(jià)恢復(fù)需要一些時(shí)間，杰克·格拉德是美國(guó)石油協(xié)會(huì)的主席，他說(shuō)石油的需求會(huì)增長(zhǎng)，石油價(jià)格會(huì)達(dá)到一個(gè)平衡。

And that’s the VOA Learning English Economics Report. I’m Mario Ritter.

這里是美國(guó)之音經(jīng)濟(jì)報(bào)道，我是馬里奧·瑞特。

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Words in This Story

Targets - n. a goal or object that is aimed at

Influence - v. to have an effect on someone or something; to cause change

Assistance - n. help, aid or support

Sustained - adj. continued, being able to hold in place or carry forward

Equilibrium - n. a state in which opposing forces or actions are balanced sothat one is not stronger or greater than the other

Some Asian Countries Gain from Low Oil Prices

Motorists fill up their vehicles at Petronas petrol station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in this 2010 file photo. Many asian nations are seeing gains from lower oil prices. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin)

From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.

Today we tell you more about the effects of falling oil prices. Lower demand for oil and too much supply have sent prices to their lowest levels in five years.

Last week, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries decided to keep production at current levels. Representatives of the 12-nation group met in Vienna, Austria. They were unable to reach agreement on changing OPEC’s production targets.

Lower oil prices are causing economic hardship in some OPEC members. Officials there are exploring ways to cut government spending.

The president of Venezuela announced last week that he and other government officials should take pay cuts as part of budget reductions. The Reuters news service says the reductions are meant to answer the lower oilprices. It says Venezuela gets 96 percent of its export earnings from oil sales. The nation has among the highest inflation rates in Latin America.

Russia is a major oil exporter, but does not belong to OPEC. This week, Russia’s economic development ministry predicted that the Russian economy will shrink by eight-tenths of a percent in 2015. Oil exports are important to Russia. The value of Russian money has lost about 40 percent of its value this year compared to the American dollar. Observers have blamed the drop on falling profits from oil exports, and Western sanctions to punish Russian actions in Ukraine.