VOA慢速英语2014 AS IT IS 2014-03-29 Economies Rest on Elections in India and Burma 经济体制取决于在印度和缅甸的大选

AS IT IS 2014-03-29 Economies Rest on Elections in India and Burma 经济体制取决于在印度和缅甸的大选

From VOA Learning English this is As It Is.  I’m Anna Matteo in Washington.  

On this Saturday’s show we will hear about issues affecting the economy in India and social reform in Burma.  We will also explore how upcoming national elections could affect both countries.

在周六的节目上，我们知道一些争议影响着印度的经济和缅甸的社会改革，我们也将追踪即将来临的国家选举是怎么样影响两个国家的。

Social reform in Burma seems to be slowing.  And experts wonder how the upcoming election in 2015 will affect foreign investment there.  Keep listening to learn more in the second half of our show.

在缅甸的社会改革似乎在延缓，在即将到来的2015届的选举，专家想知道它是怎么样影响这里的投资，继续听我们下半场的节目，在这里你会知道更多。

But first, Mario Ritter reports on some possible good news for India’s slow-growing economy.

不过，首先，在 Mario Ritter 的报告中带来，对于印度经济下降来说的一些好消息。

Hopes Rise That India’s Economy Will Improve

期待印度经济能够上升

India is hoping its economy will improve.  In the last two years, economic growth dropped to its lowest levels in ten years.  But there are few signs that the economy could return to the high growth rates that once made India one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. 

印度希望他们的经济能够得到改善，在过去的两年，经济的成长速度下降到十年内的最低点。但是这有一些迹象表明，经济的会快速的增长，让印度在世界上成为经济速度增长最快的国家。

Gurdet Singh grows crops on about 40 hectares of fertile land in northern Punjab state.  The area is financially successful because of farming.  Mr. Singh says he plans to buy a new and bigger tractor to make his work easier.  Mr. Singh is so successful that he hopes to buy a car after he pays the loans for his new tractor.

GurGurdet Singh，在Punjab州的北部，在40公顷肥沃的地上种了农作物，这个地区有经济实力，因为农业发展的好，Singh先生打算买一辆又新又大的拖拉机，使他工作的时候更加容易，Singh先生很成功，他打算在他还完拖拉机的贷款的时候买一辆小车。

India’s automobile 1 manufacturers have suffered severe financial problems during the past two years.  Industry officials are hoping that people like Mr. Singh and others in rural areas will begin buying cars again.

在过去的两年，印度的汽车制造受到几个财政问题的影响，一些业内人士希望人们可以像Singh先生和其他乡下地区的一样 ，重新买一辆小汽车。

Vishnu Mathur is the head of the Society of Automobile Manufacturers of India.  He says there is weak demand in urban areas for passenger cars.  But, he says economic gains in India’s rural areas could help carmakers.

Vishnu Mathur 是印度汽车制造商的负责人，他说，城市的地区对于小汽车的需求很低，但是，在印度农村地区的经济收益可以帮助汽车制造厂家

Good feelings about the car industry may be a sign that the worst  could be over for the Indian economy.  But, they say the country’s agricultural industry will show better growth.  The Indian currency, the rupee, lost more than 20 per cent of its value compared to the dollar last year.  That should help India’s exports, which are increasing.

汽车制造厂家的好感可能预示着印度经济最艰难的时期结束了。但是，他们说国家的农业行业可能更好的发展，印度的货币卢比在去年与美元相比失去了20%的的价值，那会帮助印度输出额的增长。

Rafique Ahmed is the head of the Federation 2 of Indian Export Organizations.  He says exports are growing because of the devalued rupee and better global economic conditions.

Rafique Ahmed 是印度出口联合协会的负责人，他说现在输出额的增长，是因为卢比的价值和更好的全球经济价值。

While growth is widely expected to increase, economists 4 say it is unlikely to reach levels seen in 2011, for example, when growth was nine percent. 

当市场普遍的预期增加，经济学家说它没有可能会达到2011年的标准，例如，当经济增长了9%，

Economists say confidence among investors 5 -- both in India and in other countries -- must return before the Indian economy can improve.  Private investment has slowed because investors are concerned by the lack of reform and government barriers to business.  Many investors and businesses are waiting to see whom voters will choose to lead the country in national elections to be held by May.

经济学家说投资者的信心，同样在印度或者其他国家，必须在印度经济改善之前回升，私人投资已经放缓，因为投资者担心缺乏改革和政府的业务障碍，许多投资者和商家等着看谁会在3月举行的国家选举中被选举去管理国家，

Finance 6 Minister P. Chidambaram has said growth will increase to more than six per cent in 2014.

财政部长P. Chidambaram 说过经济会在2014年增长到6%以上

I’m Mario Ritter.And I’m Anna Matteo in Washington.  You are listening to VOA Learning English.

我是Marion Ritter 我是Anna Matteo 在华盛顿，你正在听美国之音

Now on to Burma.  When military rulers began reform policies in 2011, most nations ended their restrictions 7 against Burma.  But experts now fear that reforms are slowing as Burma nears its 2015 national elections.  Here is Faith Lapidus with more.

现在回到缅甸，当军事统治者在2011年开始改革政策，大多说的国家结束了他们对缅甸的限制，但是最近专家担心缅甸的改革会在2015年的选举之前减缓，这是 Faith Lapidus更多的观点

Experts Fear Burma's Reforms Stalling 8

专家担心缅甸的改革停止

Some experts fear that rights reforms in Burma are slowing ahead of national elections planned for 2015.  The Asian Development Bank has said that Burma, also known as Myanmar, can become a middle-income country by 2030.  To do so, however, the economy must continue to grow at more than six per cent a year.

专家担心缅甸的改革会放缓，在2015年的国家大选计划之前。亚洲开发银行表示，缅甸到2030可以变成一个中等收入的国家，做到这样，然而，经济必须继续每年增长6%

Burma’s military rulers began reforming its economic and political systems in 2011.  These reforms led most nations to end restrictions against Burma. 

缅甸的军事统治人在2011年开始改革他的经济和政治体系，这些改革，使大多数国家结束了对缅甸的限制。

John Hancock is an Australian lawyer and expert on Burma.  He says Burma has made strong progress in the past six to seven years.  He adds that foreign investors see opportunity for profits in Burma.

John Hancock 是一名澳大利亚的律师和缅甸的专家，他说缅甸在过去的七年里已经做了巨大个进步，他又说外国的投资者在缅甸看到了商机。

However, Mr. Hancock says that Burma must rebuild government operations and complete land reforms. He says the government must increase spending on education and roads and power systems.          

然而Hancock先生说，缅甸必须重新建立政府运作和完善土地改革，他说政府必须增加在教育、道路、和电力系统的消费                      

More than 25 per cent of Burma’s 61 million people live below the national poverty level.  Many of the poor live in rural areas.

在缅甸，多于25%的6100万的人民生活水平低于国家的平均水平，大多数的贫穷的人居住在乡下地区。

Aung Zaw is the editor of the Irrawaddy newspaper.  He says many in Burma fear the reform efforts will not be enough.  He says poor supervision 9 of land records leaves people in danger of losing their land.

Aung Zaw是伊洛瓦底江报社以一名编辑，他说在缅甸的人民担心改革的不够彻底，他说关于土地记录的监管不力让人们处于失去他们土地的危险之中。

Aung Zaw says there is evidence that the Burmese army has forced villagers out to make room for foreign investment.  He says foreign investors have shown interest in new Special Economic Zones. But, he says, these new economic areas come with huge social and environmental costs.  He says often villagers are forced from their homes without fair payment. 

Aung Zaw说，这有证据证明缅甸的军队曾经强迫村民腾出地方给外国的投资者，他说外国的投资者已经展示过对新经济特区的兴趣，但是他说，这些新的经济特区也带了大的社会和环境的消耗，他说村民们经常被强迫离开他们的家，而没有公平的补偿

The government of Australia has warned investors that people and companies with close ties to Burma’s military influence many areas of the economy including the oil, gas and wood industries.

澳大利亚的政府曾警告投资者，人们和公司和缅甸的军队的联系，影响许多地方的经济，包括石油、天然气和木头产业

Sean Turnell is an economist 3 at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. He says agriculture reform has slowed in Burma although a majority of Burmese make a living through agriculture.   

Sean Turnell 是澳大利亚悉尼Macquarie大学的经济学家，他说缅甸农业改革已经减缓了，但是大多数的缅甸人仍以农业为生。

Mr. Turnell says that without land rights farmers have limited opportunity to borrow money at fair rates. 

Turnell 先生说 没有土地所有权农民的已经被限制在公平利率上拿到钱的机会。

Experts say some who fear changes in Burma are trying to slow reforms by creating ethnic 10 and religious conflict ahead of the planned 2015 elections. 

专家说在缅甸惧怕改革的人正在努力去减缓改革，在2015年国家选举计划之前，创造种族和宗教的冲突

I’m Faith Lapidus.

我是 Faith Lapidus