文字稿

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据最新公布的数据显示，2014 年英国经济增长率为 2.6%，这是自2007年以来经济增长的最快速度。然而，过去三个月的数字可能预示快速增长的势头正在减弱。以下是 BBC Jonty Bloom 的报道。

Growth last year was good, but not as good as originally hoped and there are worries that the economy is losing momentum. The British economy is probably still expanding faster than any other major economy, and this is the fastest rate of growth since 2007.

However, that growth is rather patchy. The services sector is once again leading the way. But the construction industry is contracting quite sharply and manufacturing industry is pretty flat.

All eyes will now be on the growth rate in the first three months of this year. That could show the economy's expansion is slowing down again or it could be boosted by lower fuel prices. It's too early to say. We'll only know for certain in three months' time, just before the general election.

测验

请听报道并回答下列问题。

1. Everyone is happy with the current economic situation. True or false?

2. When did the economy last perform as well as it is at the moment?

3. Not all sectors of the economy are performing to the same level. True or false?

4. What could help improve the current economic situation?

词汇表

growth 增长

momentum 动力，势头

expanding 扩张，发展

rate 速度，速率

patchy 分布不均衡的

services sector 服务行业

construction industry 建筑业

contracting 缩小， 收缩

sharply 大幅度的，急剧的

manufacturing industry 制造业

flat 停滞的，不景气的

all eyes 所有的注意力

expansion 扩张，发展

boosted 推动

答案

1. Everyone is happy with the current economic situation. True or false? False. There are worries that the economy is losing momentum, or slowing down.

2. When did the economy last perform as well as it is at the moment? In 2007.

3. Not all sectors of the economy are performing to the same level. True or false? True. The services sector is performing well, but the construction and manufacturing industries aren't.

4. What could help improve the current economic situation? Lower fuel prices could help improve the economy.