Passage 2
For World Economy, the Worst of Recession Has Passed
For many nations, the worst of economic slump is over.
After a slow first half, the United States recovery has accelerate
D. Some economists are talking of a real 4 per cent or better growth rate this quarter. The monthly survey of members of the National Association of Purchasing Management found a “ healthy increase” in both manufacturing and the overall economy in November.
Business is picking up in Canada and Britain also. Canada should have around 2.7 per cent real growth this year. The new British budget, announced this week, assumes a real growth rate next year of 2.5 per cent.
But on the European continent, the situation is less happy. "The economic climate has deteriorated further, albeit at a declining rate," a European Community report commented recently. "There are still few signs of a cyclical turning point being reached."
The MIT economist criticizes the French government for strangling the economy with high interest rates in order to keep the franc strong against the German deutsche mark. As a result, Dornbusch predicts, France will experience rising unemployment in 1993,1994 and 1995. And mass unemployment will worsen France's budget deficit and the prospect for tax cuts or more government spending to boost the economy.
The Japanese economy remains in trouble, with output falling two quarters in a row for the first time in decades. An appreciation of more than 15 per cent in real terms in the Yen over the past two years has hurt Japanese competitiveness, Dornbusch notes. The fiscal package to stimulate the economy, to be implemented next April, "will help some but not much".
Franc's decision to keep parity with German Deutsche mark is not a wise one.
A、正确
B、错误
【正确答案】：A
【名师解析】:根据文章内容，选项A是正确的。文章指出，对于许多国家来说，经济衰退最糟糕的时期已经过去。美国经济在经历了缓慢的上半年后加速复苏，预计本季度将实现4%或更好的增长率。11月份的全国采购管理协会成员月度调查显示，制造业和整体经济都出现了“健康的增长”。加拿大和英国的商业也在回升，加拿大今年的实际增长率预计为2.7%，而英国新预算预计明年的实际增长率为2.5%。
然而，欧洲大陆的情况则不那么乐观。欧洲共同体的报告评论说，经济气候进一步恶化，尽管恶化的速度正在下降，但目前还没有迹象表明经济周期的转折点已经到来。MIT经济学家批评法国政府为了保持法郎对德国马克的强势而提高利率，从而扼杀了经济。这将导致法国在1993年、1994年和1995年经历失业率上升，而大规模失业将加剧法国的预算赤字，降低减税或增加政府支出以刺激经济的前景。
日本经济也面临困境，产出连续两个季度下降，这是几十年来的首次。过去两年日元实际升值超过15%，损害了日本的竞争力。Dornbusch指出，计划于明年4月实施的经济刺激方案“会有所帮助，但帮助有限”。
文章最后提到，法国决定与德国马克保持平价并不是一个明智的决定。这与题目选项A相符，因此选项A是正确的。
