Passage 1
The global economy is set for a year of recession and then low growth until 2012, economists at the World Economic Forum in Davos have said. They also warned that the downturn could persuade politicians to introduce trade barriers and steer investments only into their own economies. This would harm developing countries mostly. Meanwhile,they are growing calls for better financial sector regulation. Speaking at a panel taking stock of the state of the economy, Stephen Roach, Chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia and long-time prophet of the economic downturn, said one could not "overestimate the dangers the world economy faces in 2009.”
The global economy was likely to shrink this year for the first time since World War II, he said, and nobody on the panel or in the audience was prepared to contradict him. The general gloom was echoed by the IMF, which has predicted that world economic growth will fall to just 0.5% this year, its lowest rate for 60 years. Justin Yifu Lin, senior vice presiden at the World Bank, said there were "lots of downside risks; the current projection is protracted recession and we have not reached the bottom yet"
Demand from U. S. consumers, for many years the main driver of global growth, was in steep decline, and while on the supply-side China had seen its economy shrink during the last quarter of 2008. Indeed, wherever one goes in the congress centre in Davos, pessimism pervades all conversation-although one participant counseled that "irrational exuberance has been replaced by irrational despair".
The biggest concern of all panelists, however, was the risk that the downturn could herald a return to protectionism. This being Davos, the majority of participants are proponents of free trade, but it was striking that the representatives from developing and emerging economies were particularly worried about rising trade barriers. Panelists warned not just about the threat to free trade, but also the danger that Western governments could steer their nationalized or recapitalized banks towards investing only at home.
However, government spending alone was not enough to solve the problem.
Monetary policy and a coordinated global regulatory framework were keys to getting the global economy back on track.
17.Panelists and audience in the World Economic Forum in Davos don't agree that the year 2009 shrinks for the first time since World War II.
A、True
B、False
【正确答案】：B
【名师解析】:根据文章内容，Stephen Roach，摩根士丹利亚洲的董事长，以及长期预言经济衰退的人，在达沃斯世界经济论坛的一个小组讨论中表示，全球经济在2009年可能会首次自二战以来出现萎缩，而且没有人在小组或听众中准备反驳他。国际货币基金组织（IMF）也预测，今年世界经济增长率将降至0.5%，这是60年来的最低水平。因此，题目中提到的2009年全球经济萎缩并非是达沃斯论坛上的小组成员和听众所不同意的，实际上，他们对此表示了担忧和认同。所以，正确答案是选项B，即False。
