VOA慢速英语:Japan Demands That Islamic State Release Hostages

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has demanded the Islamic State group immediately release two hostages. Images of the hostages appear in a new video from the militant group. The video also showed an English-speaking militant holding a knife. He identified the two hostages as Kenji Goto and Haruna Yakawa. The militant criticized Japan for, what he called, its "foolish" support for Western military efforts against the Islamic State. He threatened to execute them if Japan does not pay the group $200 million.
日本首相安倍晋三要求伊斯兰国组织立即释放两名人质。来自该激进组织的一则新视频中出现了人质的图像。该视频还出现了一位拿着刀的讲英语的激进分子。他确认这两名人质是Kenji Goto Jogo与Haruna Yukawa。这名激进分子批评日本“愚蠢地支持西方国家针对伊斯兰国的军事行动”。他威胁如果日本不向该组织支付两亿美元就将处决这两名人质。

Japanese forces are not part of the United States-led coalition against the Islamic State. Coalition forces have carried out more than 1,700 airstrikes against Islamic State targets since August.
日本军队并非是以美国为首的针对伊斯兰国的联盟的一部分。自8月以来，联军已经对伊斯兰国目标进行了超过1700次空袭打击。

Last Saturday, Mr. Abe promised to give $200 million in non-military aid to countries fighting the militant group.
上周六，安倍答应向打击该激进组织的国家提供2亿美元的非军事援助。

IMF lowered estimate for economic growth
国际货币基金组织下调经济增长预期

The International Monetary Fund has cut its estimate for international economic growth in 2015. The IMF now says it expects the world's economy to grow 3.5 percent this year. That compares with an estimate of 3.8 percent, which was made last October.
国际货币基金组织已经下调了该组织对2015年国际经济增长的预期。国际货币基金组织称，预计今年世界经济增长为3.5%。与此相比，去年10月发布的预期是3.8%。

The IMF's chief economist, Olivier Blanchard, said he expects the world's economy to grow somewhat faster this year than it did in 2014. Oil prices and changes in monetary exchange rates were two areas the group described in its latest report.
国际货币基金组织首席经济学家Olivier Blanchard称，他估计今年世界经济增长在一定程度上要比2014年更快。石油价格和货币汇率变动是该组织在其最新报告中关注的两个方面。

Mr. Blanchard said the drop in oil prices will help support world economic growth. But he notes that the price reduction will not help everyone.
Blanchard先生称，石油价格下跌将有助于世界经济增长。但他指出，价格下跌无法让所有人受益。

China reported slower growth rate
中国公布经济增长放缓

China has reported its slowest economic growth in 24 years. The government said the Chinese economy grew by only 7.4 percent in 2014, a little less than the predicted growth rate of 7.5 percent.
中国已经公布了24年以来最慢的一次经济增长。中国政府表示，2014年中国经济增长仅为7.4%，略低于7.5%的增长预期。

Observers say the growth rate is not as bad as it could have been. They noted that China faced a number of problems last year. The number of bad loans rose, credit collapsed and land values fell.
观察家称，这一增长速度并没有那么糟糕。他们指出，中国去年面临了一系列问题。包括不良贷款数量增加，信贷崩溃和土地价值下跌。

The World Bank says world markets could be affected if the Chinese economic slowdown continues. They said the slower growth rate might limit the influence of increasing economic activity in the U.S. and British labor markets.
世界银行表示，如果中国经济放缓继续，全球市场可能都会受到影响。他们表示，中国经济增长速度放缓可能会限制美国和英国劳动力市场经济活动不断增长的影响。

Obama to deliver State of the Union address
奥巴马发布国情咨文

In the United States, President Barack Obama is preparing for his State of the Union speech to Congress Tuesday night. Mr. Obama will call for raising taxes on profits individuals make from selling investments such as stocks, bonds and property. The president wants to use the money collected to help reduce taxes for middle class Americans and for proposals such as free community college classes. The Republican Party now holds a majority of seats in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Republican lawmakers have already rejected many of Mr. Obama's proposals.
在美国，奥巴马总统正在准备周二晚上的国情咨文。奥巴马先生将会呼吁对个人出售股票、债券和房产等资产所获收益加税。奥巴马总统希望使用这笔税收帮助降低美国中产阶级的税负，以及免费社区大学课程的提案。共和党现在在美国参议院和众议院都占有多数席位。共和党议员已经否决了奥巴马先生的很多提案。