VOA慢速英语:China Economy Continues to Slow

Chinese state media reported Friday that the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) grew at 6.7 percent between January and March.
中国官方媒体周五报道称，今年一到三月，中国国内生产总值（GDP）增长了6.7%。

GDP represents the value of all goods and services produced within a country.
国内生产总值代表了一个国内生产的所有商品和服务的总价值。

China is the world's second-largest economy. The 6.7 growth rate was the slowest there since the start of the world financial crisis seven years ago.
中国是世界第二大经济体。6.7%的增长速度是中国自7年前的全球经济危机以来最低的一次。

In the final three months of 2015, the Chinese economy grew 6.8 percent.
2015年最后一季度，中国经济增长了6.8%。

The National Bureau of Statistics said the economy is still within range of the central government's expectations. The official full-year target for economic growth is 6.5 to seven percent.
国家统计局表示，经济仍然处于中央政府的预期范围之内。经济增长官方全年目标为6.5%到7%之间。

China's GDP has averaged nearly 10 percent a year since 1978, according to the World Bank.
根据世界银行数据，自1978年以来中国国内生产总值平均每年接近10%。

The economy has slowed over the past five years. The government has reacted by cutting interest rates and increasing spending on public works projects. The government is also trying to get the public to buy more Chinese-made goods and services.
过去五年中国经济已经放缓。中国政府通过降低利率和加大公共项目投资做出应对。政府还试图让公众购买更多中国制造商品和服务。

Economists told the Associated Press a construction slump and weak exports are reasons for the slower growth economy.
经济学家对美联社表示，建筑业低迷和出口疲软是经济增长放缓的原因。

Economic forecasters expect China's economy to grow at a slower- than-normal rate this year, according to the Associated Press. The news agency said an expansion of just 6.3 percent is expected in 2016.
根据美联社报道，经济预测学家预计今年中国经济的增长速度将会低于一般水平。美联社表示预计2016年增长仅为6.3%。