VOA慢速英語:World Economic Forum Rates Global Risks for 2013

[00:00.00]From VOA Learning English, [00:03.54]this is the Economics Report in Special English. [00:07.98]The World Economic Forum says [00:11.21]the most likely risk facing the world over the next 10 years [00:15.84]is the severe disparity in income between rich and poor. [00:21.96]The estimate was made in a new report [00:25.25]called the World Economic Forum's Global Risks 2013. [00:31.47]Many of the issues discussed in the report are familiar. [00:36.74]Food availability and the spread of extremism and terrorism [00:42.17]are noted every year. [00:44.52]But new risks, especially technological and financial ones, [00:50.24]are becoming more important than ever. [00:53.38]The World Economic Forum is based in Geneva, Switzerland. [00:58.61]The non-profit group says its risk report [01:02.64]is based on surveys of more than 1,000 experts from around the world. [01:09.31]They include industry leaders and specialists [01:13.74]in government, academics and civil society. [01:18.44]The experts considered the likelihood [01:21.92]that risks could become serious problems in the future. [01:26.60]They also studied the impact, or influence, [01:31.23]that these risks would have if they became reality. [01:35.57]The experts judged the likelihood that a risk [01:40.25]would become a problem over the next 10 years. [01:44.03]Sharp income differences between rich and poor [01:48.16]were the risk considered most likely. [01:51.54]This is the second time in two years that the disparity in wealth [01:57.51]was identified as the most likely problem. [02:01.35]It was followed by what the report calls "chronic fiscal imbalances," [02:08.12]or the failure of governments to deal with heavy debt over time. [02:14.00]The risk said to have the biggest possible impact [02:18.62]was a major failure in the world financial system, [02:22.76]like the collapse of a top institution or currency. [02:27.48]But experts rated a water supply crisis as second [02:33.11]on the list of high-impact risks. [02:36.59]The report's organizers say [02:39.88]this issue has generally received little attention. [02:44.26]How the experts change their opinions is also something to note. [02:50.19]This year, the mismanagement of the aging population [02:55.16]moved from the 18th to the fifth most likely threat. [03:00.44]The failure to deal with the costs and social issues [03:05.27]involved with an aging population [03:08.40]is now considered a risk with greater possible impact. [03:13.13]The experts also were asked about extreme possibilities. [03:18.46]The report calls these "X Factors." [03:23.04]They include the likelihood of climate change going out of control, [03:29.01]and even the results of discovering alien life forms. [03:34.34]The World Economic Forum is an international group [03:39.57]whose members represent industry, [03:42.06]charitable organizations and other partners. [03:46.24]Its stated goal is to improve the state of the world.

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