4.1 The U.K.: Economy在线视频

British Economy: Past and Present
英国经济：过去与现在

Part 1：The Past
第一部分 历史

The British people love looking back and talking about the past.
英国人喜欢回顾和谈论过去

Their history may not be long,
英国的历史也许并不悠久

but it is full of wonders and glory.
但却充满了传奇与荣光

Among those stories,
在过往的故事中

the industrial revolution is something one cannot miss.
工业革命无疑是一段不能不提历史

In the early 18th century,
十八世纪初

before the advent of the Industrial Revolution,
在工业革命以前

most people resided in small, rural communities
大多数英国人仍生活在

where their daily existence revolved around farming.
以农业经济为主的农村地区

Life for the average person was difficult,
普通大众生活困苦

as incomes were meager,
收入微薄

and malnourishment and disease were common.
营养不良和疾病早已司空见惯

However, there came a turning point, the Industrial Revolution.
然而，工业革命成为一个重要的转折点

A number of factors contributing to Britain’s role
英国具备了产生工业革命

as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.
的一系列必要条件

For one, it had great deposits of coal and iron ore,
首先，发展工业所需的煤矿和铁矿

which proved essential for industrialization.
探明储量巨大

Additionally, Britain was a politically stable society,
此外，英国社会政治稳定

as well as the world’s leading colonial power,
作为世界领先的殖民帝国

which meant its colonies could serve
英国的殖民地可以

as a source for raw materials,
作为其原料产地

as well as a marketplace for manufactured goods.
和商品倾销市场

As demand for British goods increased,
随着英国商品需求的增加

merchants needed more cost-effective methods of production,
商人寻求更节省成本的生产方式

which led to the rise of mechanization
这导致了机械化

and the factory system.
和工厂制的兴起

The textile industry, in particular,
纺织业在工业化改造的

was transformed by industrialization.
进程中十分突出

Before mechanization and factories,
在实行机械化和工厂制之前

textiles were made mainly in people’s homes.
纺织品以家庭生产为主

In the 1700s,
17世纪时

a series of innovations led to ever-increasing productivity,
一系列的创新带动生产力不断提高

while requiring less human energy.
而对人力的需求则减少了

For example, around 1764,
例如，大约在1764年

Englishman James Hargreaves invented the spinning jenny,
英国人詹姆斯・哈格里夫斯发明了纺纱珍妮机

a machine that enabled an individual
一种仅靠一个人就能

to produce multiple spools of threads simultaneously.
同时产生多个线轴的机器

“jenny” was an early abbreviation
“jenny”一词是“engine”（引擎）的

of the word “engine”.
早期缩写

By the time of Hargreaves’death,
哈格雷夫去世时

there were over 20,000 spinning jennys in use across Britain.
超过20000台珍妮纺纱机运转在英国的土地上

Developments in the iron industry
钢铁工业的发展

also played a central role in the Industrial Revolution.
在工业革命中也起到了关键作用

From the 18th century,
从十八世纪开始

the discovery of a new way to produce iron and steel
一种生产钢铁的新方法的发现

enabled these materials for mass production.
使得矿石原料被大量用于生产

Both iron and steel were used to make everything from appliances,
铁钢被用于制造包括电器用品

tools and machines, to ships, buildings and infrastructure.
工具和机器、船舶、建筑物和基础设施在内的一切东西

The steam engine was also integral to industrialization.
蒸汽机也是工业化的重要组成部分

In 1712, Englishman Thomas Newcomen
1712年，英国人托马斯・纽可曼

developed the first practical steam engine.
研制出第一台事实上的蒸汽机

By the 1770s, Scottish inventor
到18世纪70年代，苏格兰发明家

James Watt had improved on Newcomen’s work,
詹姆斯・瓦特对纽可曼的蒸汽机加以改良

and the steam engine went on to power machinery,
蒸汽机成为一种在工业革命期间

locomotives and ships during the Industrial Revolution.
为火车和轮船提供动力的机器

Industrial Revolution has changed the face of nations,
工业革命改变了英国的面貌

giving rise to urban centers requiring vast municipal services.
产生了需要大量市政服务的市中心地区

It created a specialized and interdependent economic life
工业革命催生出了一种专业的、相互依存的经济生活

and made the urban worker more completely dependent
城市工人相比农民

on the will of the employer than the rural worker had been.
更加依赖雇主的意愿

In short, the Industrial Revolution
简而言之，工业革命

took over all industries in Britain
改变了英国的所有传统产业

and replaced other systems of production.
并取代其他生产体系成为主流

Britain began to produce large quantities of low-priced goods
英国凭着高效率的生产方式

in a more efficient manner.
生产了大量廉价产品

British goods almost achieved a monopoly position
英国货因此在国际市场上近乎

in the world market.
处于垄断地位

The Industrial Revolution laid a good foundation
工业革命为英国成为“世界工厂”

for the “factory of the world”.
打下了良好的基础

As the first country to industrialize.
作为首个进行工业化的国家

Britain led the industrial revolution,
英国领导了工业革命

dominating the European and world economy
并在几乎整个十九世纪里

during most of the 19th century.
支配着欧洲乃至世界的经济

Colonization allowed the island nation
殖民统治帮助这个岛屿国家

to build one of the most impressive empires in history.
成为了历史上最引人瞩目的帝国之一

However, starting in the late 19th century,
然而，从十九世纪末开始

growth by other nations―the United States and Germany,
以美国和德国为首的其他国家群体的

in particular―began to outpace Britain
发展壮大，逐渐超越了英国

and cut into her export and economic expansion rates.
阻碍了其商品出口和经济扩张

The costs of fighting two World Wars
二次世界大战的巨大损失

further weakened the UK's relative position
进一步削弱了英国在世界经济格局中的

in the global economy.
相对地位

Although it remains a significant player
即使英国仍然是世界经济中的

in the world economy,
重要组成部分

particularly in financial services and knowledge economy,
特别是在金融服务业和知识经济领域

it is no longer the empire it once was.
但它早已不再是一个帝国

Part 2 UK Economy: Present
第二部分 英国经济：现在

The United Kingdom has the sixth-largest national economy,
英国在国内生产总值方面是世界第六大经济体

and second-largest in Europe measured by nominal GDP,
和欧州第二大经济体

and it is the seventh-largest in the world,
另外它还是世界第七大经济体

and second-largest in the Europe,
和欧洲第二大经济体

measured by PPP
如果就PPP，即

That is the purchasing power parity.
购买力平价而言的话

The UK economy currently makes up 4% of world GDP.
英国经济目前占全球GDP总量的4%

The UK has been the fastest growing economy in the G7
英国连续四年成为七国集团中

for four consecutive years with 2.1% year on year growth
增长最快的经济体，2016年年同比增长

in 2016.
2.1%

In 2014 the UK was the ninth-largest exporter
2014年，英国是世界第九大出口国

in the world and the fifth-largest importer,
和第五大进口国

and it had the second largest stock of
它拥有世界第二大

inward foreign direct investment
对内直接投资

and the second-largest stock of
和第二大

outward foreign direct investment.
对外直接投资

The UK is one of the world's most globalised economies.
英国是最全球化的经济体之一

Service sector business dominates the UK economy,
服务业在英国经济中占主导

making up about 78 percent of GDP.
约占GDP总量的78%

Financial services are particularly important,
金融服务业占据十分重要的地位

with London tying New York for largest financial center.
伦敦与纽约并列为世界最大的金融中心

Aerospace industry,
航空航天工业

pharmaceuticals, automotive industry,
制药业、汽车制造业

and North Sea oil and gas production
北海油气生产

make up the greatest portion of the remainder of the UK's GDP.
构成了英国剩下GDP的极大部分

The UK's central bank is known as the Bank of England;
英国的中央银行称为英格兰银行

its Monetary Policy Committee sets national interest rates.
所属的货币政策委员会负责设定国家基准利率

The national currency of the UK is the pound sterling .
英国的法定货币是英镑

The pound is the world's third largest reserve currency,
英镑是世界第三大储备货币

following only the US dollar and the EU euro.
仅次于美元和欧元

It is also the fourth most valuable currency in the world.
同时也是全球价值第四高的货币

Therefore, you can see
由上所说，你就可以知道

what a panic it brought to the world
英国人民脱欧的决定

when its people decided to leave the EU?
给世界带来了多大的恐慌

So now, let’s look into the details of this country sector by sector.
现在，让我们来看看这个国家各个产业的详细情况

Agriculture
农业

Agriculture in the UK is intensive,
英国农业集约化经营

highly mechanised,
高度机械化

and efficient by European standards,
按照欧洲标准来说效率也很高

producing about 60% of food needs,
英国依靠不到1.6%的劳动力

with less than 1.6% of the labour force.
满足了国内约60%的粮食需求

It contributes around 0.6% of British national value added.
农业贡献了约0.6%的国民增值

Around two-thirds of the production is devoted to livestock,
畜牧业占农业生产比例约三分之二

one-third to arable crops.
种植业占比三分之一

Industry
工业

Despite the graduate and relative industrial decline,
尽管经历了相对的工业衰退

the UK remains a strong economy in the world with it industry,
英国凭借着它的工业（尤其是制造业），在世界经济体系中

especially the manufacturing sector.
仍是一个强大的经济体

Energy
能源

The UK was once rich in mineral resources,
英国曾经盛产矿产资源

but today most of these resources are either exhausted
但到了今天，国内绝大部分矿产都要么枯竭了

or produced in small quantities,
要么只能低量生产

and it currently relies upon imports from cheaper foreign supplies.
目前国内主要依靠国外进口廉价矿产来满足需求

However, small in area as it is,
英国面积虽小

the UK has the 30th largest proven oil reserves
却拥有全球第三十大的探明石油储量

and 39th largest proven natural gas reserves in the world.
和第三十九大的天然气储量

Over the last four decades,
在过去的四十年里

oil and gas have replaced coal as the chief source of energy.
石油和天然气已经取代煤炭成为这个国家的主要能源

Britain has not only been self-sufficient in oil supply,
英国在石油供应方面不仅自给自足

but has also become an oil exporter.
还对外出口

Of the top British companies,
英国的顶级公司中

three are from the energy sector:
有三家来自于能源部门

Shell, British Petroleum (BP) and British GAS ,
壳牌、英国石油公司（BP）和英国天然气公司

there is the BG in short.
后两者合称为BG

with the former two as the world’s Supermajors.
前两者则是世界石油巨头

Manufacturing
制造业

British companies are active in all major fields
英国公司在制造业的各大领域中

of the manufacturing industry,
都极为活跃

performing particularly well in aerospace,
尤其是在航天

automobiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, etc.
汽车、药品、化学品等领域，表现十分突出

The aerospace industry in the UK is the largest in Europe
英国的航天工业欧洲第一

and the second largest,
也是仅次于美国的

after the US, in the world.
世界第二

About half of the industry
近一半的航天产业

is in the production of military aircraft and parts.
主营军用飞机和零部件的生产

Among them,
其中

largest companies include the British Aerospace (BAE)
最大的公司包括生产民用和国防航空航天

who manufactures civil and defense aerospace,
陆地和海洋设备的

land and marine equipment, and Vosper Thornycroft.
英国宇航公司（BAE）和沃斯珀・ 桑尼克罗夫特公司

Britain’s steel industry remains important
英国钢铁工业依然重要

and it is still one of the world’s major steel producing nations.
它仍然是世界主要钢铁生产国之一

Corus Group, the successor of British Steel Corporation (BSC),
科鲁斯集团――英国钢铁公司（BSC）的接班者

is Britain’s biggest steel-maker,
是英国最大的钢铁制造商

the second-largest steel-maker in Europe.
欧洲第二大钢铁制造商

Financial Services
金融服务业

The UK financial services industry
英国的金融服务业

added gross value of ￡116,363 million to the UK economy
在2011年为英国经济增值1163.63亿

in 2011.
英镑

The UK's exports of financial and business services
英国的金融和商业服务出口

make a significant positive contribution
为这个国家的收支平衡

towards the country's balance of payments.
做出了巨大贡献

London is a major centre for international business
伦敦是国际商务和贸易的

and commerce and is one of the three “command centres”
重要中心，也是与纽约和东京齐名的

of the global economy alongside New York City and Tokyo.
世界经济三大“指挥中心”之一

There are over 500 banks with offices in London,
超过500家银行在伦敦设有办事处

and it is the leading international centre for banking,
伦敦是国际领先的银行

insurance, Eurobonds,
保险、欧洲债券

foreign exchange trading and energy futures.
外汇交易和能源期货中心

London's financial services industry is primarily based
伦敦金融服务业主要集中在

in the City of London and Canary Wharf.
伦敦金融城和金丝雀码头

The City houses the London Stock Exchange,
伦敦市里坐落着伦敦证券交易所

the London International Financial Futures
伦敦国际金融期货

and Options Exchange,
和期权交易所

the London Metal Exchange,
伦敦金属交易所

Lloyds of London, and the Bank of England.
伦敦劳埃德保险公司和英格兰银行

Canary Wharf began development in the 1980s
金丝雀码头在上世纪80年代开始发展

and is now home to major financial institutions
现在是主要金融机构

such as Barclays Bank, Citi Group and HSBC,
比如巴克莱银行、花旗集团和汇丰银行

as well as the UK Financial Services Authority.
以及英国金融服务管理局的所在地

London is also a major centre for other business
伦敦也是许多其他领域的企业和

and professional services,
专业服务机构的聚居地

and four of the six largest law firms
六大律师事务所中的四家

in the world are headquartered there.
总部就设在伦敦

Did you know?
你知道吗