There is a growing number of economists who believe today's brutally tough labor market is not a temporary American oddity. Falling wages, reduced benefits and rising job insecurity seem to be increasingly entrenched features of the job scene across most of Western Europe, the United States and other parts of the developed world. The number of insecure freelance positions is rising (as are working hours) while stable jobs with good benefits are being cut. Laid-off workers are much less likely to be rehired by their old companies and have to find new jobs or turn to self-employment. Those who still have jobs are working longer hours with little prospect of meaningful raises.

　　The new labor market is shaped by growing global competition, spurred by the rise of cheap manufacturers in China, India and Eastern Europe, and the price-chopping effect of both the Internet and giant retailers led by Wal-Mart. These forces compel Western companies to exercise a growing restraint on prices and labor cost. One thing globalization clearly does is to exert a leveling effect on wages.

　　【參考譯文】

　　越來(lái)越多的經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家認(rèn)為當(dāng)今美國(guó)勞動(dòng)力市場(chǎng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)異常殘酷激烈，這不只是一時(shí)的怪現(xiàn)狀。在大多西歐國(guó)家、美國(guó)及其他發(fā)達(dá)國(guó)家，降薪、福利削減、工作穩(wěn)定性下降似乎已經(jīng)成為就業(yè)市場(chǎng)越來(lái)越難以改變的痼疾。不穩(wěn)定的自由職業(yè)崗位增多(工作時(shí)間同樣延長(zhǎng))，而穩(wěn)定福利好的工作機(jī)會(huì)減少。一旦失業(yè)，人們很難被舊東家重聘，所以不得不找份新工作或者自己創(chuàng)業(yè)。而那些尚留在工作崗位上的人員工作時(shí)間加長(zhǎng)，然而他們加薪前景微乎其微。中國(guó)、印度、東歐各國(guó)勞動(dòng)力價(jià)格低廉，互聯(lián)網(wǎng)和零售巨頭(比如沃爾瑪)把商品價(jià)格一降再降，這就使得全球競(jìng)爭(zhēng)日益嚴(yán)重。進(jìn)而，深刻的改變了原來(lái)的勞動(dòng)力市場(chǎng)。結(jié)果，西方國(guó)家各家公司既要壓低商品的價(jià)格，又要盡量削減成本。很明顯，全球化讓全世界的提薪之日遙遙無(wú)期。

　　中譯英

　　中國(guó)有句古話："相知無(wú)遠(yuǎn)近，萬(wàn)里尚為鄰"。中國(guó)與亞洲各國(guó)山水相連，共同鑄就了燦爛的亞洲文明;古老而美麗的"絲綢之路"，譜寫(xiě)了中歐千年往來(lái)的美好篇章。中國(guó)與亞歐各國(guó)的互利合作正在步入一個(gè)全新的階段。中國(guó)已成為亞歐和世界經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展中的積極力量，我們將堅(jiān)定走和平發(fā)展的道路，致力于同亞歐各國(guó)發(fā)展富有活力和長(zhǎng)期穩(wěn)定的全面合作關(guān)系，與亞歐各國(guó)相互支持，攜手前進(jìn)，共創(chuàng)美好的未來(lái)。

　　【參考譯文】

　　In China, there is an old saying which goes like this, "Long distance never separates close friends." A ready link connecting this country and many other ones, like the Silk Road, in Asia and Europe helps a lot in bringing about the splendid civilization in Asia and the frequent exchanges and communication between China and the Continent in the past years. Now, we are going a step further in our cooperation based on mutual benefits, enjoying a brand-new bilateral relation. China, a devoted part in promoting the economic development in the 2 continents, will keep her track on the road of peace and development. A corresponding effort made by this country in building a dynamic and long-term cooperation in all fields across Asia and Europe, together with all the other efforts from the 2 continents, will definitely contribute a big part in making the bright future.