Viewed from one perspective, the euro area is a minor miracle. Instead of collapsing in a heap, as seemed possible two years ago

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问题     Viewed from one perspective, the euro area is a minor miracle. Instead of collapsing in a heap, as seemed possible two years ago, the currency club is not just intact but has a new member, Latvia, which joined in January. An economic recovery has been under way since last spring and appears to be strengthening. But seen from another standpoint the euro zone is an accident waiting to happen. As inflation slips ever lower, a slide into Japanese-style deflation looks increasingly likely. That would raise an already heavy debt burden in real terms and pull down growth.
    The actions of the European Central Bank will be crucial if such an outcome is to be avoided. The ECB’s mission is to achieve price stability, and since 2003 it has interpreted this to mean an inflation rate over the medium term of "below but close to" 2%. Yet despite a fall in annual inflation to just 0. 5% in March, the central bank was expected to hold its fire when its council met on April 3rd. Previously, it had lowered the main policy rate to 0. 25% in November.
    One reason for the ECB to wait was that underlying inflation, excluding more unstable elements such as energy and food, has been broadly stable over the past six months, at around 0. 8%. The council also sees grounds for being patient and allowing its very low interest rates to take effect. It thinks that the recovery, which started in the second quarter of 2013 after a double-dip recession lasting a year and a half, should eventually bring inflation back towards the target.
    Indeed, the once-sickly euro zone is losing some of its pallor. The recovery, though feeble, has nonetheless been sustained. Output rose by 0. 3% in the second quarter of 2013, and although growth slowed to 0. 1% in the third, it picked up to 0. 2% in the fourth. More important, there are signs that the pace may be accelerating this year.
According to the final paragraph, the recovery is______.

选项 A、fast and stable
B、feeble and slow
C、slow but steady
D、quick but unstable

答案C

解析 根据题干要求定位到最后一段,根据recovery一词定位到第二句:The recovery,though feeble,has nonetheless been sustained.其中两个关键词是feeble“无力的,微弱的”sustained“持续的”。选项[A]fast一词有误。选项[B]feeble and slow“微弱又缓慢”未体现出sustained一词,故虽然没错,但不是最佳答案。选项[C]slow“缓慢的”对应原文feeble“无力的”,steady“稳定的”对应sustained“持续的”,故该项为最佳答案。[D]中的quick,unstable两个词均有误。
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