Even if GDP follow that best-case track, the likelihood is that earnings will be significantly lower when the economy finally recovers than at their record peak last year. The reason is twofold. First, key industries such as airlines, energy, and commercial real estate will suffer such severe structural damage that they’ll take far longer to return to their old profitability. Second, big companies won’t be nearly as profitable as in recent years, when a confluence of low labor costs and a buoyant consumer swelled margins to unsustainable levels.

思考题：

Even in the best scenario, the economy would witness __.

A.a substantial drop in online sales in all sectors

B.less favorable outcomes than the previous year

C.unredeemable damages inflicted on airlines

D.higher labor costs and larger profit margins

词汇突破：

follow that best-case track= in the best scenario 最 好的情况下

likelihood 可能性

earnings 收入

twofold 两层

key industries 支柱产业

profitability 盈利

confluence 多种因素的汇聚

low labor costs 低成本

a buoyant

swelled 增加

margins 利润率

unsustainable levels 不可持续的水平

句子解析：

句：

Even if GDP follow that best-case track, the likelihood is that// earnings will be significantly lower when the economy finally recovers than at their record peak last year.

参考译文：即使国民生产总值沿最 佳轨迹发展，但当经济最终复苏时，收入仍可能大大低于去年创纪录的峰值。

第二句：

The reason is twofold.

参考译文：原因是双重的。

第三句：

First, key industries such as airlines, energy, and commercial real estate will suffer such severe structural damage that they’ll take far longer to return to their old profitability.

参考译文：首先，航空、能源和商业房地产等关键行业将遭受严重的结构性损害，它们将需要更长的时间才能恢复其原有的盈利能力。

第四句：

Second, big companies won’t be nearly as profitable as in recent years,when a confluence of low labor costs and a buoyant consumer swelled margins to unsustainable levels.

参考译文：其次，大公司的利润将远不如近几年，因为那时低廉的劳动力成本和强劲的消费共同将利润率提到了不可持续的水平。

思考题解析：

Even in the best scenario, the economy would witness __.

甚至在最 好的情况下，

A. a substantial drop in online sales in all sectors

(所有行业的网上销售都大幅下降)

不是所有行业!

A选项错误。

B. less favorable outcomes than the previous year

(与前一年相比，更为不利的结果)

B选项正确。

C. unredeemable damages inflicted on airlines

(航空公司承受无法弥补的损失)

可以弥补，只是需要时间比较长

C选项错误。

D. higher labor costs and larger profit margins

(劳动力成本上升，利润空间增大)

前半句对，后半句错!

D选项错误。

文章来源背景和来源：

How Far Will Profits Fall?

利润会跌到什么程度?

Source: https://fortune.com/longform/corporate-profits-earnings-2020-outlook-fortune-500-companies-guidance/

背景：今年4月，可口可乐的CEO詹姆斯•昆西在被问到公司未来几个月的营收预测时，给了一个往年绝不可能来自财富500强企业高管的回答。他举起双手作投降状，说：“当下的环境充满不确定性，我们认为理智的做法是暂时不提供2020财年的预测。”今年，标普500指数中的超过100家企业宣布不会尝试预测2020年的结果，包括纸业巨头金佰利克拉克、信息技术公司IBM和因特尔。迷雾之中，我们更加迫切地想知道，利润会下跌到什么程度?重启经济后，复苏的前景又如何?作者认为，即使在最理想的状态下，国民生产总值也不会恢复到2019年的高点。一方面，疫情之下，航空和能源等行业遭受重创，不少企业申请破产保护，要恢复原来的经营能力需要时间。另一方面，2019年的欣欣向荣是由低人力成本和消费意愿高涨等多重因素为基础，不可持续也极难复制。