Unlike downturns past,European nations have kept unemployment figures low relative to the U.S. this time around because Europe’s labor markets have (67) to depend less on allowances than government schemes to put them back to work quickly. What’s more, (68) focusing solely on jumpstarting their economies (69) stimulus(刺激), as the U.S. has, Northern Europe has thrown its (70) at keeping people at work--by any means (71) .
In the countries of northern Europe, that has (72) large and successful retraining schemes to get laid-off workers back into jobs quickly. (73) in nations like Germany, jobs have also been (74) by cutting hours. Rather than laying off workers, a number of European companies have chosen to cut (75) schedules by a third or more as part of larger government schemes to (76) mass layoffs. Companies save money on salaries (77) the government picks up the cost of the pay cuts, including payroll(工资总额) taxes. It’s successful, but it (78) to the national debt and also has the (79) to twist European labor markets.
What’s more, economists note, European unemployment (80) tend to lag behind those of the U.S.-- meaning that while American unemployment will probably (81) this year, the big European economies will (82) numbers continue to rise into the years ahead.
All these emphasize the fact (83) while Northern Europe has handled the cr (84) well up to now, the future is (85) bright. Indeed, economists say that Europe’s usual slower-growth, higher-unemployment trend line will (86) in the years ahead.