（每日一读）2014年1月高考英语考前突破 阅读理解能力 财经新闻 香港连续20年全球经济自由度指数最高.docVIP

香港连续20年全球经济自由度指数最高 World economic freedom has reached record levels, according to the 2014 Index of Economic Freedom, released Tuesday by the Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal. But after seven straight years of decline, the U.S. has dropped out of the top 10 most economically free countries. 美国传统基金会和《华尔街日报》14日公布的“2014年全球经济自由度指数”报告显示，全球经济自由度达到历史最高水平。其中，香港连续20年名列第一，美国跌出前十，中国大陆排名第137位。 ? For 20 years, the index has measured a nations commitment to free enterprise on a scale of 0 to 100 by evaluating 10 categories, including fiscal soundness（健康，稳固）, government size and property rights. These commitments have powerful effects: Countries achieving higher levels of economic freedom consistently and measurably outperform others in economic growth, long-term prosperity and social progress. Botswana, for example, has made gains through low tax rates and political stability ? Those losing freedom, on the other hand, risk economic stagnation, high unemployment and deteriorating social conditions. For instance, heavy-handed government intervention in Brazils economy continues to limit mobility and fuel a sense of injustice. ? Its not hard to see why the U.S. is losing ground. Even marginal tax rates exceeding 43% cannot finance runaway government spending, which has caused the national debt to skyrocket. The Obama administration continues to shackle entire sectors of the economy with regulation, including health care, finance and energy. The intervention impedes both personal freedom and national prosperity. ? But as the U.S. economy languishes, many countries are leaping ahead, thanks to policies that enhance economic freedom -- the same ones that made the U.S. economy the most powerful in the world. Governments in 114 countries have taken steps in the past year to increase the economic freedom of their citizens. Forty-three countries, from every part of the world, have now reached their highest economic freedom ranking in the indexs history. ? Hong Kong continues