ECO 2040: Recession odds

From the WSJ Weekly Update (Economists Raise the Odds of a Recession to 49%):

SUMMARY: Economists gave Fed chief Bernanke the lowest grade of his two-year tenure, in the latest Wall Street Journal forecasting survey, and said a recession is becoming more likely.

QUESTIONS:

1. Why have economists recently raised the odds of a recession?
2. What are the chances that a recession, if it occurs, will be more severe than the last recession?
3. Do economists expect further Fed rate cuts?
4. What explains the drop in economists' rating of Fed chair Bernanke?