VOA标准英语2009年-US Recession Possibly Slowing

By Michael Bowman
Washington
30 September 2009

 
Sidney LaFontant shops for a dishwasher with her husband and their son, at P.C. Richard & Son appliance store in New York, 4 Sep 2009
A modestly upbeat reading of U.S. economic performance is adding to hopes that the initial phase of a recovery could be underway. 

The U.S. economy has been contracting for more than a year, and last quarter was no exception.  An initial estimate of the April through June period showed negative growth at a 1 percent annual rate, which was an improvement over previous quarters that had seen drops as high as 5.4 percent.

Now, in its final calculation, the U.S. Commerce Department has revised the second quarter figure to a more modest .7 percent annualized dip in gross domestic product (GDP).

Economists² welcomed the news, saying it bolsters³ projections⁴ that a recovery might already have begun. 

"GDP numbers were a little bit better than expected.  Most of us [economists] thought there would be a slight downward revision instead of a slight upward revision.  We are expecting a pretty strong positive [growth] number for the third quarter, not just in the U.S., but [also] around the world," said David Weiss, Chief Economist¹ at the credit rating agency, Standard and Poor's.

The upbeat sentiment was tempered, however, by a drop in a regional U.S. economic indicator⁵.  The Chicago Purchasing Managers Index fell unexpectedly -- a sign of continued woes⁶ in U.S. manufacturing.

Overall, many economists expect an eventual⁷ economic recovery to be slow, with U.S. unemployment remaining high for months to come.  The jobless rate stands at 9.7 percent and could edge higher, even if the overall economy returns to positive growth.

1 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

2 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 bolsters   

n.长枕( bolster的名词复数 )；垫子；衬垫；支持物v.支持( bolster的第三人称单数 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• He used a couple of bolsters to elevate his head. 他用两个垫枕垫头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The double-row piles with both inclined and horizontal bolsters also analyzed in consideration of staged excavation. 本文亦分析了考虑开挖过程的安置斜撑与带支撑的双排桩支护结构。 来自互联网

4 projections   

预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物

参考例句：

• Their sales projections are a total thumbsuck. 他们的销售量预测纯属估计。
• The council has revised its projections of funding requirements upwards. 地方议会调高了对资金需求的预测。

5 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

6 woes   

困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉

参考例句：

• Thanks for listening to my woes. 谢谢您听我诉说不幸的遭遇。
• She has cried the blues about its financial woes. 对于经济的困难她叫苦不迭。

7 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。