VOA标准英语2011--US Unemployment Rate Drops Sharply

US Unemployment Rate Drops Sharply

 

美国失业率降至最低水准

The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to the lowest level in more than two years in November. The report shows a mixed picture, however, for the troubled U.S. job market.

美国失业率11月降至两年多以来的最低水准。报告显示美国就业市场陷入困境。

The news for people lining¹ up to apply for jobs got a little better on Friday. The Labor² Department says November's jobless rate was 8.6 percent, an improvement of four-tenths of a percent from October.

但这个消息对于在星期五排队申请工作的人们要稍微好些。劳动部门表示11月的失业率是8.6%,相较10月份有所提高。

The data also show that the U.S. economy gained 120,000 jobs, which is about the number of jobs needed to accomodate new entrants to the workforce³.

数据也显示,美国经济获得了120000个工作岗位,而这些是准备给即将进入工作市场的人。

The slow economy has hurt city and state governments, which continued cutting jobs. But private companies boosted hiring by 140,000, particularly in retail⁴, professional services, and health care.

缓慢的经济使城市和国家政府也受到了严重影响，致使这些单位继续裁员。但私人企业的雇佣人数激增到140000,尤其是在零售业、专业化服务行业及卫生保健等行业。

U.S. President Barack Obama said the American economy has created private sector⁵ jobs for the past 21 months, nearly three million in all.

美国总统奥巴马表示, 在过去的21个月美国经济已经为私营机构创造了几近三百万人的工作。

Mr. Obama said "we need to keep that growth going" and urged Congress to stop blocking laws that he said would help create jobs.

奥巴马总统说道:“我们需要保持这种增长”,并且他呼吁国会停止阻挠会帮助创造就业机会的法律。

"Now is not the time to slam the brakes on the recovery, right now is the time to step on the gas," he said. "We need to get this done."

“对于复苏现在不是紧急刹车的时候,现在要做的就是狠踩油门。”他说道，“我们需要真抓实干，了结这件事。”

BIll Beaverson works on a Jeep at the Chrysler Toledo Assembly complex, in Toledo, Ohio. The U.S. unemployment rate fell last month to its lowest level in more than two years.

The high unemployment rate is a top issue in the 2012 race for president. And Republicans, including Speaker of the House John Boehner, again blamed U.S. economic problems on President Obama's policies.

在2012年高失业率对于总统竞选来说无疑最为关键。共和党人,包括众议院议长约翰•贝纳,再次指责美国总统奥巴马对于经济问题的政策。

"Any job creation is welcome news, but the unemployment rate in our country is still unacceptably high," he said. "November marks the 34th consecutive⁶ month with unemployment above eight percent.

“任何创造就业机会都是受欢迎的消息,但失业率在我国仍然高的吓人,”他说道：“十一月标志着连续34个月失业率均达到了8%以上。”

Boehner says a closer look shows that the rate declined in part because 300,000 people grew so discouraged that they gave up their search for work. Only people who are seeking work are counted as unemployed⁷.

贝纳表示一份深入研究表明失业率在一定程度上下降,这是因为300000人对于找工作开始变得沮丧,所以这些人索性选择放弃寻找。只有那些在寻找工作的人才被认定是失业。

But Democratic strategist Steve McMahon has said an improving economy will help Mr. Obama's chances for reelection.

但民主战略家斯蒂夫•麦克马洪表示经济的不断改善将会帮助奥巴马再选的机会。

"What matters most in a presidential campaign, at the end, when it comes to the economy, is do people think things are getting better and on a path to getting better," he said.

“最重要的是在总统竞选的时候,最后,当涉及到经济问题时,人们会认为情况正在好转,前途一片光明。”他说道。

On the streets of New York City, some people doubt the economy will improve.

在纽约市的大街上,有些人对经济将会好转产生了质疑。

“I think I’ll have a job. I don’t think things will get better for that many people," said Lisa Ramini, an unemployed worker.

“我想我会找到一份工作。我不认为会像他们说的那样，事情会变得更好。”失业者丽莎•拉米尼说道。

So is she pretty pessimistic?

她也是相当悲观?

“Yeah, it doesn’t seem like it’s getting better," she said. "It’s been a while now that people have been without jobs. There hasn’t been much improvement this far.”

“是的,看起来似乎不像已经好多了,”她说道。“现在人们已经失业有一段时间了。目前还没有很大改观。”

Others welcomed the job gains.

其他人则对前景表示乐观。

“Any improvement is good, yeah I hope we are on the right track,” said one man.

“任何改善都是好的,是的,我希望我们已经走上正轨。”一位老兄说道。

The newest data show that 13.3 million people are officially unemployed in the United States. Millions more want full-time⁸ work but can find only part-time jobs.

最新的数据显示美国正式失业人数已达1330万人。数以百万计的人想要全职工作但是只能找到兼职工作。

1 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

4 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

5 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

6 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

7 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

8 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。