VOA标准英语2011--US Unemployment Drops to 8.9 Percent

.S. unemployment dipped below 9 percent last month, as private employers added the most jobs since April. The U.S. Labor¹ Department released its monthly employment report Friday, showing the U.S. economy picked up a net total of 192,000 jobs in February. That brings the U.S. jobless rate to 8.9 percent - the lowest in nearly two years and another sign that the US recovery is picking up steam.
In the Midwestern state of Wisconsin - another sign of the improving economy. The Oshkosh Corporation is hiring 750 workers to service its military contracts. For the 2,500 applicants² competing for those jobs, it's a welcome glimmer³ of hope.
One man in Wisconsin said, "Fourteen years in the paper industry and a little bit in between there, and now I've hopefully got a new start."
And the latest job numbers support his optimism. Private employers added 222,000 jobs last month, bringing the nation's unemployment rate to its lowest level since April 2009.
Wells Fargo chief economist⁴ John Silva said it shows that companies are more confident about a sustained U.S. recovery. "It was nice to see the unemployment rate down a little bit. It was good to see that most of the job growth was in fact in the private sector⁶. I think those are all good signs telling us that we have sustained economic growth and a better labor market."
The fastest growth has been in the manufacturing and service sectors⁷, which have benefited from higher consumer spending and an increase in U.S. exports abroad.
Still, the total number of unemployed⁸ remains⁹ high at 13.7 million, nearly double what it was before the recession. Factoring in those wishing to work more hours and those who have given up looking for work - the so-called underemployment rate is 15.9 percent.
Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said, "We need to be reminded that we've added jobs. One and a half million private sector jobs, and that, I think, it's right where we need to be, but we need to continue to not lose sight of where we need to go to increase opportunities for people to get employed in new jobs."
A larger threat to sustained job growth, though, is the rising price of oil - now above $100 a barrel. White House spokesman Jay Carney said,
"The president is extremely aware of the impact that a spike¹⁰ in oil prices can have on gasoline prices and therefore on the wallets and pocketbooks of average Americans."
Unemployment has dropped nearly one percent since November. Average paychecks have remained flat, however, which means higher gas prices could put a serious dent⁵ in consumer spending.

1 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。

2 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

3 glimmer   

v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光

参考例句：

• I looked at her and felt a glimmer of hope.我注视她，感到了一线希望。
• A glimmer of amusement showed in her eyes.她的眼中露出一丝笑意。

4 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。

5 dent   

n.凹痕，凹坑；初步进展

参考例句：

• I don't know how it came about but I've got a dent in the rear of my car.我不知道是怎么回事，但我的汽车后部有了一个凹痕。
• That dent is not big enough to be worth hammering out.那个凹陷不大，用不着把它锤平。

6 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。

7 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 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。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。