NPR边听边练175：美房价大幅飙升

 　　以下段落是摘自新闻里的一些重要信息,并不是一个段落的听写。空内信息可在本新闻中全部找到,大家可以根据这些信息复述新闻。

　　一、泛听建议：

　　1、完整听一遍，掌握大意。

　　2、继续听，特别注意关键信息。遇到相似的词，写下来。

　　3、复述新闻。

　　Home prices in the nation's largest cities are up nearly 11% over the past year. That's the largest increase in seven years. But economist¹ Mark Vitner with Wells Fargo says much of the rise _1_ by investors² snapping up houses rather than by families buying homes to live in.

　　去年美国大城市的房价上涨了近11%。这是七年来的最大涨幅。但是富国银行的经济学家马克·维特纳表示，上涨的大部分原因是由于投资者抢购住房，而不是家庭买来居住。

　　"The home ownership rate _2_ to drop, and actually the number of homeowners has declined by 91,000 over the last year. So we actually have fewer home owners stay even though prices are up."

　　“住房自有率持续下降，实际上去年房主的数量下降了91,000人。所以实际上虽然房价上升了，但是房主数量却减少了。”

　　The biggest gains we’ve seen in Phoenix³, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

　　涨幅最大的城市为凤凰城、旧金山和拉斯维加斯。

　　Consumer confidence in the US economy has risen to its highest level in more than five years. NPR's John Ydstie says the gains and the Conference Board’s index of consumer attitudes _3_ economists⁴' expectations.

　　消费者对美国经济的信心创五年来新高。据NPR新闻的约翰·伊斯蒂报道，信心的增长及美国谘商会消费者信心指数超过了经济学家的预期。

　　A Board spokesperson says that consumers who earlier in the year _4_ about higher taxes and federal spending cuts are now showing more optimism. Rising stock prices and home values along with steady job growth are contributing to that optimism. Job growth has averaged over 200,000 a month in the past half a year. That's 15% stronger than in the preceding six months. Investors hope more confident consumers will continue to push their _5_ higher.

　　美国谘商会一名发言人表示，年初担心增税和联邦减支计划的消费者现在显得更为乐观。股票价格、房价的上涨以及就业率稳定上升使消费者更加乐观。在过去半年里，就业人口平均每月增加200,000个。这一数据较前六个月增长了15%。投资者希望更有信心的消费者会继续拉动支出的增加。

　　That would boost economic growth and profits. John Ydstie, NPR News, Washington.

　　这会促进经济增长，增加利润。NPR新闻，约翰·伊斯蒂华盛顿报道。

　　词汇解析：

　　1. snap up

　　抢购，赶紧买下（便宜或心仪之物）；

　　eg. Every time we get a new delivery of clothes, people are queuing to snap them up.

　　每次新到一批服装时，人们都在排起长队来抢购。

　　eg. One eagle-eyed collector snapped up a pair of Schiaparelli earrings⁵ for just ￡6.

　　一个眼疾手快的收藏家以仅仅 6 英镑的价钱抢到了一副斯基亚帕雷利设计的耳环。

　　eg. Should that be the case, savvy⁶ investors might spot an opportunity to snap up cheap assets.

　　若果真如此，精明的投资者可能会注意到一个抢购廉价资产的机会。

　　参考答案：

　　1、was fueled 2、is continuing 3、exceeded

　　4、were worried 5、spending

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 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

3 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

4 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》

5 earrings   

n.耳环( earring的名词复数 )；耳坠子

参考例句：

• a pair of earrings 一对耳环
• These earrings snap on with special fastener. 这付耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 savvy   

v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的

参考例句：

• She was a pretty savvy woman.她是个见过世面的漂亮女人。
• Where's your savvy?你的常识到哪里去了？