英语听力精选进阶版 15620

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Is the American recovery stalling?

Fri, 28 Feb 14

The US publishes its latest economic figures today and the growth rate for the end of last year is likely to be revised down. Meanwhile, freezing temperatures and snow storms across the US are likely to have dented¹ growth in the first quarter of this year - so what does this mean for the US economic recovery? The number of new homes registered in the UK in January was up 14 per cent on last year, according to figures from the National House-Building Council. So five years after an industry slump² that led to half-finished estates and thousands of job cuts, is the house building sector³ getting back to full strength? Trades Union Congress - the body that represents 54 trade unions in the UK - says nearly five and a half million people worked extra hours in 2013 and they reckon that's equivalent to 640 million pounds worth of unpaid⁴ overtime⁵ last year.