VOA标准英语2011--California Economy Sees Improvement, Con

California Economy Sees Improvement, Continuing Trouble

The economic recession hit California hard in 2008 and 2009, and parts of its economy remain dismal¹. The state's unemployment rate, at almost 12 percent, is nearly three points higher than the national average, and California's real estate market is one of the nation's worst. But there are areas of improvement in the nation's most populous² state.
California's economy is still huge, even though recession has slowed growth. If California were a country, it would have the world's eighth largest economy, with farming, high technology, manufacturing, entertainment and tourism.
International trade is rebounding³. It increased dramatically last year. Economist⁴ Nancy Sidhu of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation says the state's high tech sector⁵ is also doing well.
"[That success is due in part to] new Internet applications, new applications for mobile phones, and of course, social media," noted⁶ Sidhu. "And those companies, Apple and Google, and you name them - all of the others that follow. They're hiring. They're looking for the best and the brightest."
Retail⁷ sales have partially⁸ made up the losses of the recession, and some consumers are buying again. But wholesale⁹ merchant Liang Liang is caught between high costs and low demand. He says his imported home decorations and tourist souvenirs are not yet selling well, and his cost for cotton T-shirts has risen 25 percent since January.
"Yes, still very bad, I think. For me, it's still very bad," said Liang.
Temporary workers are finding jobs and those who provide professional services, including lawyers and accountants, are doing better. Film production is up, and some in the movie industry are getting work now.
But California's problems include crowded highways and aging rail lines, air and port facilities. The state ranks near the bottom of the U.S. states in its infrastructure¹⁰, says economist Susanne Trimbath, who is working on a national study with the U.S. Chamber¹¹ of Commerce.
She says farm products - whether fruit from the West Coast or corn from Nebraska - sometimes travel a round-about route because of infrastructure failings.
"That has to move from the field on a truck to a train depot¹², where it then moves to the ports, and in some cases, it's traveling from 500 to 1,000 miles south because before they're able to move it north because we don't have the inter-modal connectivity in transportation infrastructure that we need in the United States to remain globally competitive," Trimbath explained.
Analysts¹³ say California's biggest problem is its bleak¹⁴ real estate market, which is dragging down the economy and has led to lower tax revenues, hurting local governments and schools.
Some investors¹⁵ in Silicon¹⁶ Valley are doing well, however, and more than $6 billion in unexpected tax income will help address the state's huge budget deficit¹⁷. California still needs nearly $10 billion to close its budget shortfall, and many teachers and government workers are facing layoffs¹⁸.
Business analysts say that beyond short-term fixes, California must deal with its long-term problems to stay competitive, securing stable funds for schools and other services and upgrading its infrastructure.

1 dismal   

adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的

参考例句：

• That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
• My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

2 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

3 rebounding   

蹦跳运动

参考例句：

• The strength of negative temperature concrete is tested with supersonic-rebounding method. 本文将超声回弹综合法用于负温混凝土强度检测。
• The fundamental of basketball includes shooting, passing and catching, rebounding, etc. 篮球运动中最基本的东西包括投篮，传接球，篮板球等。

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 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 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 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。

8 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

9 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

10 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

11 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

12 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

13 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

14 bleak   

adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的

参考例句：

• They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
• The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。

15 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

16 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

17 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

18 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌