Gold Tops $1,500 an Ounce for First Time

     The price of gold edged above a record $1,500 an ounce on Tuesday as investors¹（投资者） looked for an alternative to the U.S. dollar.

    The price of gold has risen 31 percent in the last year. It shattered the psychological barrier at $1,500.50 before retreating several dollars an ounce.

    Various unsettling events in the world in the last few months - such as the political unrest in the Middle East and then the earthquake and tsunami² in Japan - have pushed some investors to look for what they view as a secure commodity. Increasingly, they have bought gold.

    The price hit the new record high after the Standard & Poor's financial services firm on Monday lowered its economic outlook for the United States from "stable" to "negative" on fears that the country's leaders will not be able to reach a deal to rein³ in the growing U.S. governmental debt.

    Some analysts⁴ say the price of gold could increase further.  Investors have also bought another much cheaper commodity - silver. It has risen to more than $43 an ounce - a three-decade high.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 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

2 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

3 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

4 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。