Obama: Economic Recovery Is Speeding Up

 　　President Barack Obama Friday welcomed news that the U.S. unemployment rate dropped again in January. The president again pressed Congress to support his economic proposals.

　　Mr. Obama is encouraged by the better-than-expected numbers, which show 243,000 new jobs and a jobless rate that eased to 8.3 percent in January from 8.5 percent in December.

　　“These numbers will go up and down in the coming months, and there are still far too many Americans who need a job, or need a job that pays better than the one they have now.  But the economy is growing stronger.  The recovery is speeding up," said President Obama.

　　The chairman of the president’s Council of Economic Advisers¹, Alan Krueger, called the job gains in recent months “an encouraging sign.”

　　Mr. Obama, speaking at a fire station in Arlington, Virginia, near Washington, urged lawmakers to pass a payroll² tax cut extension “without drama or delay.”

　　“So I want to send a clear message to Congress: Do not slow down the recovery that we are on," said Obama. "Do not muck it up.  Keep it moving in the right direction.”

　　While the administration is cautiously embracing the improved jobs figures, top Republicans say they would do better.

　　The leading Republican presidential candidate, Mitt³ Romney, said Mr. Obama’s policies have prevented a true economic recovery.

　　A statement from the number-two Republican in the House of Representatives, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, said “We can do more.”

　　As part of his economic proposals, President Obama said Friday he will do all he can to provide new jobs and opportunities to returning military veterans.

　　“They have managed convoys⁴ and moved tons of equipment over dangerous terrain," he said. "They have tracked millions of dollars of military assets.  They have handled pieces of equipment that are worth tens of millions of dollars.  They do incredible work.”

　　The president said more than 3 million veterans have returned to civilian⁵ life in the past 10 years, and hundreds of thousands more are expected home as the war in Afghanistan winds down.

1 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

2 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

3 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

4 convoys   

n.（有护航的）船队( convoy的名词复数 )；车队；护航（队）；护送队

参考例句：

• Truck convoys often stop over for lunch here. 车队经常在这里停下来吃午饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A UN official said aid programs will be suspended until there's adequate protection for relief convoys. 一名联合国官员说将会暂停援助项目，直到援助车队能够得到充分的保护为止。 来自辞典例句

5 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。