两极分化严重 美国中产阶级正在"缩水"

 The middle class in America's cities has shrunk dramatically in the 21st century.

美国城市的中产阶级阵容在本世纪大幅萎缩。

A Pew Research Center analysis of Census¹ Bureau data looked at the state of the middle class in America's metropolitan² areas. Pew defined "middle-income" households as those whose income fell between two-thirds and twice the national median household income.

皮尤研究中心通过对美国人口普查局数据进行分析，察看了美国大都市区中产阶级的状态。皮尤研究中心对“中等收入”家庭的定义是，收入在全美国平均收入三分之二到两倍之间的家庭。

Between 2000 and 2014, 203 out of the 229 metropolitan areas analyzed³ had a decline in the percentage of their populations that fell in that middle-income range.

2000年到2014年间，在其分析的229个大都市区中，有203个大都市区的中等收入群体所占人口比重有所下降。

Pew observed that the decline in the middle class is associated with an overall increase in inequality in the US.

皮尤发现，中产阶级的衰落与美国的不平等现象全面增长有关。

两极分化严重 美国中产阶级正在"缩水"

Pew also noted⁴ that the drop in the percentage of households that fall in the middle coincides with an overall decline in incomes. Pew's report pointed⁵ out that in the time period covered, real median household incomes in the US as a whole fell by 8%.

皮尤还发现，中产阶级家庭比例的降低与收入的全面下滑相吻合。皮尤的报告指出，在研究覆盖的时间段内，美国实际家庭收入中位数整体跌落8%。

The decline of the middle class in America's cities is one of the biggest political and economic problems of the 21st century, and Pew's analysis shows the severity of the problem.

美国城市中产阶级的下降是二十一世纪最大的政治和经济问题之一，而皮尤的这一分析表明了问题的严重性。

"The current and future status of the American middle class continues to be a central issue in the 2016 presidential campaign. Moreover, new economic research suggests that a struggling middle class could be holding back the potential for future economic growth," Pew wrote in its report. "The national trend is clear — the middle class is losing ground as a share of the population, and its share of aggregate⁶ U.S. household income is also declining."

皮尤研究中心在报告中写道：“美国中产阶级的当前和未来的地位仍然是2016年总统竞选中的一个核心问题。此外，新的经济研究表明，一个正在挣扎的中产阶级可能会阻碍未来经济增长的潜力。这个国家的趋势是明显的--中产阶级正失去作为一部分人口的份额，它的总收入也在下降。”

1 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。

2 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

3 analyzed   

v.分析( analyze的过去式和过去分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析

参考例句：

• The doctors analyzed the blood sample for anemia. 医生们分析了贫血的血样。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The young man did not analyze the process of his captivation and enrapturement, for love to him was a mystery and could not be analyzed. 这年轻人没有分析自己蛊惑著迷的过程，因为对他来说，爱是个不可分析的迷。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 aggregate   

adj.总计的，集合的；n.总数；v.合计；集合

参考例句：

• The football team had a low goal aggregate last season.这支足球队上个赛季的进球总数很少。
• The money collected will aggregate a thousand dollars.进帐总额将达一千美元。