VOA慢速英语2019 经济数据证明了川普在推特上的主张

The third year of Donald Trump¹'s presidency² seems likely to be remembered more for his impeachment³ than for anything else. But a look at economic data shows that the United States economy expanded in 2019. In fact, many economic numbers appear to confirm much of Trump's claims about the economy.

川普总统任期的第三年印象最让人深刻的似乎是他被弹劾，而不是其它。但是从经济数据来看，美国经济在2019年得到了扩张。实际上，很多经济数据似乎证明了川普的经济主张。

There are worries about the future. However, a tax cut and large increase in the national debt guarantee that interest payments will take up an increasing share of the federal budget. At the same time, if there is any sign of weakness in the U.S. economy, the U.S. central bank -- the Federal Reserve -- could find it does not have the tools to influence events.

人们对未来仍然有所担忧。然而，减税和大幅增加国债使得联邦预算越来越大的份额必然用于支付利息。与此同时，如果美国经济出现任何疲软现象，美联储可能会束手无策。

Jobs, jobs, jobs

就业

Trump promised to create more jobs when he campaigned for the presidency in 2016. The U.S. Bureau of Labor⁴ Statistics reports the country has added about 6.8 million of them since then.

川普在2016年竞选总统时承诺创造更多就业。美国劳工统计局报告称，自那时候起，美国已经增加了大约680万个就业岗位。

Growth

增长

During Trump's first two years in office, economic growth rose sharply. Between 2011 and 2016, the gross domestic product (GDP) increased by about 2 percent each year. In Trump's first two years, that average increased to 2.9 percent.

在川普任职的前两年，经济增长急剧上升。在2011年到2016年期间，美国国内生产总值每年增长约2%。川普任职前两年平均增长了2.9%。

In 2019, however, GDP appeared likely to end the year at a 2.1 percent rate of growth.

然而在2019年，美国国内生产总值的增长速度到年末可能会定格在2.1%。

Economists⁵ suggest the slowdown is partly the result of American policies in international trade.

经济学家们认为，经济放缓的部分原因是因为美国在国际贸易中采取的政策。

Trade

贸易

Trump announced in early December that he would order tariffs⁷ on steel from Brazil and Argentina. He also promised to put a 100 percent tariff⁶ on some imports from France. Clearly, the president is not backing away from his decision.

川普在12月初宣布，他将对巴西和阿根廷的钢铁征收关税。他还誓言要对从法国进口的某些产品征收100%的关税。显然，总统并未放弃他的决定。

Markets

市场

Economists and other experts will warn that "the stock market is not the economy," and they are correct. But stock prices do show that investors⁸' believe the economy will continue growing because they have continued to rise.

经济学家和其他专家警告说，“股市并非经济，”这句话说得对。但是股价确实表明投资者相信经济将会继续增长，因为股价一直在上涨。

In early 2019, the financial markets were coming off a period of unrest, but worries about their future growth left as the year continued. Major markets show year-to-date returns of between 20 percent and 25 percent through early December.

在2019年初，金融市场经历了一段动荡时期，但是随着一年的过去，对其未来增长的担忧消失了。截至12月初，主要市场年初至今的回报率在20%到25%之间。

Interest rates

利率

Interest rates have been part of economic concerns since before Trump took office. With the economy growing and unemployment decreasing, most Americans expected wages would rise. That would drive up prices and lead to higher inflation. But that did not happen. While the economy was adding millions of jobs, wages did not grow and inflation has been below 2 percent.

自川普上任以来，利率一直是经济担忧的一部分。随着经济增长和失业率下降，大多数美国人预计工资会上涨。这会推高价格并导致更高的通货膨胀。但是这些并没有发生。在经济创造了数百万个工作岗位的同时，工资并未增长，通货膨胀率也一直低于2%。

Deficit⁹

赤字

During a long period of economic growth, the federal government usually sets aside a lot of money or pays off its debt. But under Trump, that has not happened. Instead, the U.S. federal debt has increased every year and is now more the $22 trillion.

在长期的经济增长中，联邦政府通常会拨出很多钱或是偿还债务。但是川普政府没有这样做。相反，美国的联邦债务每年都在增加，现在已经超过了22万亿美元。

The increased debt worries people because of the share of the federal budget that must be used to pay interest. Experts warn that amount will only grow if the United States enters a recession.

新增的债务让人们忧心，因为这部分联邦预算必须用于支付利息。专家警告说，只有在美国进入衰退时这一数额才会增加。

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

3 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 tariff   

n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表

参考例句：

• There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
• The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。

7 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

8 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

9 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。