福克斯新闻 美2月消费者信心指数降至近7个月来最低点

Consumer confidence has dipped to its lowest level in seven months as worries over the sluggish¹ economy and stock market turmoil² take a toll³.

But the Conference Board says consumer views on current business conditions still suggest the economy will keep growing at a moderate pace in the months ahead.

Sales of pre-owned homes, meanwhile, edged up about a half-percent thanks to low mortgage rates and jobs gains.

The sales pace is the second-highest since 2007 and up 11% from the same period a year ago.

But it puts house-hunters in a bit of a bind⁴, the number of listings has dropped, leaving few choices and pushing prices higher.

由于对经济不景气及股票市场动荡造成损失的担忧，消费者信心降至7个月来的最低点。

但世界大型企业联合会表示,消费者对当前经济状况的态度仍预示着经济将会在未来几个月以温和的速度保持增长。

同时, 由于房贷利率下降及就业增长，二手房销售上升大约50%。

二手房销售速度是自2007年以来的第二高,相比一年前同期增长11%。

但这对购房者的处境有些困难,因为购房清单数量下降,选择变少，价格抬高。

1 sluggish   

adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的

参考例句：

• This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish.这种湿热的天气使人感到懒洋洋的。
• Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.脚部的循环比手部的循环缓慢得多。

2 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

3 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

4 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。