CNN Marketplace 2006-06-04

Michelle Wright: A weaker than expected month for job growth in May, says Commerce Bank Chief Economist¹ Joel Naroff.

Joel Naroff: Well, looks like businesses are becoming a little bit more cautious and while they still continue to hire, they are not hiring nearly at the pace that they had been.

Michelle Wright: Employers only added 75,000 jobs to the rolls last month.

Michelle Wright: Meanwhile, there was good news when it came to unemployment in May. The rate dropped to 4.6 percent. That's the lowest it's been in nearly five years.

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Michelle Wright: The Big three US auto-makers are catching² up with their Japanese counterparts, according to the Harbor Report.

Ron Harbour: Today, that difference is, is much narrower. There, there, there is still some difference there, probably equivalent of, you know, two to five hundred dollars per vehicle.

Michelle Wright: Harbor Consulting President. Ron Harbour.

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Michelle Wright: The FDA is urging restaurants to cut back on their portions in an effort to fight obesity³. However, that could be a hard thing to do concerning what many Americans consider getting a good meal-deal for your dollar.

Cathy Nunus: I think it's difficult for restaurants to do so, unless every restaurant decides to do it. Because, of course, we also have to re-educate the American consumer that smaller portions are better and they're not losing money. (laughing) Okay, it's still a good deal to have smaller portions.

Michelle Wright: Dietitian⁴, Cathy Nunus.

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Michelle Wright: And Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is asking the state legislature of California to approve a minimum wage increase without an annual cost-of-living increase.

Jim Ribble: Schwarzenegger, who vetoed two previous minimum wage increases, is asking the commission to increase the minimum wage earned by 1.4 million workers from 6.75 to 7.75 an hour, circumventing⁵ 2 separate bills that ties minimum wage increases to the Consumer Price Index, giving earners a yearly cost-of-living increase. Governor says he can't support what has failed before.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: You know, in government here, we have Automatic Spending Formulas, that increasing of spending, and it almost bankrupt the State of California. "

Jim Ribble: He says instead he wants a one-dollar-flat increase. Jim Ribble, CNN, Los Angeles.

Michelle Wright: With CNN Radio in the MarketPlace, I'm Michelle (Wright).

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WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

circumvent: finding a way to overcome or avoid something 设法克服或避免
The Consumer Price Indexes (CPI) program produces monthly data on changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services.

1 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

2 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

3 obesity   

n.肥胖，肥大

参考例句：

• One effect of overeating may be obesity.吃得过多能导致肥胖。
• Sugar and fat can more easily lead to obesity than some other foods.糖和脂肪比其他食物更容易导致肥胖。

4 dietitian   

n.营养学家

参考例句：

• You can seek the advice of a nutritionist or dietitian.你可以征求营养师或饮食专家的意见。
• I have no doubt she would make a good dietitian.毫无疑问她会成为优秀的营养学家。

5 circumventing   

v.设法克服或避免（某事物），回避( circumvent的现在分词 )；绕过，绕行，绕道旅行

参考例句：

• They found a way of circumventing the law. 他们找到了规避法律的途径。
• This viewpoint sees the Multinational Corporation as capable of circumventing or subverting national objectives and policies. 这种观点认为，跨国公司能够遏制和破坏国家的目标和政策。 来自辞典例句