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世行：美国经济增长加快

Many economists¹ say U. S. growth will speed up a bit over the next year, which will likely make it easier for other nations to sell their products in the world’s biggest economy. Surging energy production is cutting costs and spurring U. S. economic growth, but rising interest rates are acting² as brakes on expansion.

很多经济学家说，美国在今后一年里经济增长速度会加快，有利于其他国家向这个世界第一大经济体的出口。虽然能源产量的提高降低了成本，刺激美国经济的增长，可是，利率的上升会给增长带来阻碍。

Some shops are busier, because for the first time in five years, the United States and other wealthy nations are shaking off the recession and making a larger contribution to global growth.

一些商店生意兴隆起来，因为美国和其他发达国家5年来第一次开始摆脱经济衰退，对世界经济做出更大的贡献。

That is the word from a new World Bank report, which also says growth will be helped by fewer cuts in government spending over the next year.

这是世界银行一份新报告的结论。报告还说，今后一年里政府削减开支的数目也将减少，这也有助于经济增长。

The bank’s Manager of Global Macroeconomics is Andrew Burns.

世界银行全球宏观经济学家安德鲁·伯恩斯说：

“We are looking at a significant acceleration³ in the U. S. [economic growth] from about 1.8 percent last year to 2.8 percent this year," said Burns.

“我们看到美国经济增长速度大幅度加快，从去年的1.8%到今年的2.8%。”

Key sectors⁴ of the U. S. economy, like housing, are strongly influenced by interest rates. Lower rates make it easier for families to borrow the money to buy homes and businesses to get the equipment they need to expand.

美国经济的住房等关键领域受到利率的重大影响。低利率使家庭比较容易得到贷款来购买住房，企业也可以购买设备来扩大生产。

With that in mind, the U.S. central bank has been working hard to stimulate⁵ the economy by cutting interest rates. Part of that effort involves buying tens of billions of dollars of securities each month, a program that is being reduced or “tapered.”

出于这个考虑，美联储一直在努力降低利率来刺激经济，措施之一是每月购买数百亿美元债券，而购买额现在开始减少。

If the stimulus⁶ continues for too long, it might spark inflation, which could hurt the economy.

如果经济刺激持续太久，可能会导致通货膨胀，从而损害经济。

Bankrate.com analyst⁷ Greg McBride says a slow increase in interest rates will not hurt, if the economy is expanding at the time.

Bankrate.com网站的分析师格雷格·麦克布赖德说，如果经济正在增长中，那么缓慢提高利率没有坏处。

"The likelihood is that long-term interest rates will probably grind slowly higher throughout 2014, while short-term interest rates remain unchanged," said McBride.

他说：“2014年长期利率可能会缓慢上升，而短期利率会维持不变。”

A surge in U.S. energy production will help overcome the impact of rising interest rates. Oil industry experts say growing use of hydraulic⁸ fracturing or “fracking” has sharply increased U. S. production of oil and natural gas.

美国能源产量增加将有助于抵消利率上涨的影响，石油工业专家说，水力压裂法的推广大幅度提高了美国石油和天然气产量。

The head of the American Petroleum⁹ Institute Jack¹⁰ Gerard, says the larger supply of natural gas means lower energy prices, and a boost for American manufacturers.

美国石油研究所所长杰克·杰拉德说，天然气供应增加意味着价格下降，促进美国制造业。

“If you want to put people to work, if you want to generate revenue, now is the time. We can do it through the energy equation," said Gerard.

他说：“如果你要提供就业机会，如果你要创收，现在正是时候，我们可以通过能源产业来实现。”

The wider use of fracking is boosting U.S. oil production, cutting the cost of crude oil imports, and leaving consumers with more money to spend on other goods and services.

更多的使用水力压裂法促进了美国的石油产量，降低了进口原油的费用，让消费者有更多的钱来购买其他商品和服务。

Critics say burning more fossil fuels may increase climate change and voice concerns about the impact of fracking on the environment and public health.

批评人士说，燃烧更多的矿物燃料可能会加快气候变化，他们担心水力压裂法会给环境和公众健康带来影响。

Industry spokesmen say the practice is safe, but opponents say some gas wells that use fracking technology have polluted nearby water wells, and they urge more scientific study.

石油行业发言人说，这种方法是安全的。不过批评人士说，有些使用水力压裂法的油井对附近的水井造成污染，他们敦促展开更多的科学研究。