A flurry of upbeat reports show a U.S. economy recovering from the worst recession in decades and headed for expansion.
一系列令人振奋的报告显示，美国经济正从数十年来最严重的衰退中复苏并走向扩张。
But this week's improved figures for housing, jobs, rising stock prices and modest inflation, represent a few measurements of growth.
这星期的数据显示，房地产和就业市场改善，股市上涨，通胀温和。
At a small business in Jersey City, New Jersey, Felicia Grasso is hoping to contribute to the growth in her own unique way.
Since opening her cupcake store, Sophie Sophia, two months ago, she says treats she bakes bring cheer and represent an inexpensive symbol of better times.
费利西亚·格拉索两个月前在泽西城开设了一家纸杯蛋糕店。她说，她烤的纸杯蛋糕给人带来欢乐，代表着愉快时光。
"It’s something tangible right now," she says. "[For] people that have fallen on hard times, the cupcakes are not very expensive."
格拉索说：“这是实实在在的。对于那些陷入困境的人来说，这些纸杯蛋糕不是很贵。”
Grasso's shop, with two employees, is just one of 14 retailers on the ground floor of Hamilton Square, a new apartment building that developer Paul Silverman says is directly responsible for 150 jobs, and indirectly responsible for hundreds more.
格拉索的蛋糕店有两个雇员，是位于汉密尔顿广场这座新公寓楼一层的14家零售店之一。发展商保罗·西尔弗曼说，他的这座公寓楼直接创造了150个工作岗位，间接创造了数百个岗位。
"FedEx delivers to the property, UPS is delivering; the service companies -- the window washer that’s there every day, the air conditioner repair people, the doormen that are in the building," he says, adding that he secured a loan to develop Hamilton Square before the 2008 financial crisis.
他说：“联邦快递(FedEx)来这里运送物品，联合包裹服务公司(UPS)也来运送物品，服务类公司--比如窗户清洁服务人员每天都在这里工作，还有空调维修员和门卫也在这栋楼里工作。”西尔弗曼说，他在2008年金融危机前获得了开发汉密尔顿广场的一笔贷款。
Otherwise, he explains, the ensuing credit crunch would have blocked the project. But he says banks seem ready to lend again.
要不然紧接着爆发的信贷危机会阻碍这个项目。他说，现在银行看来准备再发放贷款了。
"I wouldn’t say it’s back to the 2005-2006 levels of interest, but we have banks calling us now, which is a great thing," he says.
西尔弗曼说：“我不是说现在已经回到与2005和2006年相同的水平，但现在有银行打电话给我们谈贷款的事，这是件好事。”
Nonetheless, Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at the Standard and Poor’s market research firm, says banks are cautious.
不过，标准普尔市场研究公司的首席投资策略师萨姆·斯托瓦尔说，银行仍然谨慎。
"I think the concern though is still that banks are only calling up those people whose credit quality is pristine," says Stovall.
他说：“我认为目前的担忧仍在于，银行只是在联系那些信用记录完美的人。”
Business owners are borrowing carefully, he says, noting continued concerns about high U.S. unemployment and economic uncertainty overseas. But, he adds, consumers are tired of holding back.
斯托瓦尔说，企业主在小心谨慎的申请贷款。他指出，美国的失业率很高以及海外经济的不确定性依然令人担忧。但是他说，消费者已经厌倦了节制。
"They’re tired of denying themselves going out and spending, and they spent going into the holidays and, at least so far, are continuing to do that," he says.
斯托瓦尔说：“他们已受够了节制外出消费，他们在刚刚过去的这个节日季节开始消费，至少到目前为止还继续保持这种势头。”
But even for those consumers who remain extra cautious, seeking only a small reward, proprietors like Grasso are well positioned to deliver.
费利西亚·格拉索看来能够很好地招待谨慎的消费者，让消费者感受到小小的惬意。
"You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get that feeling, and it’s right away, it’s gratification, it’s your favorite flavor," says Grasso. "You’re having a bad day and you come in and, ‘oh, she has lemon today -- that brightens up my day.' "
她说：“你不需要花很多钱就能感到愉快，这种愉快的心情立刻就有，这是一种满足和喜悦，这是你喜欢的口味。如果你经历了糟糕的一天，但是当你走进这家蛋糕店，发现，哈，今天有柠檬口味！这真令人开心。”
U.S. employment and retail sales improved slightly in January, an uptick in which Felicia Grasso’s cupcakes played a small -- and customers might say tasty -- role.
1月份美国的就业状况和零售销售略微改善，费利西亚·格拉索的纸杯蛋糕店在其中也作出了小小的贡献。她的顾客可能会说，很好吃！ |