VOA慢速英语2016 经济数据转好，但一些美国人感觉被落下（在线收听）

AS IT IS 2016-09-21 Economic Numbers Improve, But Some Americans Feel 'Left Behind' 经济数据转好，但一些美国人感觉被落下

Americans are still frustrated with the economy although new economic information suggests people are working and pay is higher.

虽然新的经济信息表明人们开始就业并且工资更高，美国人还是对经济感到失望。

Many people say the economic recovery has left them behind. They say they plan to voice their frustrations when they vote in the presidential election in November.

很多人表示，经济复苏把他们落下了。他们计划在今年11月总统大选投票时表达他们的不满。

Denise Alber from Stafford County in the state of Virginia is one of those people.

来自弗吉尼亚州斯塔福德郡的丹尼斯·艾伯(Denise Alber)就是其中一位。

She has two college degrees. She has decided not to work and to help her 98-year-old mother. Together, they receive a fixed income of nearly $25,000 a year. That total is just above the poverty rate for a family of two.

她拥有两个大学学位。她已经决定不工作去照顾她98岁的母亲。她俩每年一共能获得2.5万美元的固定收入，仅略高于贫困的两口之家。

She says the price for food, gasoline and electricity have increased, but her family's income has not gone up.

她说，食品、汽油和电力的价格都有所上涨，但是她的家庭收入并没有水涨船高。

"It's been very, very difficult to maintain that same standard of living, we have not maintained it."

她说，“想要维持同等标准的生活非常难，我们就没能维持。”

Alber believes that the middle class is not being treated fairly.

艾伯认为中产阶级没有受到公平对待。

Economic numbers show improvement

经济数据表明有所改善

New government data show that family incomes rose over five percent in 2015. That is the largest increase since 2007.

新的政府数据表明，2015年美国家庭收入增长了5%以上，这是自2007年以来增长最大的一次。

That increase is another indication that the U.S. recovery continues.

这种增长是美国的经济复苏还在持续的另一个迹象。

However, economists say incomes remain nearly two percent below levels in 2007, before the start of the Great Recession.

然而经济学家表示，收入比2007年大衰退开始之前的水平还是低了近2个百分点。

Maya MacGuineas is the president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. She understands why many Americans feel like the recovery has left them behind. She said Americans once took a job and the salary grew until retirement.

玛雅·麦克金尼斯(Maya MacGuineas)是美国尽责联邦预算委员会的主席。她理解为什么很多美国人感觉经济复苏把他们落下了。她说，美国人曾经有工作，而且工资一路涨到退休。

"I don't think it feels like that anymore."

她说，“我认为再也不会那样了。”

Economists say it is that sense of betrayal that is driving much of the anger during this election season. Some dissatisfaction is caused by a feeling that middle class incomes have remained the same while wealthy families have prospered.

经济学家表示，这种意义上的反差让这次选举季期间产生了太多的愤怒。有些不满是由某种看法造成的，他们认为中产阶级的收入一直保持不变，而富裕家庭得到了蓬勃发展。

Elise Gould is senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. She says the difference between the highest and lowest earners has increased since the recession.

埃莉斯·古尔德(Elise Gould)是华盛顿经济政策研究所的一位高级经济学家。她说，自经济衰退以来，高、低收入者之间的差异有所加大。

"The top five percent is still the only group that has completely returned back to their 2000 levels. So they've made up lost ground. There's inequality across the income distribution."

“最顶端的5%仍然是完全恢复到他们2000年水平的唯一人群，所以他们已经弥补了损失。整个收入分配都存在不平等。”

Some economists blame the lack of an economic recovery for all on political disagreements in Washington.

一些经济学家将缺乏整体经济复苏归咎于华盛顿的政治分歧。

That is one of the reasons Denise Alper says the next election is so important. But, she is not hopeful that the leading candidates will be able to provide results.

这就是艾伯称下届大选非常重要的原因之一。但是她对主要候选人将会解决这个问题并不抱希望。

"In terms of the economy or politics, I'm very despondent in that regard. I don't think either candidate will help the middle class."

她说，“在经济或政治方面我很失望。我认为两位候选人都无益于中产阶级。”

Words in This Story

frustrate – v. to cause someone to feel angry, discouraged or upset because of not being able to do something

Great Recession – n. a sharp decline in economic activity during the late 2000s

betrayal – n. to hurt someone by not giving help or by doing something morally wrong

prosper – v. to become very successful usually by making a lot of money

recession – n. a period of time in which there is a decrease in economic activity and many people do not have jobs

despondent – adj. very sad and without hope