VOA标准英语2012--US Hiring Slows in March But Unemployment Rate Dips

US Hiring Slows in March But Unemployment Rate Dips

American companies hired fewer workers in March but the nation's unemployment rate dipped slightly lower to 8.2 percent. Economists¹ say that's because fewer people looked for work.

Despite the slowdown in hiring, President Barack Obama says overall job growth has been encouraging.

"Our economy's now created more than 4 million private sector² jobs over the past two years and more than 600,000 in the past three months alone," he said. "But it's clear to every American that there will still be ups and downs along the way and that we've got a lot more work to do."

The weaker than expected job growth could hurt consumer confidence. It also threatens the president's re-election chances in November. 

Republican front runner Mitt³ Romney blames the president's economic policies for discouraging Americans from looking for work.

But there was little evidence of that at this job fair in Virginia.

Recruiter Kathleen Smith says there are plenty of opportunities for those willing to look for them.

"We're seeing some budgets shrinking but we're also seeing other budgets that are expanding, a lot in manufacturing," said Smith. "I'm also seeing that there are various customer service industries that are really ramping⁴ up their efforts."

Manufacturers hired 37,000 workers in March and hotels and restaurants hired 39,000. Retail⁵ stores took a big hit - eliminating 34,000 jobs, while temporary help firms cut more than 8,000 positions.

Some people see the tough economy as a temporary challenge.

Retired⁶ Air Force officer Paul Faraci has been out of work more than a year. He says he's used the time to improve his skills.

"You have to view your unemployment as just a speed bump in life, not a pothole⁷, he said. "And you have to just pursue this further, remember that you are a unique person, you have a product to offer." 

Still, the job market remains⁸ difficult for many. Despite dropping nearly 2 percentage points since the height of the recession, the nation's unemployment rate has remained above 8 percent for three years. That's the longest stretch of high unemployment since the government started keeping records in 1948.

1 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

3 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

4 ramping   

土堤斜坡( ramp的现在分词 )； 斜道； 斜路； （装车或上下飞机的）活动梯

参考例句：

• The children love ramping about in the garden. 孩子们喜欢在花园里追逐嬉戏，闹着玩。
• Have you ever seen a lion ramping around? 你看到过狮子暴跳吗？

5 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

6 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

7 pothole   

n.坑，穴

参考例句：

• As the car sped over a pothole she lurched forward.车子飞驶过一个坑洼时，她身子猛地向前一倾。
• The young teacher knows every pothole in the 10-minute ride to school.这位年轻的老师熟悉这条往学校的10分钟路上的每一个坑洞。

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。