VOA标准英语2014--耶伦看好美国经济复苏但表示风险仍然存在

 

Yellen Upbeat on US Recovery but Says Risks Remain 耶伦看好美国经济复苏但表示风险仍然存在

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen was mostly upbeat on the U.S. economy in remarks before Congress Wednesday.  Despite a harsh winter that slowed economic growth in the first quarter, Yellen says the world’s largest economy is on track for solid growth this year.  But given continuing weakness in the labor¹ market and geopolitical tensions abroad, Yellen says the recovery is far from certain.

The U.S. economy added nearly 300,000 jobs last month - the biggest gain in more than two years.  But the pickup² came after a disappointing start - with the U.S. economy barely growing between January and March.

In testimony³ before the Joint⁴ Economic Committee, Janet Yellen predicted a strong pickup for the rest of the year.

“Looking ahead, I expect that economic activity will expand at a somewhat faster pace this year than it did last year, that the unemployment rate will continue to decline gradually, and that inflation will begin to move up toward two percent," said Yellen.

But she said that does not mean the job is done for the U.S. central bank.  

“Currently one prominent risk is that adverse⁵ developments abroad, such as heightened geopolitical tensions or an intensification⁶ of financial stresses in emerging market economies could undermine confidence in the global economic recovery," she said.

The Fed has been reducing or “tapering⁷” its monthly bond purchases that have kept interest rates at historic lows - from $85 billion five months ago to the current $45 billion per month.  

Small business advocate John Arensmeyer says the pace is just about right for small businesses that still need low-interest capital to expand.  

“There needs to be a long-term tapering at some point, but I think they’re moving slowly enough that they’re not doing damage to the recovery that we’ve seen over the last couple of years," said Yellen.

Quantitative⁸ easing - as it’s called - is on track to end by the fourth quarter of this year.  But Yellen says borrowing rates will remain low for a “considerable time” - not just to fuel consumer spending and business expansion - but to bolster⁹ the recovery in the housing market which has faltered¹⁰ in recent months.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 pickup   

n.拾起，获得

参考例句：

• I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。

3 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

4 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

5 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。

6 intensification   

n.激烈化，增强明暗度；加厚

参考例句：

• The intensification of the immunological response represents the body's natural defense. 增强免疫反应代表身体的自然保卫。 来自辞典例句
• Agriculture in the developing nations is not irreversibly committed, to a particular pattern of intensification. 发展中国家的农业并没有完全为某种集约化形式所束缚。 来自辞典例句

7 tapering   

adj.尖端细的

参考例句：

• Interest in the scandal seems to be tapering off. 人们对那件丑闻的兴趣似乎越来越小了。
• Nonproductive expenditures keep tapering down. 非生产性开支一直在下降。

8 quantitative   

adj.数量的，定量的

参考例句：

• He said it was only a quantitative difference.他说这仅仅是数量上的差别。
• We need to do some quantitative analysis of the drugs.我们对药物要进行定量分析。

9 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

10 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”