US Consumer Confidence Rises

 　　A series of reports paint a mixed picture of the U.S. economy Tuesday, as consumer confidence rises, home prices fall, and an iconic retailer¹ shuts a number of stores.

　　U.S. consumer confidence hit its highest level in eight months in December as the job market improved. Tuesday's data comes from the Conference Board, a private research group in New York. Experts watch consumer confidence for clues about the consumer spending that drives most U.S. economic activity.

　　A separate report shows the U.S. home prices fell in most major cities for the second straight month. Weak job growth, tighter lending standards, and worries that home prices may fall further are deterring² some prospective³ home buyers. The U.S. central bank has had only limited success in boosting⁴ home sales with record low interest rates.

　　The company that owns the Sears and Kmart stores says it will close more than 100 of its 4,000 locations. Sears was once a top U.S. retailer, but saw sales fall more than 5 percent this year, which is just the latest of several disappointing years. The parent company did not say how many jobs will be lost, but the value of the company's stock⁵ plunged⁶ in Tuesday's trading.

　　The U.S. government will come within $100 billion of its legal limit on borrowing later this week, and the president is expected to seek a $1.2 trillion increase in the debt limit.

　　That would raise the debt limit from just under $15.2 trillion, to a bit less than $16.4 trillion.

　　As part of the agreement that ended a huge political wrangle⁷ over the debt limit earlier this year, the limit will be increased unless both houses of Congress⁸ pass a bill blocking the action.

1 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

2 deterring   

v.阻止，制止( deter的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• However, investors say are a number of issues deterring business. 然而，投资者表示，有很多问题让他们却步。 来自互联网
• It's an effective way of deterring potential does online, the logic goes. 逻辑上这是抑制潜在线上威胁的有效方法。 来自互联网

3 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

4 boosting   

n.增[升]压；加大推力[功率]，加速（发动机）；助推v.促进( boost的现在分词 )；增加；吹捧；向上推起

参考例句：

• The company needs boosting up, if it is not to be defeated by its competitors. 该公司如要在竞争中不被对手挤垮，就须加强实力。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The firm is boosting the new product. 公司正在大事宣传 [推销] 新产品。 来自辞典例句

5 stock   

n.存货，储备；树干；血统；股份；家畜；adj.存货的；平凡的，惯用的；股票的；畜牧的；vt.进货，采购；储存；供给；vi.出新芽；进货

参考例句：

• The shop takes stock every week on Friday mornings.这家商店每星期五早晨盘点存货。
• Experts have forecast an upturn in the stock market.专家已预测股票市场价格有上升趋势。

6 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

7 wrangle   

vi.争吵

参考例句：

• I don't want to get into a wrangle with the committee.我不想同委员会发生争执。
• The two countries fell out in a bitter wrangle over imports.这两个国家在有关进口问题的激烈争吵中闹翻了。

8 Congress   

n.(代表)大会；(C-:美国等国的)国会，议会

参考例句：

• There were some days to wait before the Congress.大会的召开还有几天时间。
• After 18 years in Congress,he intented to return to private life.在国会供职18年后，他打算告老还乡。