世界银行：美国经济增长加快

 世界银行：美国经济增长加快

　　Many economists¹ say U. S. growth will speed up a bit over the next year, which will likely make it easier for other nations to sell their products in the world’s biggest economy. Surging energy production is cutting costs and spurring U. S. economic growth, but rising interest rates are acting² as brakes on expansion.

　　Some shops are busier, because for the first time in five years, the United States and other wealthy nations are shaking off the recession and making a larger contribution to global growth.

　　That is the word from a new World Bank report, which also says growth will be helped by fewer cuts in government spending over the next year.

　　The bank’s Manager of Global Macroeconomics is Andrew Burns.

　　“We are looking at a significant acceleration³ in the U. S. [economic growth] from about 1.8 percent last year to 2.8 percent this year," said Burns.

　　Key sectors⁴ of the U. S. economy, like housing, are strongly influenced by interest rates. Lower rates make it easier for families to borrow the money to buy homes and businesses to get the equipment they need to expand.

　　With that in mind, the U.S. central bank has been working hard to stimulate⁵ the economy by cutting interest rates. Part of that effort involves buying tens of billions of dollars of securities each month, a program that is being reduced or “tapered.”

　　If the stimulus⁶ continues for too long, it might spark inflation, which could hurt the economy.

　　Bankrate.com analyst⁷ Greg McBride says a slow increase in interest rates will not hurt, if the economy is expanding at the time.

　　"The likelihood is that long-term interest rates will probably grind slowly higher throughout 2014, while short-term interest rates remain unchanged," said McBride.

　　A surge in U.S. energy production will help overcome the impact of rising interest rates. Oil industry experts say growing use of hydraulic⁸ fracturing or “fracking” has sharply increased U. S. production of oil and natural gas.

　　The head of the American Petroleum⁹ Institute Jack¹⁰ Gerard, says the larger supply of natural gas means lower energy prices, and a boost for American manufacturers.

　　“If you want to put people to work, if you want to generate revenue, now is the time. We can do it through the energy equation," said Gerard.

　　The wider use of fracking is boosting U.S. oil production, cutting the cost of crude oil imports, and leaving consumers with more money to spend on other goods and services.

　　Critics say burning more fossil fuels may increase climate change and voice concerns about the impact of fracking on the environment and public health.

　　Industry spokesmen say the practice is safe, but opponents say some gas wells that use fracking technology have polluted nearby water wells, and they urge more scientific study.

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 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

3 acceleration   

n.加速，加速度

参考例句：

• All spacemen must be able to bear acceleration.所有太空人都应能承受加速度。
• He has also called for an acceleration of political reforms.他同时呼吁加快政治改革的步伐。

4 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

6 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 hydraulic   

adj.水力的；水压的，液压的；水力学的

参考例句：

• The boat has no fewer than five hydraulic pumps.这艘船配有不少于5个液压泵。
• A group of apprentics were operating the hydraulic press.一群学徒正在开动水压机。

9 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

10 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。