VOA慢速英语2012 Economics Report - Uneven Signs of Growth in the Transport Industry

 

Economics Report - Uneven¹ Signs of Growth in the Transport Industry

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

A look at some industries in the United States shows that the economic recovery is somewhat uneven. And growth seems to be slowing down. VOA’s Jim Randle spoke² with experts in the transportation industry, which is easily affected³ by economic changes.

Economists⁵ say trucks carry nearly seventy percent of the freight, or goods, transported in the United States.

The American Trucking Association represents the interests of the trucking industry. It says freight is a good measure of the economy. This is because businesses have to move unprocessed materials, carry parts to factories, and transport imports and exports.

Bob Costello is the chief economist⁴ for the group.

BOB COSTELLO: “We are actually a very good indicator⁶, a leading economic indicator in fact. And so if tonnage starts to fall, we get nervous. If it’s going up, we are pretty happy. “

The amount of freight carried by trucks is going up slowly. The American Trucking Association says total freight tonnage increased in June, but remained unchanged in July. That is good news to Bob Costello.

BOB COSTELLO: "It is telling me that the economy is not falling into another recession. It will continue as a sort of a slow growth recovery."

Other information about economic growth comes from air freight, or goods transported by air. Recent reports show demand for air freight fell more than three percent around the world during July.

Perry Flint speaks for the International Air Transport Association. That group represents about two hundred forty airline companies worldwide. It gathers information about air passenger travel and air freight. The group says the amount of international air freight decreased in July from the same period the year before. But other signs show increases.

PERRY FLINT: "It can also, as you start to see air cargo⁷ dropping off and you are seeing other signs -- it can also be a leading indicator of a downturn.”

The same report shows that passenger traffic increased over three percent from last year. That may be why a top official of Cambria Suites⁸ Hotels says travel, not just business travel, is strong. Michael Murphy is with the company.

MICHAEL MURPHY: “We are seeing the highest demand in the history of the hotel industry right now. More people are traveling now than ever before, and that's in all segments of travel.”

Conflicting economic signs have made it difficult for economists to predict future growth. For example, government experts first said the American economy expanded at a yearly rate of one point five percent from April to June.

But they amended⁹ that prediction as new information became available and showed growth was higher -- more likely a rate of one point seven percent. Changes like that have made it harder for many people to see the road ahead.

And that’s the VOA Special English Economics Report. You can find our captioned¹⁰ videos at the VOA Learning English Channel on YouTube. I’m Mario Ritter.

1 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

5 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》

6 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

7 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

8 suites   

n.套( suite的名词复数 )；一套房间；一套家具；一套公寓

参考例句：

• First he called upon all the Foreign Ministers in their hotel suites. 他首先到所有外交部长住的旅馆套间去拜访。 来自辞典例句
• All four doors to the two reserved suites were open. 预定的两个套房的四扇门都敞开着。 来自辞典例句

9 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

10 captioned   

a.标题项下的； 标题所说的

参考例句：

• This paper reviews the production, development and nationalization of the captioned materials. 本文就铜系合金引线框架材料的生产、发展和国产化进程作一论述。
• Please advise other considerable hotels for this captioned group. 请推荐其它一些高级的旅馆给这一群打标语的人。