VOA标准英语2009年-Obama: Unemployment Likely to Keep Rising

President Barack Obama says the U.S. unemployment rate is likely to continue rising for several months, even as the economy recovers from its worst recession in decades.
　
President Barack Obama at the White House

President Obama says he expects the nation's jobless rate, which is the highest it has been in 26 years, to get still worse before it gets better.

"My expectation is that we will probably continue to see unemployment tick up for several months," Mr. Obama said.

Unemployment is 9.5 percent in the United States, and Mr. Obama says hiring is usually one of the last areas of a struggling economy to bounce back.

"Even after you start moving into a recovery-positive growth-hiring typically lags for some time after that. That has been the historic norm," Mr. Obama said.

The president spoke¹ in the Oval Office, after meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.

More than 2 million jobs have been lost since Congress passed Mr. Obama's $787 billion economic recovery act in February.
　
People wait in line to enter a job fair in Seattle, Washington (File)

Still, the president says there are reasons for optimism. Among them are signs of stabilization² in the U.S. financial markets.

"That means that companies can borrow, and banks are starting to lend again. Small businesses that might have worried just a couple of months ago about closing doors, they are now able to get a little more financing," Mr. Obama said. "That means they are less likely to lay off workers."

Other glimmers³ of economic hope appeared Tuesday. The Commerce Department says retail⁴ sales rose 0.6 percent in June, about twice what economists⁵ had expected. The increase appeared to be driven by a 1.8 percent spike⁶ in wholesale⁷ prices, largely due to higher energy prices.

Still, Mr. Obama is focused on creating jobs, a central message on his Tuesday visit to the economically-devastated state of Michigan.

The president is promoting his initiative to reform and strengthen community colleges, which offer training in various trades and professions. The goal is to help an additional 5 million Americans earn degrees and certificates in the next decade, better qualifying them for the jobs of the 21st century.

"We have got to find new models of economic growth, particularly at a time when consumers are just not going to be spending as much as they were, and that had been driving a lot of economic growth over the last several months," Mr. Obama said.

Unemployment in Michigan is the highest of any of the 50 states - 14.1 percent-largely because of job losses in the U.S. auto⁸ industry, which is based in Michigan. However, Mr. Obama says he sees promising⁹ signs there, too.

"We are pleased to see that GM and Chrysler have gotten out of bankruptcy¹⁰. They have an opportunity to compete internationally," Mr. Obama said. "Had it not been for the steps that we took with respect to GM and Chrysler, the situation in Michigan, I think it is fair to say, would be far worse."

Meanwhile, Steve Rattner, whom Mr. Obama appointed in February to oversee¹¹ the bailouts of GM and Chrysler, announced Monday he is stepping down. He will be replaced by Ron Bloom, a former union official.

1 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。

2 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

3 glimmers   

n.微光，闪光( glimmer的名词复数 )v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A faint lamp glimmers at the end of the passage. 一盏昏暗的灯在走廊尽头发出微弱的光线。 来自互联网
• The first glimmers of an export-led revival are apparent. 拉动出库复苏的第一缕曙光正出现。 来自互联网

4 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。

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 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

7 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

8 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

9 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

10 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

11 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。