VOA标准英语2014--美国就业增速为1999年以来最高

 

US Job Growth Now Strongest Since 1999 美国就业增速为1999年以来最高

WASHINGTON—

The U.S. job market showed a big improvement in November -- adding 321,000 jobs last month. Although the unemployment rate remained unchanged from the previous month at 5.8 percent, the latest job numbers for November represents the strongest monthly job totals in nearly three years and the best year of employment growth since 1999.

The U.S. job market appears to be firing on all cylinders¹ - adding about 100 thousand more jobs than expected in November.

All told, hiring was strong across all sectors³, according to Bankrate.com's Mark Hamrick, who spoke⁴ with VOA on Skype.  

"We had business and professional services, we had health care, we had construction, we had manufacturing," said Hamrick.

And best of all, wages -- which have been stagnant⁵ for many years -- have started to inch higher.

"As we just said, wages are rising. People are working more hours, and we're seeing more people working," said Hamrick.

President Barack Obama said the U.S. economy has now added more than 2.6 million jobs this year. That's the fastest rate of job growth since the late 1990's.

“Our businesses have now created 10.9 million jobs over the past 57 months in a row and that’s the longest streak⁶ of private sector² job growth on record,” said Obama.

However, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.8 percent -- likely because more Americans resumed their job search. And there may be a good reason for that. Jim Blake at the American institute for Certified⁷ Public Accountants said the group’s latest surveys suggest businesses are getting ready to expand.

“I think they [business managers] are anticipating the growth of their businesses, and in order to grow their businesses, they have been living with the minimum amount of payroll⁸, taking their employees and stretching them to the limit. And now they are finally getting comfortable with the environment they are in right now, so that they are willing to reach out and fill those positions,” said Blake.

November's strong job numbers bode⁹ well for retailers¹⁰ during the busy holiday shopping season. Despite seasonal¹¹ adjustments that tend to even out temporary fluctuations¹² -- retailers added 50 thousand jobs last month - another sign that the economic mood is starting to lift in the United States.

1 cylinders   

n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 )；圆柱；汽缸；（尤指用作容器的）圆筒状物

参考例句：

• They are working on all cylinders to get the job finished. 他们正在竭尽全力争取把这工作干完。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• That jeep has four cylinders. 那辆吉普车有4个汽缸。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

3 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》

4 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。

5 stagnant   

adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的

参考例句：

• Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。
• Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。

6 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

7 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

8 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

9 bode   

v.预示

参考例句：

• These figures do not bode well for the company's future.这些数字显示出公司的前景不妙。
• His careful habits bode well for his future.他那认真的习惯预示著他会有好的前途。

10 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

11 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

12 fluctuations   

波动，涨落，起伏( fluctuation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table. 他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• There were so many unpredictable fluctuations on the Stock Exchange. 股票市场瞬息万变。