2017考研英语拓展阅读：美国经济增长乏力

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2017考研英语拓展阅读：美国经济增长乏力

　　The world’s largest economy grew at an annual rate of 1.2% in the three months to June, far below forecasts of 2.6%,

　　今年第二季度，世界最大经济体美国的经济增长年均速度是1.2%，远小于2.6%的预期。

　　Growth for the first quarter was revised down from 1.1% to 0.8%.

　　而在今年第一季度，经济增长率从1.1%下降到了0.8%。

　　Conversely, consumer spending surged in the three months to June by an annual pace of 4.2% - the fastest pace since the fourth quarter of 2014.

　　但和这一走低的形势相反，第二季度消费支出飙升，年均增长率达到了4.2%--这是自2014年第四季度以来最大的增长幅度。

　　The Federal Reserve indicated on Wednesday it was still on course to raise interest rates this year after "near-term risks", such as slowing employment, diminished.

　　本周三，美联储表示今年仍然将加息，但是要在诸如就业减少之类的“短期风险”减少之后。

　　Steven Englander, global head of foreign exchange strategy at Citigroup, said: "This isn’t bad enough to signal that the US economy is falling apart, but it’s another nail in the coffin of a September Fed hike."

　　花旗集团外汇策略全球主管斯蒂芬表示说：“这个消息还不是那么糟糕，不能显示美国经济正在崩溃，但是却是美联储九月加息计划的另一个障碍。”

　　Although consumer spending grew, business investment, which includes stock, supplies, equipment and buildings, fell by 9.7% in the second quarter. Investment in business inventories fell by $8.1bn between April and June, the first decline since the third quarter of 2011.

　　尽管消费支出有所增长，但是商业投资(包括股票、储备、设备和建筑)在第二季度下降了9.7%。在4月到6月之间，企业存货投资减少了81亿美元，这还是自从2011年第三季度以来首次下降。

　　Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said: "Inventories are always the unpredictable wildcard in the GDP statistics, and the second quarter weakness was in part due to inventories falling for the first time since the third quarter of 2011.

　　Markit首席经济学家克丽丝·威廉姆森表示说：“在GDP统计中，库存总是无法预测的项目，而第二季度经济疲软的部分原因是由于自从2011年第三季度以来库存第一次减少。”

　　"The good news is that firms should hopefully start rebuilding stock levels in the second half of the year, boosting growth."

　　“好消息是企业有望在下半年开始重建库存水平，从而推动经济的发展。”

　　Government figures released on Thursday had hinted at subdued business spending. The US trade deficit - the different between imports and exports - had widened to $63.3bn in June from $61.1bn the month before.

　　本周四政府公布的数据暗示了疲软的商业支出。美国的贸易赤字--进出口贸易之间的不对等--从5月份的611以美元扩大到了6月份的633亿美元。

　　The latest GDP figures are the first estimate of growth for the April-to-June quarter, and a second reading based on more data will be announced on 26 August.

　　目前最新的GDP数据是对第二季度经济增长的第一次估计，基于更多数据的第二份报表将于8月26日公布。

　　The US Fed has three meetings remaining this year, in September, November and December.

　　美联储今年还将举行三次会议，分别在9月、11月和12月。

　　Mr Williamson said: "While no doubt disappointing, the GDP data are backward looking and whether or not the Fed hikes interest rates again this year depends more on the future data flow than what happened back in the second quarter.

　　威廉姆森说道：“虽然这一数据毫无疑问地令人失望，第二季度GDP数据显示了美国经济倒退的迹象，但是美联储今年是否再一次加息更多地取决于未来的数据，而不是第二季度已经产生的情况。”

　　"However, the ongoing softness of growth in the second quarter will no doubt add to calls for policymakers to err on the side of caution and as such greatly reduces the chance of any rate hike before December."

　　“但是，第二季度经济增长的持续疲软无疑会更加要求政策制定者小心谨慎，从而大大减少12月以前加息的机会。

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