This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.
这里是美国之音特别英语新闻报道。
The United States central bank is prepared to take further actions to support the economy if conditions get a lot worse. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave that message in a speech Friday in which he discussed possible steps.
如果美国经济局势继续恶化，美国央行准备采取进一步行动以推动经济发展。美联储主席本·伯南克（Ben Bernanke）在周五谈到可能采取的措施的讲话中给出了这样的信息。
These include buying more securities in an effort to push down longer-term interest rates and increase economic growth.
这些措施包括为了压低长期利率，促进经济增长而购买更多的国债。
He spoke in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where the Fed holds a yearly conference for central bankers and other international guests.
在怀俄明州杰克逊霍尔（Jackson Hole, Wyoming）美联储召开的央行官员和其他国际来宾的年度会议上他发表了该讲话。
Mr. Bernanke says it is "reasonable" to expect some increase in economic growth starting next year. Stocks ended the day higher after his speech. It followed a number of reports this week that added to concerns about the slow speed of recovery from the recession.
伯南克称有理由相信从明年开始经济增速将有所提高。在他当天的讲话之后，股市收于上涨。在此之前，本周的一些报告增加了人们对经济复苏速度放慢的担忧。
On Friday, the Commerce Department lowered its estimate for the gross domestic product. GDP is the widest measure of the economy. It measures goods and services produced in the United States.
周五，商务部下调了GDP（国内生产总值）估值。 GDP是衡量美国生产的货物和服务最全面的手段。
The latest report said the economy grew at an annual rate of one and six-tenths percent between April and June. That was less than the early estimate of two and four-tenths percent. Still, it was not as bad as many economists had predicted.
最新的报告显示在四月到六月之间经济增长率为1.6%，这比之前估计的2.4%少。不过，它也不像许多经济学家预测的那样糟。
The report said the economy grew three and seven-tenths percent from January to March.
报告显示从一月到三月经济增长率为3.7%。
Many economists say the country needs a growth rate of at least two and a half percent just to keep unemployment from rising. The jobless rate was nine and a half percent in July.
许多经济学家称经济增长率至少要达到2.5%才能避免失业率进一步上升。七月份失业率为9.5%。
The slowing in GDP largely resulted from a sharp increase in imports . Imports of goods and services increased almost three times as fast in the second quarter as in the first three months of the year. Exports slowed.
GDP放缓的主要原因是进口大增。今年二季度进口总额定增幅是一季度的三倍。出口增幅放缓。
Earlier this week, a report said manufacturing grew less in July than economists had predicted.
本周早些时候的一份报告显示七月份制造业增长低于经济学家预测。
Not all the reports were bad. The Labor Department said the number of first-time claims for unemployment aid fell for the first time in four weeks.
当然也有好消息。劳工部称近四周以来，首次申请失业救济金的人数第一次出现下降。
But more Americans are having trouble making monthly payments on their home loans. The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that between April and June, almost ten percent of homeowners were at least one month late.
但是越来越多的美国人在支付房屋月供时遇到了麻烦。美国抵押贷款银行家协会(Mortgage Bankers Association)称今年四到六月份，有将近10%的业主在支付月供时至少延迟了一个月。
Housing helped lead economic recoveries in the past. But this time the housing market not only helped create the recession. Many economists say it is also limiting the recovery.
过去，房地产促进了经济复苏。但这次，房地产市场不仅催生了经济衰退。许多经济学家表示，房地产还制约了经济复苏。
The Commerce Department reported that sales of newly built houses dropped twelve percent between June and July. They fell to the lowest level since records began in nineteen sixty-three.
商务部报道，六到七月份，新建房屋销量下降了20%，降低到自1963年有记录以来的最低水平。
The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of existing homes fell twenty-seven percent in July. Sales of single-family homes were at their lowest level since records began fifteen years ago.
美国房地产经纪人协会（National Association of Realtors）报告指出，七月份存量房销量下降了27%。独栋住宅销量降低到15年前有记录以来的最低水平。
Jed Smith directs research for the association. He says the big drop in sales was largely because of the end of a federal tax credit for first-time homebuyers.
杰德·史密斯（Jed Smith）主导该协会的研究工作。他表示，销量大降很大程度上是由于美联邦针对首次购房者税收抵免政策的结束。
JED SMITH: "Unemployment is fairly high and people are scared. And when people are scared, or are recovering from being scared, they don't necessarily run out and buy a house right away."
史密斯：“失业率非常高，人们对此非常担忧。人们在担忧或正刚担忧中缓过神来的时候，他们不一定会倾其所有来购买房屋。”