This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。
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 spoke with experts in the transportation industry, which is easily affected by economic changes.
看看美国的一些行业就会知道，经济复苏有些不平衡，同时增长似乎有所放缓。美国之音记者吉姆·兰德尔（Jim Randle）采访了交通运输行业的专家，该行业容易受经济变化的影响。
Economists say trucks carry nearly seventy percent of the freight, or goods, transported in the United States.
经济学家说，卡车运输了美国近70%的货物。
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.
美国卡车运输协会代表着卡车货运业的利益。该机构称，货运可以很好地衡量经济。这是因为企业必须把未加工原料和零件运到工厂，并运输进出口货物。
Bob Costello is the chief economist for the group.
鲍勃·科斯特洛（Bob Costello）是该协会的首席经济学家。
BOB COSTELLO: "We are actually a very good indicator, 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. "
科斯特洛：“我们这个行业确实是一个很重要的经济指标。如果运输吨位下降我们就会紧张。如果吨位上涨，我们就会高兴。”
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.
卡车货运量缓慢上升。美国卡车运输协会表示，6月份总货运吨位有所增长，但7月份保持不变。这对科斯特洛来说是个好消息。
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."
科斯特洛：“这表示经济没有陷入到另一次衰退，仍会保持一种缓慢增长的复苏。”
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.
有关经济增长的其它信息来自航空货运。最近的报告显示，7月份全球航空运货需求下降了3%以上。
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.
佩里·弗林特（Perry Flint）代表国际航空运输协会讲话。该协会代表了全球240家左右的航空公司。它会收集航空客运和货运信息。该协会表示，与去年同期相比，今年7月国际航空货运量有所下降。但其它指标有所增长。
PERRY FLINT: "It can also, as you start to see air cargo dropping off and you are seeing other signs -- it can also be a leading indicator of a downturn."
弗林特：“当你看到航空货运量下降时，你还可以看看其它指标，其它指标也是经济下滑的先行指标。
The same report shows that passenger traffic increased over three percent from last year. That may be why a top official of Cambria Suites Hotels says travel, not just business travel, is strong. Michael Murphy is with the company.
同一份报告还显示，去年航空客运量增加了3%以上。这也许可以解释为什么坎布里亚套房酒店声称旅游很旺盛，而不仅仅是商务旅游旺盛。迈克尔·墨菲（Michael Murphy）就职于该公司。
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."
墨菲：“我们现在看到酒店业需求处于历史最旺盛时期。现在出游的人比以往任何时候都多，从旅游的各个环节都能看出来。”
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.
互相矛盾的经济指标使得经济学家难以预测未来增长。例如，政府专家最初表示美国经济四到六月份的年增长率为1.5%。
But they amended 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.
但当新数据出现并显示增长更高，更可能为1.7%的时候，他们修正了这一预测。这样的变动让很多人很难预测未来趋势。
(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)