CNN Marketplace 2006-02-28

（单词翻译）

The Consumer Federation¹ of America is retooling² the way fuel economy is calculated on cars and releasing a new mileage³ rating scale. Says CFA director of public affairs, Jack⁴ Gillis:

There are wide variations within the size class of cars that consumers are considering. There are variations of up to 2,000 dollars in terms of annual fuel cost and almost all of them vary by over 100 percent.

Gillis says if you are buying a Pick-up Truck ,you could save close to 19 hundred bucks⁵ a year by knowing the correct MRS(Mileage Rating Scale).

The National Association of Business Economics says the economy should come roaring back this quarter. And President Stuart Hoffman says the job market will remain solid for the rest of the year.

We created about 2 million jobs over the course of this year, and should keep the unemployment rate below 5 percent in the opinion of our panel.

The pace of due home sales slow down last month for the second time in 3 months. The Census⁶ Bureau reported that new homes sold at an annual rate of 1.23 million homes and builders are reporting more unsold homes. Says National Association of Home Builder’s chief economist⁷ David Seiders : A level, it actually had a record over 500,000 units and there was the inventory⁸ sales ratio on month supply is up to 5.2. Despite those numbers Seiders says the housing market remains⁹ strong.

As Mardi gras celebrations continue in New Orleans, Louisiana secretary of Culture Recreation and Tourism A.Davis says the economic impact of the festivities will be both substantial and very helpful for the area:

Our tax base has pretty much been devastated¹⁰ as a result of the hurricanes, so our hotels right now are 100 percent occupied which is great. We know that about 2/3 of the hotels are occupied with FEMA workers and contractors¹¹, but the rest are open for visitors.

She says it’s also important for the tourism industry to continue its work and let the world know Louisiana is open for business.

With CNN radio market place, I’m Michel Right.



WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA):美国联邦紧急事务管理局
inventory/sales ratio :存货/销售,存货销售比率，指在一定时期内的存货与其销售额的比例
National Association of Home Builder :全美住宅建设商协会
Pick-up Truck:皮卡，一种小型货车。
Rating Scales: 指标体系
The Consumer Federation of America( CFA):美国联合消费立法协会
The Census Bureau of America:美国人口统计局
The National Association of Business Economics:美国商业经济协会