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This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
這里是美國之音慢速英語經濟報道zL=LB1UHgFu]4Uus,!W。

This month, the United States Postal Service reported a loss of over five billion dollars from Apri

l to June. The Postal Service says it expects to report a loss of fifteen billion dollars for the twelve-month period ending in September. And the government agency has warned of even bigger losses if Congress does not let it change the way it does business.
本月，美國郵政服務公司本月從四至六月錄得虧損超過50億美元ueGWL+Ysb]Ix。郵政公司稱，預計在截至9月份的12個月內將錄得虧損150億美元8*d=Qmk_^9&z。而該政府機構警告稱，如果國會不讓其改變業務方式，將出現更大虧損CojgrlS2K~e。

The United States Postal Service, or USPS, has a long history in America. Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first Postmaster General, or head of the postal service, in seventeen seventy-five.
美國郵政服務公司或USPS在美國有著悠久的歷史CmEZCDqK(A0@K8Nb*M!。1775年，本杰明?富蘭克林曾被任命為第一任郵政部長ZY|HvYIoTDk5^]k[。

But the Postal Service says its income has not kept up with growing costs. Profitable first class mail is decreasing.
但是郵政稱，它的收入未能跟上日益增加的成本niD@sH29TQ。可盈利的頭等郵件銳減iL1Hg=E=G)LIG6w^~。

The service says most of its recent losses resulted from making payments to its health care program for retirees. About a billion dollars of the loss was for payments to injured workers.
郵政公司稱，它最近的虧損主要來自支付退休人員醫療保健計劃[d)g6Xev@^U#[6O。虧損中的約10億美元支付給了受傷員工9m7vY4fKwf6_@27+[t[。

The news from April to June was not all bad. Improvements in the economy fueled a nine percent increase in income from shipping and delivery. The Postal Service says it is less costly to send letters and packages in the mail than to use private companies.
從四月到六月并不全是壞消息EOv#FKAx~qfp74=S9^。經濟的改善為運輸和投遞增加了9%的收入sOJJF6)r^!ejRW*IA。郵政公司稱使用郵件寄送信件和包裹比其它私人公司便宜JYOf[]h=,OKHW。

The Postal Service says it has cut operating costs by a total of fourteen billion dollars in the past five years. To improve its financial health, the agency has proposed cutting service on Saturdays. It also wants Congress to cancel a requirement that the postal service make advance payments to the health care program for retired workers. USPS also wants the Treasury Department to return eleven billion dollars in overpayments made to its pension plan for retirees.
郵政公司表示，在過去的5年中，其運營成本總共削減了140億美元y+_FKB3(x8fzWxHJ*|,j。為了改善其財務狀況，該機構已經提議削減周六的郵政服務，還希望國會取消郵政公司為退休員工預付醫療保健計劃的要求RMBR#bg.FG!P.uY+U。美國郵政還希望美國財政部能返還離退休人員養老金計劃多付的110億美元!Lz+g;*g9e9=]1c。

On August first, USPS failed to make a required payment of five point five billion dollars for health care benefits for future retirees. It was the first time the postal service has ever failed to make such a payment. And, the service is warning that it may have to delay making payments to companies to which it owes money.
在8月1日，郵政公司未能如期支付未來退休人員醫保福利的55億美元vtXD843C^CL2pJ2^,。這是郵政公司首次第一次未能如期支付這樣的賬單x~KJ@!TlFA+eh%,W*&;。此外，郵政服務警告稱，它可能不得不推遲向那些它欠賬的公司付款Qfyaz#NPlZdCS3(#ILFO。

The Postal Service says that without major changes, it will continue to lose billions of dollars a year. The Washington Post newspaper reported that Postmaster General Patrick Donohue told reporters “Congress needs to act responsibly.” In his words, “this is no way to run any kind of business.”
郵政服務稱，如果沒有大的變化，它每年仍會虧損數十億美元y&_]5pXs1~7zVVwtMmAY。《華盛頓郵報》報道稱，美國郵政署長Patrick Donohue告訴記者，“國會需要采取負責任的行動#l[=Sd=tRtkSy9%(。”用他的話說，“業務沒法進行了9wQX2,CM~dci。”

The Postal Service receives money to pay for operations from the sale of stamps, products and shipping services. It does not receive direct government assistance, but is controlled by the federal government.
美國郵政收到錢用于支付郵票銷售、產品和運輸服務o20Y~P*ntl+qj_Y。它不接受政府的直接援助，但由聯邦政府控制78vdiptBzr%tYeUpt8。