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【Uneven Signs of Growth in the Transport Industry】
This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
這里是美國之音慢速英語經濟報道。
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 tran
sportation industry, which is easily affected by economic changes.
看看美國的一些行業就會知道，經濟復蘇有些不平衡，同時增長似乎有所放緩。美國之音記者吉姆·蘭德爾（Jim Randle）采訪了交通運輸行業的專家，該行業容易受經濟變化的影響。
Economists say trucks carry nearly seventy percent of the freight, or goods, transported in the United States.
經濟學家說，卡車運輸了美國近70%的貨物。
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.
美國卡車運輸協會代表著卡車貨運業的利益。該機構稱，貨運可以很好地衡量經濟。這是因為企業必須把未加工原料和零件運到工廠，并運輸進出口貨物。
Bob Costello is the chief economist for the group.
鮑勃·科斯特洛（Bob Costello）是該協會的首席經濟學家。
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：“我們這個行業確實是一個很重要的經濟指標。如果運輸噸位下降我們就會緊張。如果噸位上漲，我們就會高興。”
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.
卡車貨運量緩慢上升。美國卡車運輸協會表示，6月份總貨運噸位有所增長，但7月份保持不變。這對科斯特洛來說是個好消息。
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：“這表示經濟沒有陷入到另一次衰退，仍會保持一種緩慢增長的復蘇。”
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.
有關經濟增長的其它信息來自航空貨運。最近的報告顯示，7月份全球航空運貨需求下降了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）代表國際航空運輸協會講話。該協會代表了全球240家左右的航空公司。它會收集航空客運和貨運信息。該協會表示，與去年同期相比，今年7月國際航空貨運量有所下降。但其它指標有所增長。
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：“當你看到航空貨運量下降時，你還可以看看其它指標，其它指標也是經濟下滑的先行指標。
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.
同一份報告還顯示，去年航空客運量增加了3%以上。這也許可以解釋為什么坎布里亞套房酒店聲稱旅游很旺盛，而不僅僅是商務旅游旺盛。邁克爾·墨菲（Michael Murphy）就職于該公司。
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：“我們現在看到酒店業需求處于歷史最旺盛時期。現在出游的人比以往任何時候都多，從旅游的各個環節都能看出來。”
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.
互相矛盾的經濟指標使得經濟學家難以預測未來增長。例如，政府專家最初表示美國經濟四到六月份的年增長率為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.
但當新數據出現并顯示增長更高，更可能為1.7%的時候，他們修正了這一預測。這樣的變動讓很多人很難預測未來趨勢。
