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US economic growth slowed to an annual pace of 0.5% during the first three months of the year. That was a sharp fall from the 1.4% rate of growth in the last quarter of 2015 and the slowest pace in two years.
据统计数据显示，在今年前三个月，美国经济的年增长率下降到了0.5%。相比较于2015年最后一季度的1.4%的增长率，美国经济经历了一个十分显著的下滑，经济增速下降到了两年来的最低谷。
The slowdown, which was bigger than most economists forecast, has been blamed on a fall in domestic demand and a strong dollar that has put a brake on exports.
目前美国经济不景气的情况要比大多数经济学家的预测都要严峻，外界认为美国国内需求的下降以及美元走高对于出口的不利影响导致了这一经济下滑的不利局面。
With shoppers buying less, businesses have been reluctant to order new stock.
此外，人们在消费方面的花销变少了，企业也不愿意发行新股票。
Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the US economy, increased at a rate of 1.9%, down from 2.4% in the previous quarter. Business investment fell by 5.9% - the biggest quarterly decline since the depths of the financial crisis in 2009.
消费支出占到了美国经济总量的三分之二还要多。然而本季度美国的消费支出只增长了1.9%，上季度该数字则达到了2.4%。而商业投资下降了5.9%，这是自从2009年全球金融危机以来最为惨重的季度性衰退。
Oil and gas exploration fell by a record 86% as energy companies cut back on spending following the dramatic slide in oil prices. Although cheaper oil has given consumers more spare cash, it has also cut the profits of businesses dependent on the oil industry.
因为油价暴跌，能源公司大幅度削减了开支，石油和天然气开采量的下跌也到达了惊人的86%。尽管低廉的油价让消费者有更多余钱，但是这也削减了石油相关行业的利润。
Most forecasters predict the US economy will bounce back in the next quarter, but Chris Williamson of Markit said his company's own surveys showed only a weak recovery. "Worryingly, the surveys indicate that the malaise affecting the US economy has extended into the second quarter, albeit with the pace of expansion picking up slightly to 0.8%. The surveys also show weakness spreading from manufacturing to services in recent months."
大多数经济学家都预测美国经济将在下季度强势反弹，但是Markit公司的克里斯·威廉姆斯表示，根据他公司自己的调查研究显示，美国经济在下一季度只会有一个十分微弱的复苏。他说：“令人担忧的是，该项调查显示，美国经济将延续低迷的情况到第二季度，尽管经济增长率会有一个轻微的上涨达到0.8%。这份调查报告还显示，在这几个月里，美国的制造业和服务业都会十分疲软。”
Despite the economy slowing, unemployment fell below 5% in January, and Friday's jobs report is expected to show steady growth in employment numbers.
尽管美国经济放缓，但是相关数据显示，美国一月份的失业率下降到了5%以下，而周五的就业报告预计美国就业人数将会呈现稳定增长态势。
