VOA慢速英语:Bernanke Meets the Press in a First for US Central Bank

 
短语讲解：

1. Central bankers have to choose their words carefully. So they often say little in public -- or little that makes sense.

in public 当众，公开
例句：She was too proud to show her grief in public.
她十分自爱, 绝不当众流露内心的痛苦。
make sense 表达清楚，易于理解
例句：Can you make sense out of what this book says?
你能理解这本书的内容吗?
有意义，有道理，讲得通
例句：This sentence doesn't make any sense.
这个句子没有意义。

2. Mr. Bernanke explained a decision by the Federal Open Market Committee to leave its main short-term interest rate near zero.
interest rate 利率
例句：The new interest rate becomes effective next month.
新利率自下月起生效。

3. The committee continues to anticipate that the economic conditions -- including low rates of resource utilization, subdued inflation trends and stable inflation expectations -- are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate for an extended period.

be likely to 可能，倾向于
例句：These setbacks are likely to be reversed quickly.
所有这些不利因素都可能迅速的得到逆转。

4. In other words, the economy is not growing fast enough to worry about inflation.

in other words 换句话说
例句：He became, in other words, a great hero.
换句话说, 他成了一位伟大的英雄。
worry about 担忧，烦恼
例句：Don't worry about my illness; what I need is nothing but a few days' rest.
不要为我的病担心, 我只要休息几天就好了。

5. A reporter asked what an "extended period" means to the Fed. Mr. Bernanke said it suggests "a couple of meetings probably" but it all depends on the economy.

a couple of 两个，几个
例句：We need a couple of boxes of cookies.
我们需要几盒饼干。

6. Mr. Bernanke disagreed and pointed to examples like gains in stock prices.

point to提出(某事为例)作说明(或证明)
例句：When asked to explain where all the money had gone, father pointed to the rising prices.
当问及爸爸所有的钱都用于何处时，他指着不断上涨的物价。

7. Today the Fed is trying to reach out to Americans through ways like this video on its website.

reach out 伸出，伸手
例句：Online learning helps us reach out to new friends. 
网络学习使我们结交新朋友。