VOA常速英语2105--美国工人要求增加最低工资
时间：2018-12-08 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2015年(十一月)
美国工人要求增加最低工资
LOS ANGELES—Los Angeles is about to become the largest American city to raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour, an increase to be phased in over five years. The wage is more than twice the current minimum rate required by U.S. law, and its approval will be the latest victory in a national drive by labor 1 unions and low-income workers.
Some business groups, however, say such increases will cost jobs.
Protesters demanding a higher minimum wage have been rallying around the country, from New York to Phoenix 2. Minimum-wage workers went to Los Angeles City Hall last week as council members considered the wage increase. It was given preliminary approval Wednesday and is expected to pass a final vote June 10.
要求增加最低工资的抗议者们在从纽约到凤凰城在内的全国各地举行集会，持最低工资的工人们上周来到洛杉矶市政厅，市政厅成员正考虑加薪，于是周三得到初步批准，有望在6月10日举行最终投票。
The measure will raise the minimum wage in increments 3 starting next year, to reach $15 an hour by 2020. Workers for small businesses and nonprofit organizations will reach the $15 mark the following year.
该措施将使得最低工资从明年开始增加，到2020年达到时薪15美元。小企业和非盈利组织的员工们将在第二年达到15美元。
McDonald's worker Edgar Gonzalez, a young father, said it would make a difference.
麦当劳员工埃德加·冈萨雷兹是一位年轻的父亲，他说这将给自己带来好处。
"It will mean a lot," he said. "It will help me out with rent. It will help me out with diapers. It will help me out with having a better life.”
“这件事意义重大，可以帮我付房租，让我能买得起尿布，帮我过上更好的生活。”
Former Wal-Mart worker Evelyn Cruz said the new wage would keep her from having to make unreasonable 4 choices, such as "if I am going to pay for the roof over my head or food on the table.”
沃玛特前员工伊芙琳·克鲁兹说新工资将让她免于做不合理的选择，比如“必须支付从房顶到餐桌上的食物在内的东西”。
The U.S. Chamber 5 of Commerce and some other business groups said that the measure would cost small businesses and could mean layoff 6 instead of pay raises. But the Los Angeles County Federation 7 of Labor, a trade union coalition 8, said the measure would boost the economy and help workers.
美国商务部和其他商业组织称该措施可能对小企业不利，可能还会导致裁员而不是加薪。但贸易商会联盟洛杉矶郡劳工联合会称该措施将促进经济并帮助工人。
Federation official Rusty 9 Hicks said U.S. cities are stepping in where the federal government has not. “That is why you are seeing L.A., San Francisco, Oakland, New York and others step forward and try to address this issue on their own,” he said.
联邦官员希克斯说美国各城市正在联邦政府未能做到的地方努力，“因此你能看到洛杉矶、旧金山、奥克兰、纽约等城市在加大力度，努力自主解决这一问题。”
Business analyst 10 Shon Hiatt of the University of Southern California said companies like McDonald's face stiff competition and slumping 11 sales, and are starting to cut costs, and potentially cut jobs, through automation.
商业分析家南加州大学的希亚特说，像麦当劳这样面临激烈竞争和下滑销量的公司正开始削减成本，并且可能会通过采用自动化来实现裁员。
“McDonald's and other fast-food restaurants are moving in this direction," he said. "You will see the emergence 12 of these touchscreens where individuals can order their food without even having to talk with an employee.”
“麦当劳和其他快餐都在朝这个方向努力，你能看到有这些触屏设备出现，顾客无需和雇员讲话就能实现点餐。”
The drive to raise the minimum wage is spreading. Laphonza Butler of the Service Employees International Union said the goal of $15 an hour might be tailored to local economies and be lower in some cities and higher in others.
要求增加最低工资的活动在蔓延，服务业雇员国际工会的巴特勒说15美元时薪的目标是根据当地经济而定的，在一些城市会低些，在其他城市会高些。
“The number is an aspiration 13 and a symbol as much as anything," Butler said. "The real goal here is to shift the values of our country back to rewarding hard work.”
“这个数字是一种激励，也是一种象征，真正的目标是将我们国家的价值转向回馈给努力的工作。”
As workers savor 14 their victory in Los Angeles, they say the drive to raise the minimum wage across the United States has gained momentum 15.
就在洛杉矶工人们品味胜利的喜悦时，他们说美国各地要求增加最低工资的浪潮势头正足。
- We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
- He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。
- The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
- The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。
- These increments were mixed and looked into the 5.56mm catridge case. 将各种药粒进行混和，装在5．56毫米的弹壳中。 来自辞典例句
- The Rankine scale has scale increments equal to the FahrenheIt'scale. 兰氏温标的温度间距与华氏温标的相同。 来自辞典例句
- I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。
- They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。
- For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
- The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。
- Finally, prepare an explanation about what led to your layoff.最后，要准备好一套说辞来解释你被解雇的原因。
- Workers were re-employed after the layoff.在暂时解雇不久后工人们又被再度雇用了。
- It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
- Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。
- The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
- Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。
- The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
- I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。
- What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
- The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。
- Hong Kong's slumping economy also caused a rise in bankruptcy applications. 香港经济低迷，破产申请个案随之上升。
- And as with slumping, over-arching can also be a simple postural habit. 就像弯腰驼背，过度挺直也可能只是一种习惯性姿势。
- The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
- Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。
- Man's aspiration should be as lofty as the stars.人的志气应当象天上的星星那么高。
- Young Addison had a strong aspiration to be an inventor.年幼的爱迪生渴望成为一名发明家。