The U.S. Labor Department reports the unemployment rate in the United States rose last month to 8.9 percent. It was the highest rate since 1983,but the number of jobs lost was not as large as expected.

　　美國勞工部報告稱，上個月美國的失業(yè)率升至8.9%.這是1983年以來美國最高的失業(yè)率。但是，當月失去的工作職位并不像預期的那么多。

　　The commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics， Keith Hall， presented the Labor Department report to the Joint Economic Committee.

　　美國勞工部統(tǒng)計局專員基思.霍爾向國會聯(lián)合經(jīng)濟委員會陳述了勞工部的報告。

　　"This was another bad report. There was a significant deterioration in the labor market again. The job loss is large, it is widespread, it is affecting every industry sector and every demographic group," he said.

　　“這是又一份糟糕的報告。勞工市場明顯惡化。失去的工作職位數(shù)量之大，范圍之廣，正影響著每一個工業(yè)部門和每一個年齡階段。”

　　Some 539,000 jobs were lost in April, bringing the total number of unemployed to 13.7 million, up from 13.2 million in March.

　　4月份共失去了大約53萬9千個工作機會，使總的失業(yè)人口從3月份得1320萬人增加到了1370萬人。

　　But the number of job losses were the fewest in the past six months, tempered in part by the federal government’s hiring of temporary workers to prepare for the U.S. census next year.

　　但這個數(shù)據(jù)是過去六個月來失業(yè)人數(shù)單月增加最少的一次。新增失業(yè)人數(shù)減少的部分原因是由于聯(lián)邦政府正在雇用臨時工為美國明年的人口普查做準備。

　　Commissioner Hall says the slowdown in layoffs could be, as he put it, "a glimmer of hope" that the economy could be improving.

　　霍爾說，失去就業(yè)機會的速度放緩，顯示出了經(jīng)濟可能正在改善的“一絲希望的曙光”。

　　"That looks like a moderation, but it’s only one month," he cautioned.

　　“看起來是在減速，不過只是一個月。”

　　Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat who chaired the hearing, said the Labor Department report underscores the need for continued government assistance.

　　來自明尼蘇達州的民主黨參議員艾米.克洛布查爾主持了這次聽證會。她說，勞工部的報告凸顯了政府繼續(xù)提供援助的必要性。

　　"It is a testament to making sure unemployment compensation is available, making sure we are looking out for people who have lost their jobs," she said.

　　“這是個實證，證明我們必須確保人們都可以得到失業(yè)補償，確保那些失去工作的人們得到照顧。”

　　Republicans used the report to criticize the policies of the Democratic majority in Congress and the Obama administration.

　　共和黨人利用這份報告對國會多數(shù)黨民主黨以及奧巴馬政府提出批評。

　　Congressman Eric Cantor, a Virginia Republican, said in a statement that the Democrats continue to increase government intervention in the free market, taking away incentives to create jobs.

　　來自維吉尼亞州的共和黨議員埃里克.坎托在一份聲明中說，民主黨持續(xù)干預自由市場，打消了人們創(chuàng)造工作機會的動力。