18年來最低點
Taiwan’s annual unemployment rate has fallen to the lowest in 18 years, as the local job market has not felt the impact of the economic slowdown, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) announced on Tuesday.
上週二主計處公佈，台灣年失業率已降至18年來的最低點，因本地就業市場尚未受到經濟放緩的影響。
impact(n.)衝擊(力)、(巨大)影響(v.)給…帶來衝擊economic slowdown經濟放緩economic stagnation經濟遲滯
Data released by the DGBAS indicates that the unemployment rate in 2018 stood at 3.71 percent, the lowest since the year 2000, while the jobless rate in December fell 0.04 percentage points from a month earlier to 3.66 percent.
主計處公佈的數據顯示，2018年失業率為3.71％，為2000年以來的最低水平，而12月失業率較上月下降0.04個百分點，來到3.66％。
since(prep.)自從from a month earlier相較於前一個月=compared with the previous month
Pan Ning-hsin, deputy director of the DGBAS census department, said that the local job market remains stable and has not been affected by the slowing economy.
主計總處國勢普查處副處長潘寧馨分析，本地就業市場保持穩定，並未受到經濟放緩的影響。
stable(adj.)穩定的、穩固的、牢固的
Recent economic data signals that Taiwan’s economy has begun to decelerate.
近期經濟數據顯數台灣經濟已開始減速，
signal(n.)信號;跡象(v.)顯示;表示=suggest=show=indicatedecelerate(v.)放緩;減速=slow downaccelerate(v.)加速=speed up
The DGBAS said it is too early to forecast how changes in Taiwan’s business cycle will affect unemployment.
主計處表示，現在預測台灣經濟週期的變化將如何影響失業還為時太早。
too early to RV …為時過早business cycle經濟週期affect(v.)(一般)影響effect(n.)(一般)影響have an effect on~對…造成影響
Some analysts believe that the economy is in the final stages of a period of expansion, and will enter a period of contraction.
一些分析師認為，經濟正處於擴張期的最後階段，並將進入緊縮時期。
stage(n.)階段expansion(n.)擴張;成長contraction(n.)緊縮
At the end of November, the DGBAS downgraded its forecast for GDP growth in 2019 by 0.14 percentage points to 2.41 percent, citing negative external factors such as the trade dispute between the United States and China.
11月底，因美中貿易戰等外部因素之負面影響，主計處將對2019年GDP成長的預測下修0.14個百分點至2.41％。
downgrade(v.)下修;降職forecast(n.)預測=predictionexternal(adj.)外部的internal(adj.)內部的