協助美國經濟維持成長
The Federal Reserve further cut interest rates on September 18 to sustain the US economic expansion, but declined to signal if it would continue to lower rates in the future.
聯準會9月18日進一步調降利率，以維持美國經濟擴張，但不願暗示未來是否會繼續降息。
sustain(v.)維持、支撐、支持economic expansion 經濟擴張=economic growth 經濟成長decline to RV委婉拒絕
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) trimmed rates by a quarter percentage point to a range between 1.75% and 2%.
聯邦公開市場委員會（FOMC）降息0.25個百分點，利率的目標區間來到1.75％至2％之間，
Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)聯邦公開市場委員會trim(v.)調降、降低=cut=reduce
It was its second rate cut this year, after the central bank cut rates in July for the first time in a decade.
這是今年以來二度降息，先前聯準會7月降息，是十年來頭一遭。
federal fund rate 聯邦基金利率overnight rate 隔夜拆款利率
In announcing the cut, the Fed cited weakened business investments and exports, persistently low inflation, as well as the global economic outlook.
宣布降息時，聯準會提到企業投資和出口疲軟，通膨持續不振，以及全球經濟展望。
cite(v.)引用、引述、提到persistently(adv.)持續地inflation(n.)通貨膨脹economic outlook 經濟展望outlook(n.)前景;展望prospect(n.)展望
“We took this step to help keep the US economy strong in the face of some notable developments and to provide insurance against ongoing risks,” Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said at a news conference after the meeting.
聯準會主席鮑爾在利率決策會議後在記者會上說：「我們降息是為了美國在面對重要的情勢發展時，協助經濟仍維持強勁成長，對揮之不去的風險，防患未然，
in the face of~面臨到insurance(n.)保險、預防措施
“Weakness in global growth and trade policy have weighed on the economy.”
全球經濟成長疲弱和貿易政策已引發經濟問題。」
weigh on 為～引起問題
Powell left the door open to “a more extensive sequence of cuts” if the economy turns down, while adding this is not expected.
如果景氣不好，鮑爾不排除「更全面一連串的降息」，但強調這並非所預期的。
leave the door open to sth.不排除…=do not rule out sth.a sequence of一連串的～=a series of~
The Fed repeated its pledge to “act as appropriate” to sustain economic expansion.
聯準會重申承諾，會適時採取行動，以支撐經濟成長。
pledge(n.)(v.)承諾=promiseas appropriate 在適當的情況下、視情況而定
US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has continued public attacks on the central bank’s monetary policy.
同時，美國總統川普持續公開抨擊聯準會的貨幣政策，
monetary policy 貨幣政策
He tweeted shortly after the Fed’s announcement: “Jay Powell and the Federal Reserve Fail Again. No guts, no sense, no vision!”
在聯準會宣布降息後，他立即推文說：「鮑威爾和聯準會又搞砸了。沒有膽識，沒有洞察力，缺乏遠見！」
guts (n.)膽量;勇氣
Previously, he had called Fed officials “boneheads” and urged them to slash interest rates to zero or lower.
先前，他稱聯準會官員都是「笨蛋」，呼籲他們把利率大幅降到零，甚至更低。
urge sb. to do sth.呼籲某人做某事…slash(v.)大幅刪減
The president has insisted that the Fed cut its benchmark rate aggressively to weaken the US dollar and make American exports more competitive, despite a solid job market and strong consumer spending.
儘管就業市場穩固，消費支出強勁，川普總統堅持聯準會大幅降息，好讓美元貶值。
insist that sb. (should) RV堅持某人應該…benchmark rate基準利率aggressively(adv.)大幅度地、積極地despite(prep.)儘管=in spite of~consumer spending 消費支出
He is counting on a strong economy fueled by cheap money to boost his reelection chances next year.
他期望低廉的貸款資金可以帶動經濟強勁成長，以增加他明年連任的機會。
count on sth.依靠;指望(which is) fueled by~ 由…帶動cheap money低利率的貸款boost(v.)提高;增加
Fed officials have said the rate cuts are justified, citing risks raised by the US-China trade war, a global economic slowdown and other overseas developments.
聯準會官員表示，降息合情合理，理由是美中貿易戰、全球經濟趨緩以及其他國外情勢發展所引發的風險。
justify(v.)證明…正當(或有理)economic slowdown 經濟趨緩economic expansion 經濟擴張= economic growth 經濟成長(which are) raised by…由..引起的insurance cut 預防性降息