Detroit named most miserable U.S. city in Forbes ranking底特律名列富比世排名全美最悲慘城市

Detroit named most miserable U.S. city in Forbes ranking
底特律名列富比世排名全美最悲慘城市
2013-04-12◎張沛元

With its violent crimes, high unemployment, dwindling population and financial crisis, Detroit was named as the most miserable city in the United States.
由於其暴力犯罪、高失業率、人口縮減與金融危機，底特律被點名為全美國最悲慘的城市。

It toppled Miami, which held the title last year, and surpassed Flint, Michigan, Rockford and Chicago in Illinois and Modesto, California, which rounded out the five most unhappy urban areas.
該市技壓去年拿下此一頭銜的邁阿密，也超越密西根州的弗林特，伊利諾州的洛克福德與芝加哥，以及加州的摩德斯托，這些城市組成（全美國）前5大最不快樂都會區。

"Detroit’s problems are hardly news. It has been in a four-decade decline paralleling the slide in the U.S. auto industry," according to Forbes.com, which compiles the yearly ranking.
「底特律的問題幾乎不是新聞了，該市一直處於與美國汽車業走下坡平行的40年衰退，」彙整這份年度排名的富比世網站表示。

Earlier, a panel of experts said the automotive city was facing a fiscal emergency and potential bankruptcy, as well as a possible financial takeover by the state.
稍早，一個專家小組表示，汽車城（底特律）正面臨預算緊急狀態，可能會破產，該市財政可能會被密西根州政府接管。

Flint, which is being run by an emergency manager appointed by the state governor more than a year ago, faces similar problems, according to Forbes.com.
富比世網站指出，弗林特也面臨類似問題，該市市政目前由1名在1年多前被州長指派的緊急事務經理人負責。

Violent crime, high foreclosure rates and declining home prices pushed Chicago into the fourth spot, along with the high expense of living there. （Reuters）
暴力犯罪、高房屋止贖率與房價下跌，把芝加哥推上第4名，遑論當地生活支出也高。（路透）

新聞辭典

round out something：慣用語，完成。例句：The visit to the new tower in Tokyo was the perfect thing to round out our vacation.（造訪東京的這座新塔，為我們的度假劃下完美句點。）

hardly：副詞，幾乎不，此字本身即帶有否定意味。例句：Louder, please. I can hardly hear you.（請大聲一點。我幾乎聽不見你在說什麼。）

as well as：片語，不但…而且；也。