文本
Analysts predicted that Goldman Sachs would post earnings of more than $2 billion in the second quarter. Instead, the U.S. investment firm reported a profit of $3.4 billion.

Although the impressive results drew cheers from investors, a government report showing a nearly 2 percent jump in the producer price index, which measures the average change in price for domestic goods, tempered enthusiasm on Wall Street.

Financial historian and author Charles Geisst says big profits for a firm that took in $10 billion in government bailout funds last year might upset taxpayers. "No one likes obscene profits in markets like this. But on the other hand, Americans do like money," Geisst said. "And they admire firms that will take a risk in order to reap this sort of profit."

The investment firm is among the first to pay back its government loans. It also managed to set aside more than $6 billion for employee bonuses.

Geisst says Goldman Sachs succeeded by making profits the old fashioned way - by taking risks and buying and selling volatile commodities like oil. "The taxpayer looks at this and thinks, 'We are getting back to normal,' which is not the case right now; it's a matter of risk taking," he explains. "Extreme risk produces extreme profit and vice versa. But this gives a consumer some heart at the same time."

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has warned that a full economic recovery will take time. But on Tuesday, he told Arab business leaders in Dubai that the global recession is showing signs of easing.

"The rate of decline in economic activity has slowed, business and consumer confidence has started to improve, the housing markets are showing some signs of stability, the cost of borrowing, the cost of credit, has fallen significantly," Geithner states.

Despite an improving economic forecast, many large banks, including Citigroup and Bank of America, are still struggling.

On Tuesday, President Barack Obama sounded a note of caution, saying that unemployment will likely continue to rise before the job market improves. Last month's jobs report showed that nearly one in ten American workers are unemployed.
难点解析
But this gives a consumer some heart at the same time.

这里的”give a consumer some hear”不是"给一个消费者一颗心"的意思。"give sb. heart”是一个固定短语，意思是"to make sb feel positive, especially when they thought that they had no chancing of achieving sth”,既"激励某人，使某人振作".
重点词汇
Set aside
1. 把…存储起来；抽出(时间等)：
to set aside something for
为…而留出某物
2. 把…放在一边；使分开：
to set aside one's work
放下工作不做
3. 把…撇开，把…搁置一旁；对…拒绝考虑(或不接受)：
to set aside all formality
不拘小节
4. 撤销，驳回，宣布…无效：
The appeal was set aside.
上诉被驳回了。

Volatile
1. (液体等)易挥发的
Gasoline is volatile.
汽油是易挥发的。
2. 易发作的;爆炸性的
The situation in that area was tense, dangerous and volatile.
该地区的局势紧张、危险,且有一触即发之势。
3. 易变的;反复无常的;轻浮的

Vice versa: 【拉】反之亦然
He likes me, and vice versa.
他喜欢我,我也喜欢他。
背景简介


高盛是集投资银行、证券交易和投资管理等业务为一体的国际著名的投资银行。它为全球成千上万个重要客户，包括企业、金融机构、国家政府及富有的个人，提供全方位的高质量金融服务。

高盛1869年创立于纽约，是全球历史最悠久、经验最丰富、实力最雄厚的投资银行之一。 在以合伙人制度经营了一百三十年之后，高盛于1999年5月在纽约证券交易所挂牌上市。

高盛公司总部设在纽约，在全球二十多个国家设有分部，并以香港、伦敦、法兰克福及东京等地作为地区总部。