2007年VOA标准英语-Opposition to Large Retail Stores Grows in Indi
时间：2019-01-13 作者：英语课 分类：2007年VOA标准英语（八月）
New Delhi
26 August 2007
Woman walks outside a Reliance Fresh supermarket in Hyderabad, India
In India, efforts by multinationals 1 to grab a slice of the country's growing retail 2 business are meeting strong opposition 3 from traders and farmers, who fear new mega stores will edge them out of business. As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, a chain of supermarkets in the country's most populous 4 state have been temporarily shut by the state government following violent protests.
The Uttar Pradesh government ordered several supermarkets to shut down after traders and local activists 5 smashed windows and ransacked 6 several outlets 7 opened recently in the cities of Lucknow and Varanasi.
The stores belong to the Indian conglomerate 8 Reliance Industries. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati says the stores were closed due to fears that law and order could deteriorate 9.
Mayawati says the supermarkets will remain shut until a committee established to look into the issue submits its report.
Reliance Industries is one of several Indian companies investing billions of dollars to establish countrywide retail chains to grab part of a $350-billion market.
But opposition to the big supermarkets is growing in a country where "mom and pop" stores dominate the landscape. Small shopkeepers complain that new mega-stores are taking away their business.
Protests have been witnessed in recent months not only in Uttar Pradesh, but also in states such as Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
And earlier this month, traders and activists led nationwide demonstrations 10 against the entry of U.S. retailer 11 Walmart, which plans to establish cash-and-carry wholesale 12 stores.
Walmart is coming into the wholesale business, because so far the Indian government has resisted pressure to give foreign companies direct access to the retail business.
Now, domestic companies are worried that growing opposition from traders and farmers could prompt state governments to slow down their entry into the sector 13.
There have been reports that some states may limit the size of stores and the number companies can open.
The retail sector is politically sensitive because it generates the most jobs after agriculture. It provides employment to 40 million people directly, and many more indirectly 14. This huge bloc 15 of traders and farmers adds up to crucial votes at election time.
Advocates of large chain stores say they will reduce consumer prices, increase product selection, and, by using efficient transportation and cold storage facilities, reduce food spoilage 16.
- These local companies are only small fry compared with the huge multinationals. 同那些跨国公司比，这些当地的公司不过是小鱼小虾。
- Some people believe that the multinationals have too much power. 有人认为跨国公司的权力太大了。
- In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
- These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。
- The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
- The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。
- London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
- China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。
- His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
- Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The house had been ransacked by burglars. 这房子遭到了盗贼的洗劫。
- The house had been ransacked of all that was worth anything. 屋子里所有值钱的东西都被抢去了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
- The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- The firm has been taken over by an American conglomerate.该公司已被美国一企业集团接管。
- An American conglomerate holds a major share in the company.一家美国的大联合企业持有该公司的大部分股份。
- Do you think relations between China and Japan will continue to deteriorate?你认为中日关系会继续恶化吗？
- He held that this would only cause the situation to deteriorate further.他认为，这只会使局势更加恶化。
- Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
- The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。
- What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
- The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。
- The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
- Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。
- The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
- The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。
- I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。
- They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。
- A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
- There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。