VOA标准英语2012--Around the World, 2012 Holiday Shopping is Subdued
时间：2018-12-08 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2012年(十二月)
Around the World, 2012 Holiday Shopping is Subdued 1
At U.S. shopping centers, parking lots were full - as thousands of last minute shoppers descended 2 into crowded malls.
But the big crowds mask larger concerns. Consumer confidence has fallen to a 6-month low, and retailers 4 say shoppers don't seem to be spending as much.
Dana Mattioli covers retail 3 trends at the Wall Street Journal. "All the retailers are in panic mode. It hasn't been a great holiday season," she said.
But if flagging consumer confidence worries retailers, shoppers say they have other things on their minds.
In Greece, despite the festive 5 decorations - the issue is not confidence but economic reality. After six years of recession, Greeks expect even tougher austerity measures in the New Year. So while shoppers in Athens look at the brightly decorated shop windows, few carry shopping bags.
One Greek pensioner 6 says, after rent and food, there's just no money left. "Nothing, the economic hardships are so great that we cannot afford to buy anything," said George Manikas.
In Spain, where unemployment is 26 percent, shop owners are dropping food prices to tempt 7 consumers. But Emilio Perez, a butcher, says customers have less money to spend.
"We are selling between 20 percent and 30 percent less than last year. The purchasing power people had has been taken away from them, and we can all feel that very clearly," he said.
But in Ghana, where money is tight and inflation is 9.3 percent, some shoppers were more philosophical 8. "There is no money in the system as per se, yes but we wouldn't think too much about that, money or no money. Since we have life, we have to do something for our children and loved ones," said shopper Vida Afforo.
But American retailers who enjoyed a brisk start to the holiday shopping season last month - are not ready to give up.
Retail analyst 9 Bill Martin says there's still one week of holiday shopping before the year ends. "Retailers are hoping that the consumers will come back and deliver those same strong results during this last weekend of the year," he said.
Worldwide, the bigger concern is whether American lawmakers are willing to drive the U.S. economy back into a recession. Despite the threat of economic shock from higher taxes and automatic spending cuts, neither political party appears willing to bend on a year end deadline for a budget deal.
- A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
- The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。
- 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。
- High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
- Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。
- It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节，每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。
- We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。
- The tax threshold for a single pensioner is$ 445.单身领退休年金者的纳税起点为445英镑。
- It was the pensioner's vote late in the day that influenced the election of Mr.Sweet.最后是领取养老金者的选票影响了斯威特先生的当选。
- Nothing could tempt him to such a course of action.什么都不能诱使他去那样做。
- The fact that she had become wealthy did not tempt her to alter her frugal way of life.她有钱了，可这丝毫没能让她改变节俭的生活习惯。
- The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
- She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。