【一起听英语】购物的哲学
为什么我们本来去超市打算只买一样东西的,最后回来的时候却发现多买了好多东西呢?
Dan: Hello, I'm Dan.
Alice: And I'm Alice.
Dan: And this is 6 Minute English! Today we're talking about shopping. Alice have
you ever gone into a shop to buy one thing and come out with several other
things as well?
Alice: Yes, I have. It happens quite often. And I even bring my own bag, and then
find I haven't got enough space in it when I leave the shop.
Dan: Because you've just bought so many things. Well, it's quite a common thing,
apparently 1. A lot of people find that they've bought a lot more than they
wanted to, and that's often because of the layout 2 of the store.
Alice: The layout – that's the way that something's arranged. So because the shop is
laid out in a certain way, people buy more?
Dan: That's the theory. The layout of a shop has a large impact 3 on what we buy and
how much money we spend. Shops, supermarkets and shopping malls are
designed to give shoppers a pleasant experience while they shop, and they use
specific colours, lighting 5 and designs to get us to buy more.
Alice: Shopping malls – that's a very American phrase Dan! These are the large
buildings with lots of shops and restaurants inside them – what we call in
Britain shopping centres.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Dan: And today's question is all about shopping centres Alice. The South China
Mall in China is the world's largest shopping centre. But how many shops does
it have? Is it:
a) 800
b) 1,200
c) 1,500
Alice: Oh, I'll go for the big one. 1,500 shops
Dan: OK, we'll see if you are right at the end of the programme. Now, as I
mentioned before, the layout of a shop has a direct influence on how we shop.
Apparently if you're in a shopping mall or department store, the more
disorienting it is, the longer you're there, and the more likely you are to spend.
Alice: The more disorienting it is - that is, it's very confusing, it's difficult to find
things in. And a department store is a large shop with lots of different
departments – different areas – which sell different types of goods.
Dan: And if the shopper 4 is confused, or disoriented, they're more likely to forget
what they came in for, and might start buying more items. It's what's called
Alice: Retail anthropology. Retail is anything to do with shopping – it means selling
goods to the general public. And anthropology is the study of humans and
human behaviour. So I suppose retail anthropology is the study of how humans
go shopping.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
Dan: That's exactly it. Professor Alan Penn, from University College London,
specialises in designing retail spaces. He says a lot of shops have designed
their layouts 8 to encourage us to spend more. Here is a clip 9 of him talking about
supermarkets; he says they usually keep essential items, such as milk and
bread, as far away from the entrance as possible. Why do you think this is?
Professor Alan Penn, University College London
The milk and the bread are usually at the far end of the supermarket. That's not by chance;
that's in order to get people to travel the full distance through the store. On the way
through, they'll see other things that they may have forgotten they needed and put them
Dan: So, according to Alan Penn, milk and bread are usually as far away from the
entrance as possible, so shoppers have to travel the full length of the store.
Alice: And on their way they'll see other items they might like and put them in their
trolley. Very clever! What other techniques do shops use to encourage people
to spend more Dan?
Dan: Ah, now, here's an interesting one: most supermarkets have the section for fruit
and vegetables near the entrance. Why do you think that is Alice?
Alice: Mm, I don't know. Does it look nice?
Dan: Well, let's have a listen to Alan Penn again and we will see if you're right.
Professor Alan Penn, University College London
Fresh fruits are very interesting aspects of the supermarket. It's often near the front; near
the entrance. It provides you with a very positive, healthy feeling, atmosphere as you step in
through the door.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 6
Dan: Well, you were part right there, Alice. Apparently the fresh fruit provides a
positive, healthy atmosphere as you step into the shop – it's more welcoming.
So, Alice, it's time to return to today's question: I asked you about The South
China Mall which is the world's largest shopping centre. But how many shops
does it have? Is it:
a) 800
b) 1,200
c) 1,500
Alice: And I made the guess of 1,500.
Dan: And you are right, yes. The answer is 1,500 shops. But here is the interesting
part; most of these shops are empty! In 2008 over 99 per cent of the shops in
the South China Mall were unoccupied which is just bizarre 11. And there are a
few more facts for you about shopping malls. Although the South China Mall
is the world's largest shopping mall in terms of shops, the largest mall by area
is the Dubai Mall, which over 12 million square feet – around the size of 50
football pitches. It's absolutely huge. Also, eight out of the ten largest shopping
malls in the world are in Asia, and there are a lot more 'mega-malls' under
construction in China and the United Arab Emirates.
Alice: Well, those are very, very big malls, mega malls.
Dan: Exactly. Alice, before we go, could you just remind us of some of the
vocabulary we've heard in today's programme?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
Alice: Sure, we had:
Layout
Shopping mall
Shopping centre
Department store
Disorienting
Retail
Anthropology
Dan: Thanks Alice. I hope you've enjoyed today's programme, and you'll join us
again for more 6 Minute English next time.
Both: Bye!
- An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
- He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
- The robbers studied the layout of the bank.这伙强盗研究了银行的布局。
- This map shows the layout of the plant.这张图展示了工厂的布局。
- The computer had made a great impact on modern life.计算机对现代生活产生了巨大的影响.
- How will the war impact on such a poet?战争对这样一个诗人会产生什么影响?
- Hong Kong is a shopper's paradise.香港是购物者的天堂。
- She is one shopper who takes responsibility in bagging her own goods.她是一名承担责任把食品装进袋子的顾客。
- The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
- The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
- 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。
- I believe he has started reading up anthropology.我相信他已开始深入研究人类学。
- Social anthropology is centrally concerned with the diversity of culture.社会人类学主要关于文化多样性。
- The book designer will have to redo the masterpieces layouts. 图书设计者将不得不重做这部名著的版面设计。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The book designer will have to redo the page layouts. 书籍设计者得重新编排版面。 来自辞典例句
- May I clip out the report on my performance?我能把报道我的文章剪下来吗?
- She fastened the papers together with a paper clip.她用曲别针把文件别在一起。