[雙語生活]男女購物方式不同源于進化

Differing roles in prehistoric times have evolved into differing shopping styles, the researchers believe.

相關研究專家堅信，由于男女在史前時代的分工不同，導致了他們不同的購物方式。

While women spent their days gathering food often with children, men were hunters who made specific plans about how to catch and kill their prey.

當女人同孩子們一起去收集食物的時候，男人則充當獵手的角色,他們常常要詳細計劃如何捕捉并殺死獵物。

The two approaches to how we used to obtain food mirrors how we shop in modern times, the study believes.

研究認為，這兩種獲取食物的方式也反映出我們當下各異的購物習慣。

He said women would spend hours trying to find the right outfit, present or object, because they had in the past spent ages trying to find the best quality and health giving foods.

他表示，女性之所以會花費幾個小時來尋找合適的服裝，贈品或其它物品，那是因為在過去他們需要長年累月地尋找質量上乘，且有益健康的食物。

Men on the other hand, decided in advance what animal they wanted to kill and then went looking for it. Once it was found - and killed - they returned home.

與女人不同的是，男人在外出打獵之前,總是要事先決定好狩獵目標，之后才去尋找它們。一旦發(fā)現(xiàn)獵物，就會將其殺死并帶回家中。

Professor Daniel Kruger of the University of Michigan said the study could be the answer to why there was so much conflict when couples shopped together.

美國密歇根大學的丹尼爾克魯格教授表示，這項研究將有助于解釋，夫婦一起購物時為何會摩擦不斷。

Foraging was a daily social activity in prehistoric times and often young children were included, much like they are today when women shop, Prof Kruger said.

克魯格教授說，覓食是史前時代一個日常的社會行為,小孩子常常也參與其中,就像現(xiàn)在女性喜歡帶著小孩子逛街一樣。

Women gained the skills of how to get the best quality food in cave man times because if they chose the wrong berry or nut it could kill, he said.

他說，從洞穴人時代起,女性就獲得了挑選優(yōu)質食物的能力,這是因為,如果她們選錯了食物（漿果或堅果）,就會致人死亡。

“When gathering, women must be very adept at choosing just the right colour, texture and smell to ensure food safety and quality”he said.

“覓食的時候，女性善于通過顏色、氣味和外形來判斷某種物品是否可以食用且有益健康。”他說。

“They also must time harvests and know when a certain depleted patch will regenerate and yield good harvest again.”

“她們還必須知道恰當?shù)氖崭顣r機，以及某塊收割的田地何時再次豐收。”

“In modern terms, women are much more likely than men to know when a specific type of item will go on sale. Women also spend much more time choosing the perfect fabric, colour and texture.”

“現(xiàn)代社會里，女人要比男人了解更多特定商品的促銷信息，并會花費更多時間挑選優(yōu)質的布料，顏色以及質感。”

Prof Kruger decided to conduct the study after a winter holiday trip with friends across Europe.

克魯格教授在寒假期間同朋友們周游歐洲，回來之后他決定進行該項研究。

After exploring sleepy little villages and reaching Prague, the first thing the women wanted to do was shop, Prof Kruger said, and the men could not understand why.

克魯格教授回憶說，在游歷了一些恬靜的小村莊后，我們終于抵到了布拉格，而女人們做的第一件事就是購物，這將男人們弄得一頭霧水。

"But that is not so unreasonable if you`re thinking about a gathering strategy," he said.

“但如果你清楚進化賦予她們的這種搜集習慣，那么這種行為也就合情合理了，”他說。

"Anytime you come into a new area you want to scope out the landscape and find out where the food patches are."

“每一次你到達一個新的地方，你總想瞧一瞧當?shù)氐木坝^，并找出飼料地的位置。”

Prof Kruger said on the other hand in prehistoric times men had to hunt for specific items which meant they had to be clinical in their approach like they are now with shopping.

克魯格教授表示，從另一角度，史前時期的男性必須確定具體的獵物，這就意味著在此過程中，他們必須保持冷靜客觀，就如同他們?nèi)缃褓徫飼r表現(xiàn)的那樣。

"Men often have a specific item in mind and want to get in, get it and get out," he said.

“男人往往是在決定了想要購買的東西以后,走進商場,買下商品之后轉身離開，”他表示。

"It`s critical to get meat home as quickly as possible. Taking young children isn`t safe in a hunt and would likely hinder progress."

“因為考慮到狩獵中孩子并不安全,也可能會拖慢行程。男人希望盡快將肉類送到家里。”

Prof Kruger said if men and women understood each other`s shopping strategies they could avoid arguments in the shops.

克魯格表示,如果男性和女性能夠相互理解對方的購物習慣,就會避免購物過程中發(fā)生的爭執(zhí)。