英語聽力小短文走遍全世界：“她”經濟

英語聽力原文：

The flood of women into the job market boosted economic growth and changed U.S. society in many ways. Many in-home jobs that used to be done primarily by women — ranging from family shopping to preparing meals to doing voluntary work — still need to be done by someone.

大量婦女涌入職場促進了經濟的發(fā)展，而且從很多方面改變了美國社會。很多以前大部分由婦女完成的家務活——從家庭采購、準備三餐到義務工作——現在仍然需要有人來完成。

Husbands and children now do some of these jobs, a situation that has changed the target market for many products. Or a working woman may face a crushing "poverty of time" and look for help elsewhere, creating opportunities for producers of frozen meals, child care centers, dry cleaners, financial services, and the like.

于是現在丈夫和孩子開始做其中的一些工作，這個狀況已經改變了很多產品的目標市場?；蛘哒f一個職業(yè)女性可能面臨嚴重的時間匱乏，并從其他地方尋找?guī)椭?，從而給速凍食品制造商、托兒所、干洗店、金融服務以及類似機構創(chuàng)造了機會。

Although there is still a big wage gap between men and women, the income working women generate gives them new independence and buying power. For example, women now purchanse about half of all cars. Not long ago, many cars dealers insulted women shoppers by ignoring them or suggesting that they come back with their husbands.

雖然說男女之間的工資水平仍有很大差距，但是職業(yè)婦女的收入給她們帶來了新的獨立性以及購買力。例如，目前市場上有近一半的汽車是婦女購買的。而在不久之前，很多汽車商還這樣侮辱女性消費者：他們忽視女性或是建議她們和丈夫一塊兒來看。

Now car companies have realized that women are potential customers. It's interesting that some leading Japanese car dealers were the first to really pay attention to women customers. In Japan, fewer women have jobs or buy cars — the Japanese society is still very much male-oriented. Perhaps it was the extreme contrast with Japanese society that prompted American firms to pay more attention to women buyers.

現在汽車公司意識到了婦女也是潛在消費者。更有趣的是，正是一些日本主要的汽車公司首先開始關注女性消費者的。在日本，很少有婦女工作或者購買汽車——日本社會仍然很大程度上是以男性為主導的。也許正是由于日本社會這種極端的對比促使了美國公司更加注重女性購買者。

英語詞匯整理：

1. boost v. 促進;推進

eg：Lower interest rates can boost the economy by reducing borrowing costs for consumers and businesses.

低利率可以通過為消費者和商家降低借貸成本來促進經濟發(fā)展。

短語：

be in high(low) boost 處于良好(不佳)狀態(tài);[英軍俚語](飛機發(fā)動機)處于(不)正常工作狀態(tài)，工作(不)順當

boost up 向上推

2. voluntary adj. 自愿的，志愿的

eg: Some voluntary organizations run workshops for disabled people.

一些志愿組織為殘障人士開辦講習班。

短語：

voluntary muscle 橫紋肌

voluntary agreement 自愿協議

3. crush vt. 壓碎;被壓壞

eg: Eggs crush easily.

雞蛋易碎。

短語：

get a crush on = have a crush on 迷戀

do not crush 請勿擠壓

crush in 壓成，碾成;擠進

crush a cup 一飲而盡

4. gap n. 縫隙，間斷，缺口

eg: He pulled the thick curtains together, leaving just a narrow gap.

他把厚厚的窗簾拉到一起，只留了一條窄縫。

短語：

bridge the gap 縮小差距

fill a gap 填補空白，彌補不足

close the gap 彌補差距

supply a gapv 填補空白

stand in the gap 挺身阻擋，首當其沖

5. generate vt. 產生，發(fā)生，引起

eg: The company, New England Electric, burns coal to generate power.

新英格蘭電力公司燃燒煤來發(fā)電。

短語：

generate electricity 發(fā)電

generate profit 產生利潤

6. purchase vt. 購買;贏得，獲得

eg: He purchased a ticket and went up on the top deck.

他買了張票，上了頂層。

短語：

make a purchase 購物

proof of purchase 購買憑證

group purchase 團購

cost of purchase 采購成本

not worth a day's/ an hour's purchase 命危在旦夕

7. insult vt. 侮辱，辱罵

eg: He insulted me by such a remark.

他講這種話是對我的侮辱。

短語：

to insult 侮辱;惡語傷人;戲侮

personal insult 人身侮辱

humiliate insult 損害別人的自尊心

add insult to injury 雪上加霜

8. male-oriented adj. 男性主導的

eg: Women were mentally and materially controlled by male-oriented society.

她們在精神上和物質上受到男權社會的控制。

拓展：

male-oriented female 女性雄化

9. extreme adj. 極度的

eg: This is, however, an extreme solution.

然而，這是一種極端的解決方案。

短語：

in the extreme 非常，極度，極端

to the extreme 至極;到最大的限度

in extremes 陷入絕境

go to the extreme of 采取(某種)極端的手段

be driven to extremes 被迫走極端

carry to extremes 做得過分，走極端

go from one extreme to another 從一個極端走到另一個極端

go to the other (或 opposite) extreme 走到另一個極端

諺語：

Extremes beget extremes. 物極必反。

10. prompt vt. 促進，推動

eg: What prompted her to be so generous?

是什么原因使得她如此大方呢?

短語：

prompt in 對…很迅速

no prompt 不提示;不提醒

prompt shipment 即期裝船

佳句采摘：

Although there is still a big wage gap between men and women, the income working women generate gives them new independence and buying power.

雖然說男女之間的工資水平仍有很大差距，但是職業(yè)婦女的收入給她們帶來了新的獨立性以及購買力。