[00:00.00]Unit 11 Text A
[00:04.18]The Great American Garage Sale
[00:06.86]价廉物美的美国车库旧货展卖真不错
[00:09.53]Not long ago,
[00:11.42]不久前,
[00:13.30]Charles Erickson and his familydecided to do some spring housecleaning.
[00:16.88]查理士.艾里克逊和他的家人决定进行春季室内大清理.
[00:20.45]Sorting through their possessions,
[00:22.64]整理所的物件之后,
[00:24.82]they came up with some 1,500 old, unwanted items
[00:29.15]他们理出了1500来件旧的不用的东西
[00:33.49]all sorts of things they wanted to get rid of.
[00:36.36]全是些他们想处理掉的东西.
[00:39.24]The Ericksons decided to do what a lot of other Americans are doing these days
[00:43.02]艾里克逊一家决定按照当今许多美国人的做法
[00:46.81]-have a "garage sale."
[00:48.84]举办一次家庭旧贷展卖.
[00:50.86]They posted homemade signs throughout the neighborhood
[00:53.75]他们在整个街头贴出了自做的展卖标志,
[00:56.63]ran an advertisement in the local newspaper,
[00:59.42]在本地报纸登了广告,
[01:02.20]then set out the unwanted objects on the front yard of their home
[01:05.92]然后,在密电码歇根州布隆菲尔德山镇自家的庭院前
[01:09.64]in Bloomfield Hills,Michigan,and waited to see if any one would come.
[01:13.98]摆出那些无用的物件,等待是否有人来买.
[01:18.32]The Ericksons needn't have worried.
[01:20.44]艾里克逊一家根本不用担心,
[01:22.57]Eager buyers bought all but 50 of the items in one weekend,
[01:25.96]热心的买主在一个周末买走了除50件以外的全部东西,
[01:29.34]leaving the family $ 442 richer.
[01:32.51]给这家人增加了442美元的收入.
[01:35.69]Garage sale, yard sale, basement sale
[01:38.82]车库展卖,庭院展卖,地下室展卖
[01:41.96]whatever they' re called and wherever they're held,
[01:44.99]不管叫什么,在哪能儿举行,
[01:48.02]Americans are having them in ever-in-creasing numbers.
[01:51.10]美国人这样的做法正在与日俱增.
[01:54.18]The variety of things put up for sale is really wonderful--dishes, books
[01:58.71]展卖物品种类确实非同一般:碟盘,书籍,
[02:03.25]used clothing, tools, tires, empty bottles, bicycles, furniture.
[02:08.17]旧衣服,工具,轮胎,空瓶,自行车,家具等等.
[02:13.09]A man in Atlanta, Georgia,
[02:15.17]得治亚州亚特兰大市的一位男士,
[02:17.25]even sold a full-size replica of a 1931 Ford
[02:20.97]甚至卖掉了一辆1931年款式福特车的全尺寸复制品.
[02:24.69]"You wouldn't believe the stuff people will buy
[02:27.58]"你可能不会相信有人会买这些东西,
[02:30.47]says Mrs.Jerry McNeely of Houston, Texas,
[02:33.20]德克萨斯州休斯敦市的杰里.麦克尼利太太
[02:35.92]who has held two garage sales with friends. "
[02:38.45]和朋友一起举行了两次旧货展卖,她说:
[02:40.97]"On the other hand,
[02:42.70]这些东西,另一方面,
[02:44.44]you wouldn' t believe some of the things people will put out to sell."
[02:47.42]你又可能不相信有些东西人们会拿出来卖."
[02:50.40]Why would Americans want to shop
[02:52.53]为什么美国人愿意
[02:54.65]by searching among someone else' s cast-offs?
[02:57.58]在他人不要的旧货中寻觅要买的东西呢?
[03:00.51]Rising living costs
[03:02.79]不断上升的生活费用
[03:05.08]are considered by almost everyoneas a reason both for holding sales
[03:08.71]几乎每个人都认为,是举办旧货展卖
[03:12.34]and for attending them.
[03:14.36]和光顾旧货展卖的原因.
[03:16.39]The seller makes a little extra money and the buyer saves quite a lot,
[03:20.27]车库展卖的物品的价格往往只有原来价格的很小部分,
[03:24.15]since garage-sale items usually
[03:26.63]所以卖主能挣一点额外的钱,
[03:29.11]are priced at a very small part of their original cost.
[03:32.30]买主则节省了许多钱.
[03:35.48]But beyond that, they're fun.
[03:37.91]此外,展卖很有趣,
[03:40.34]Garage sales have become suburban social events,drawing people of all ages.
[03:44.61]它们成为郊区的社交活动,吸引着不同年龄层次的人.
[03:48.88]Neighbors enjoy meeting new peoples,
[03:51.47]邻居们乐意认识新人,
[03:54.06]some families even serve drinks and cakes.
[03:57.09]有些家庭甚至招待饮料和点心.
[04:00.12]One psychologist suggests that people are fedup with the computerization of their lives
[04:04.49]一位心理学家提出,人们厌倦了生活的计算机化,
[04:08.87]they may be searching for their roots.
[04:11.30]他们也许在寻找自己的根.
[04:13.73]Many of the younger buyers
[04:16.16]许多年轻的买主
[04:18.59]say they are turned off by the poor quality of modern goods
[04:21.86]说他们已经对劣质的现代商品失去兴趣,
[04:25.14]and are looking for remnants of a stronger and firmer era
[04:28.62]他们在寻找更强盛和可靠时代遗留下来的东西,
[04:32.09]when things were built to last.
[04:34.52]那时的东西造得经久耐用.
[04:36.95]Some people have made garage-sale shopping into a hobby;
[04:40.28]有人已把在车库旧货展卖中买东西当顾了嗜好.
[04:43.61]they spend their weekends going from sale to sale
[04:46.34]他们周末逛完一家又一家,
[04:49.07]hoping to run across a real treasure.
[04:52.01]希望能巧遇一件真正的宝贝.
[04:54.95]Says one long-time weekend bargain hunter,In the back of your mind
[04:58.97]一位长期专在周末找便宜货的人说:
[05:02.99]you have the hope of finding some fabulouspainting
[05:06.32]"你心底里暗自希望能找到藏在什么地方的某幅珍奇的绘画
[05:09.66]stored away somewhere or something else of great value for a bargain price."
[05:14.64]或者廉价买到一些很有价值的物品."
[05:19.63]Diana McLellan, a reporter for the Washington Star-News,wrote,
[05:23.32]<<华盛顿星报>>的记者,黛安娜.麦克莱化写道:
[05:27.00]"The garage sale is like the quality of mercy
[05:30.38]"家庭旧货展卖的性质如同行善一样,
[05:33.77]it blesses him that gives and him that takes.
[05:37.45]它既降福予者也降福取者.
[05:41.13]It separates clothes, toys, pots, cups,
[05:44.37]它让衣服,玩具,茶壶,杯子.
[05:47.61]forks and knives from their reluctant owners
[05:50.55]叉子离开不情愿的主人,
[05:53.49]and places them in loving new homes."
[05:56.52]进入喜爱自己的新家."
[05:59.55]How long will all this enthusiasm continue?
[06:02.72]这样的激情还能继续多久?
[06:05.90]Says one recent seller,"
[06:07.97]最近一位卖主说:
[06:10.05]Some day
[06:11.74]"总有一天
[06:13.42]the people who are buying are bound to be faced with the same peoblem we had--
[06:17.10]那些买东西的人一定会面临我们遇到的同一问题-
[06:20.79]getting rid of this stuff."
[06:23.16]怎么打发掉这些东西."

[06:25.54]Text B
[06:28.39]American Stores
[06:30.02]美国商店
[06:31.65]In the United States
[06:33.23]在美国,
[06:34.81]you will find yourself being urgedfrom every page of every newspaper
[06:37.64]你会觉得每一份,每一版的报纸,
[06:40.46]and on practically every television station
[06:42.53]每一家电视台都怂恿去购买各种各样的东西,
[06:44.61]to buy all kinds of goods you are actually quite happy without.
[06:47.69]实际上没有这些东西也无所谓.
[06:50.78]Not only is there a wide range of prices for goods in America,
[06:53.56]在美国,不仅商品的价格差别很大,
[06:56.34]there is also a wide range in the quality of goods offered for sale.
[06:59.17]销售品质量也大有不同.
[07:02.01]Unlike some countries
[07:03.63]和别的国家不一样,
[07:05.25]Americans generally pay the price of a product without question,
[07:07.89]美国人,往往照商品标价付钱,
[07:10.52]instead of trying to get a lower price by bargaining.
[07:13.01]平时不讨价还价来争取低价.
[07:15.49]However, there are many "sales" in the United States,
[07:18.01]不过,在美国却有许多"大减价"销售,
[07:20.53]during which time stores will lower their normal prices.
[07:23.12]在降价期间商店把价格格不从平时价格降下来.
[07:25.70]This may all be very confusing to the visitor.
[07:28.03]然而,令顾客困惑的是,
[07:30.35]Which is the best product to buy out of hundreds to choose from?
[07:33.19]在可供选择的上千种商品中买哪一种最好?
[07:36.02]How are you going to know how to "get your money' s worth" when you shop?
[07:38.84]买东西时怎样才能做到物有所值?
[07:41.66]Perhaps the best advice is: Don't hurry.
[07:44.14]也许最好的忠告是别心急,
[07:46.63]Visit'various stories and determine the quality of goods
[07:49.36]多看几家商店来确定商品的质量,
[07:52.08]Examine them carefully.
[07:53.82]仔细查看商品.
[07:55.56]Read the advertisements so that you can compare prices.
[07:58.18]看看广告可以比较价格
[08:00.81]Explore and examine before you buy.
[08:03.00]购买之前实地调查清楚.
[08:05.20]There is a great variety of shops in the United States,
[08:07.56]美国的商店也是各式各样,
[08:09.93]ranging from very large stores called "department stores,"
[08:12.66]其他商品的大商店即百货公司,
[08:15.39]offering clothing,furniture, household :goods as well as many other goods
[08:18.93]从卖服装,家具,家庭用品
[08:22.47]to very small shops that specialize in just one kind of product.
[08:25.80]到专卖一种商品的小店.
[08:29.13]There are "discount houses" offering goods at low prices, and "dime stores"
[08:32.67]有卖低价的商品的折扣商店,
[08:36.21]specializing in a wide range of inexpensive items.
[08:38.83]也有专卖各类低价商品的"一角钱"商店.
[08:41.46]Most department stores in large cities
[08:43.53]大城市的多数百货公司出售的商品,
[08:45.61] carry averageto better quality products at average to higher prices.
[08:48.89]其质量从中等到良好,价格从适中到较高不等.
[08:52.17]However, they offer the shopper great convenience
[08:54.69]不过它为顾客提供了很大的方便,
[08:57.21]since they contain such a wide variety of products.
[08:59.74]因为它们拥有如此大的商品选择范围.
[09:02.28]If convenience isn't as important to you as price
[09:04.76]如果你不嫌麻烦,但求价廉,
[09:07.24]you may want to shop in some of the discount houses.
[09:09.51]你可能想去扣商店买东西.
[09:11.78]These stores have nearly as great a variety of goods as department stores
[09:14.72]这些商店拥有的商品种类与百货公司几乎可以媲美,
[09:17.66]but offer lower prices.
[09:19.35]但是价格更低.
[09:21.03]They can do so or several reasons.
[09:23.06]它们能做到这样有几方面的原因:
[09:25.08]They don't offer the same services to buyers that department stores do;
[09:27.86]不向顾客提供百货公司同样的服务;
[09:30.64]there may be fewer sales people;
[09:32.84]售货员更少;
[09:35.03]and the store probably doesn't deliver purchases.
[09:37.85]而且可能不用送货上门.
[09:40.68]There are many small shops in America, as there are everywhere,
[09:43.55]像许多其它地方一样,美国也有许多小商店,
[09:46.42]that offer a more limited quantity of products.
[09:48.85]经营数量有限的商品.
[09:51.28]Usually run by a small number of sales people,
[09:53.62]这些商店往往由少数几名售货员管理,
[09:55.96]these shops offer products that range from inexpensive to very expensive
[09:58.99]它们出售的商品有低价位的也有高价位的,
[10:02.02]depending on the shop.
[10:03.55]这取决于商店本身.
[10:05.07]You are likely to receive more attention from the sales-people
[10:07.56]你在小商店从售货员那里
[10:10.04]in small shops than in department stores.
[10:12.38]得到的关照可能比在百货公司多.
[10:14.71]Another popular shop is the "dime store,
[10:16.84]另一种流行的商店是"一角钱"商店,
[10:18.97]sometimes referred to as the "five and ten."
[10:21.24]有时称为"五分与一角"商店.
[10:23.52]No longer selling many things for five or ten cents,
[10:26.15]他们不再出售五分或一角的商品,
[10:28.79]these stores got their name in the last century
[10:30.87]因为这一名称是上个世纪取的,
[10:32.95]when it was decided that a small profit on a great quantity of goods
[10:36.23]当时确认薄利多销
[10:39.50]would be betterthan a large profit on fewer sales.
[10:41.88]比少销厚利更好.
[10:44.26]Dime stores specialize in a wide variety of inexpensive items and today
[10:47.94]一角钱商店专营各种低价商品,
[10:51.62]prices range from a quarter or 50 cents up to several dollars.
[10:54.71]今天的价格从25美分或者50美分到几美元不等.
[10:57.79]If you need a small item and don't want to spend very Much,
[11:00.27]如果你需要一件小商品,又不想花很多钱,
[11:02.75]the dime store is likely to have just what you are looking for.
[11:05.27]一角钱商店正好有你所需要的.
[11:07.79]The United States is also known for its supermarkets
[11:10.29]美国还以其超级市场著称,
[11:12.78]where huge quantities of all kinds of food and household articles are sold
[11:15.91]这里出售大量各种食品和家庭用品,
[11:19.03]These stores offer good quality food at lower prices than smaller food stores
[11:22.45]这里出售的食品的质量好且比小食品店的价格低.
[11:25.87]The vast majority of Americans do all their food shopping in supermarkets.
[11:29.01]绝大多数的美国人在超级市场购买他们全部所需的食品.
[11:32.14]One of the most interesting sections to visit is the frozen food section.
[11:34.92]最值得光顾的是冷冻食品部.
[11:37.70]With discoveries in methods to preserve food,
[11:39.92]由于创造了多种保存食品的方法,
[11:42.15]almost every kind of food can be frozen and yet keep its original flavor.
[11:45.27]几乎每一种食品都能冷冻,并且能保持原味.
[11:48.39]Since frozen foods require so little time to cook,
[11:50.88]既然烹调冷漠食品的时间很短,
[11:53.38]they have naturally become very popular everywhere in the country
[11:56.04]冷冻食品自然成为全国最受欢迎的食品.