英语听力小短文走遍全世界：“她”经济

英语听力原文：

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.

大量妇女涌入职场促进了经济的发展，而且从很多方面改变了美国社会。很多以前大部分由妇女完成的家务活——从家庭采购、准备三餐到义务工作——现在仍然需要有人来完成。

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.

于是现在丈夫和孩子开始做其中的一些工作，这个状况已经改变了很多产品的目标市场。或者说一个职业女性可能面临严重的时间匮乏，并从其他地方寻找帮助，从而给速冻食品制造商、托儿所、干洗店、金融服务以及类似机构创造了机会。

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.

虽然说男女之间的工资水平仍有很大差距，但是职业妇女的收入给她们带来了新的独立性以及购买力。例如，目前市场上有近一半的汽车是妇女购买的。而在不久之前，很多汽车商还这样侮辱女性消费者：他们忽视女性或是建议她们和丈夫一块儿来看。

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.

现在汽车公司意识到了妇女也是潜在消费者。更有趣的是，正是一些日本主要的汽车公司首先开始关注女性消费者的。在日本，很少有妇女工作或者购买汽车——日本社会仍然很大程度上是以男性为主导的。也许正是由于日本社会这种极端的对比促使了美国公司更加注重女性购买者。

英语词汇整理：

1. boost v. 促进;推进

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

低利率可以通过为消费者和商家降低借贷成本来促进经济发展。

短语：

be in high(low) boost 处于良好(不佳)状态;[英军俚语](飞机发动机)处于(不)正常工作状态，工作(不)顺当

boost up 向上推

2. voluntary adj. 自愿的，志愿的

eg: Some voluntary organizations run workshops for disabled people.

一些志愿组织为残障人士开办讲习班。

短语：

voluntary muscle 横纹肌

voluntary agreement 自愿协议

3. crush vt. 压碎;被压坏

eg: Eggs crush easily.

鸡蛋易碎。

短语：

get a crush on = have a crush on 迷恋

do not crush 请勿挤压

crush in 压成，碾成;挤进

crush a cup 一饮而尽

4. gap n. 缝隙，间断，缺口

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

他把厚厚的窗帘拉到一起，只留了一条窄缝。

短语：

bridge the gap 缩小差距

fill a gap 填补空白，弥补不足

close the gap 弥补差距

supply a gapv 填补空白

stand in the gap 挺身阻挡，首当其冲

5. generate vt. 产生，发生，引起

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

新英格兰电力公司燃烧煤来发电。

短语：

generate electricity 发电

generate profit 产生利润

6. purchase vt. 购买;赢得，获得

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

他买了张票，上了顶层。

短语：

make a purchase 购物

proof of purchase 购买凭证

group purchase 团购

cost of purchase 采购成本

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

7. insult vt. 侮辱，辱骂

eg: He insulted me by such a remark.

他讲这种话是对我的侮辱。

短语：

to insult 侮辱;恶语伤人;戏侮

personal insult 人身侮辱

humiliate insult 损害别人的自尊心

add insult to injury 雪上加霜

8. male-oriented adj. 男性主导的

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

她们在精神上和物质上受到男权社会的控制。

拓展：

male-oriented female 女性雄化

9. extreme adj. 极度的

eg: This is, however, an extreme solution.

然而，这是一种极端的解决方案。

短语：

in the extreme 非常，极度，极端

to the extreme 至极;到最大的限度

in extremes 陷入绝境

go to the extreme of 采取(某种)极端的手段

be driven to extremes 被迫走极端

carry to extremes 做得过分，走极端

go from one extreme to another 从一个极端走到另一个极端

go to the other (或 opposite) extreme 走到另一个极端

谚语：

Extremes beget extremes. 物极必反。

10. prompt vt. 促进，推动

eg: What prompted her to be so generous?

是什么原因使得她如此大方呢?

短语：

prompt in 对…很迅速

no prompt 不提示;不提醒

prompt shipment 即期装船

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.

虽然说男女之间的工资水平仍有很大差距，但是职业妇女的收入给她们带来了新的独立性以及购买力。