双十一购物浪潮并不能加快经济增长

 　　The online shopping sale on Nov 11 has been put in the spotlight¹ with analysts² keen to find solid evidence of improving consumer demand that might bolster³ the slowing economy.

　　最近，11月11日网购十分火爆。分析师们十分希望能够找出证据，证明消费者需求上涨能够带动缓慢增长的经济。

　　Unfortunately, the prospering⁴ e-commerce industry can hardly solve the problems facing the economy on its own.

　　不幸的是，电商行业解决经济问题的方法似乎并不可行。

　　China's e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Ltd launched the online Singles' Day sale in 2009. Since then, the date, made up of four lonely "ones", has become the world's biggest online shopping event.

　　中国电商巨人阿里巴巴集团有限公司在2009年时发起了光棍节大促销。该节日（11月11日）由四个“1”组成，现已成为网上购物的盛大节日。

　　The expectations are this year will be another bonanza⁵ and set a new sales record, which has ignited hopes that online consumption can at least partially⁶ offset⁷ the downward pressure on the economy from falling investment and exports.

　　人们期待今年的订单数额将会刷新记录。或许在线消费可以部分抵消投资和出口下跌的经济下滑走势。

　　A closer look at the event, however, shows such hopes are unrealistic.

　　然而，如果我们仔细考虑一下这件事，这种希望是不现实的。

　　双十一购物浪潮并不能加快经济增长

　　The soaring sales on Singles' Day are actually a "sales overdraft⁸" that results from the sudden release of consumers' pent up demand. Many people opt⁹ not to make planned purchases days or months ahead of Nov 11 hoping to benefit from the promotional discounts offered that day, and sales generally fall sharply after the event.

　　光棍节的销量剧增其实是“销量透支”，消费者们为隐性需求买单。有些人在双十一之前的几天甚至几个月都不购物，只为了在11月11日当天能够在打折中获得一些优惠。而且在节日过后，销量也会下滑。

　　There is yet no evidence to support the notion that the contrived¹⁰ shopping spree provides a real boost to the country's overall annual consumption.

　　并且，并没有证据表明这种反常的消费抑制现象会让中国全年的消费水平上升。

　　In reality, for many brands it represents a marketing¹¹ opportunity rather than a means to significantly increase their annual sales. Some dishonest online retailers¹³ even use tricks to avoid offering real discounts in a bid to deceive buyers into thinking they are getting a bargain. For example, they may raise prices in the run-up to Singles' Day before announcing "big discounts" for Nov 11.

　　实际上，很多商家把这看做一种营销手段，而非实际增加销量。有些不诚实的网上零售商还会欺骗消费者，提供虚假折扣，让消费者误以为自己以优惠价购买。例如，他们在光棍节之前把价格抬上去，然后在当天打着“打折促销的”幌子。

　　However, consumers are becoming more rational and avoiding the impetuous spending that has characterized previous one-day sales specials as they realize such events are only a gimmick¹⁴ to get them to part with their money.

　　然而，消费者们越来越理性，越来越能避免冲动消费。他们认为这种只有一天的打折促销其实只是一种噱头，目的是为了让他们花钱而已。

　　Actually, growth in China's consumer demand has been quite stable in recent years. And with the overall economy weakening, the growth in consumption has been trending down, which is in line with the overall economic trend.

　　实际上，最近几年中国消费者的需求已经很稳定了。随着经济低迷，消费涨势也有所减缓，同经济走势保持一致。

　　Among the three major factors driving a country's economic growth - domestic consumption, investment and exports, domestic consumption is the most stable. And considering the weak economy, which affects people's confidence in spending, there will hardly be any major improvement in consumer demand despite the hurly-burly of the Nov 11 shopping event.

　　拉动中国经济增长的三大主要力量——内需、投资和出口之中，消费水平是最稳定的。考虑到经济低迷的现状会影响到居民消费，尽管双十一当天有购买活动，也并不会出现消费者需求大幅度增长的情况。

　　There is no denying that the convenience of online shopping can stimulate¹⁵ people's desire to buy, but at the same time it squeezes traditional consumer demand, partly offsetting¹⁶ its positive role in economic growth.

　　诚然，在线购买十分方便，的确会促使消费者们的购买欲。但是同时，它也会使传统购买需求被压缩，在一定程度上抵消了电商使经济增长的作用。

　　For a developing country such as China, the biggest hurdle¹⁷ preventing fast consumption growth is consumer concern about the future because of the country's immature¹⁸ social security network. Many people are worried about their post-retirement life and are very cautious in making purchasing decisions.

　　例如像中国一样的发展中国家，阻挠经济快速发展的本质在于因为国家没有成熟的社保体系，消费者们对未来感到担忧。很多人担心他们退休以后的生活，所以在买东西的时候也会特别谨慎。

　　Policymakers need to accelerate their pace in improving the social security network and raise people's incomes to stabilize¹⁹ people's expectations for the future and encourage them to spend.

　　政策制定者需要加快提高社保体系步伐，提高收入，使人们对未来有安全感，鼓励其消费。

　　Yet the top priority at the moment is to stabilize the economy. China's infrastructure²⁰ investment has been growing exceptionally fast in recent months to offset the effect of the falling exports. Against that backdrop, many people have pinned their hopes on faster consumption growth to provide a more sustainable driver of the country's economy.

　　然而，现在的首要任务还是要使经济稳定。中国的基础设施投资在最近几个月发展很快，抵消了出口下滑的缺口。对于经济下滑，许多人都寄希望于消费快速增长，为经济提供动力。

　　Indeed, retail¹² sales rose steadily²¹ from July to September - from 10.5 percent to 10.9 percent year-on-year, and they are expected to rise further thanks to the Nov 11 event. Still, such small improvements will not suffice to anchor the economy and the Nov 11 sales boom is but a drop in the bucket of required spending.

　　诚然，零售商销量从7月的10.5%上涨到了9月的10.9%，还可能会在双十一的时候继续上涨。但是，这样的小幅度增长并不会会影响经济走势，双十一的销量只是消费的九牛一毛而已。

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

4 prospering   

成功，兴旺( prosper的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Our country is thriving and prospering day by day. 祖国日益繁荣昌盛。
• His business is prospering. 他生意兴隆。

5 bonanza   

n.富矿带，幸运，带来好运的事

参考例句：

• Bargain hunters enjoyed a real bonanza today.到处买便宜货的人今天真是交了好运。
• What a bonanza for the winning ticket holders!对于手持胜券的人来说，这是多好的运气啊。

6 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

7 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

8 overdraft   

n.透支，透支额

参考例句：

• Her bank warned that unless she repaid the overdraft she could face legal action.银行警告她如果不偿还透支钱款，她将面临诉讼。
• An overdraft results when a note discounted at a bank is not met when due.银行贴现的支票到期而未能支付就成为透支。

9 opt   

vi.选择，决定做某事

参考例句：

• They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。
• Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？

10 contrived   

adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的

参考例句：

• There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said.他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。
• The plot seems contrived.情节看起来不真实。

11 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

12 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• 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。

13 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

14 gimmick   

n.(为引人注意而搞的)小革新，小发明

参考例句：

• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。
• It is just a public relations gimmick.这只不过是一种公关伎俩。

15 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

16 offsetting   

n.偏置法v.抵消( offset的现在分词 )；补偿；（为了比较的目的而）把…并列（或并置）；为（管道等）装支管

参考例句：

• Dealers, having concluded a forward contract, should always hedge with an offsetting contract. 外汇经营商在签订了一项远期合同之后总是应进行套头交易签订一项相抵合同。 来自辞典例句
• Where does Germany think offsetting shifts into greater external deficits might occur? 在德国看来，这么大的外部赤字应该转移到哪里？ 来自互联网

17 hurdle   

n.跳栏，栏架；障碍，困难；vi.进行跨栏赛

参考例句：

• The weather will be the biggest hurdle so I have to be ready.天气将会是最大的障碍，所以我必须要作好准备。
• She clocked 11.6 seconds for the 80 metre hurdle.八十米跳栏赛跑她跑了十一秒六。

18 immature   

adj.未成熟的，发育未全的，未充分发展的

参考例句：

• Tony seemed very shallow and immature.托尼看起来好像很肤浅，不夠成熟。
• The birds were in immature plumage.这些鸟儿羽翅未全。

19 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

20 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

21 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。