2006年VOA标准英语-The Busiest Shopping Day of the Season Still to

By Mil Arcega
Washington, DC
23 December 2006
 
watch Christmas Shopping report

Holiday shopping

The day after Thanksgiving in the United States is often described as the busiest shopping day of the year.  But according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, the top shopping day of the year is still to come.  VOA's Mil Arcega reports.

It's that time of the year again:  for bright decorations and holiday tunes…

But behind the festive¹ lights and the joyful² themes - lies the awful truth: For many shoppers, the Christmas holidays are the most stressful time of the year.

And it's not just finding a place to park, the huge crowds…or the endless list of things to do… for some it's the last minute search to find the perfect gift.

Which almost always costs more than you want to spend...But there are those who revel³ in the mad rush for last minute presents.

And some department stores are more than willing to accommodate them.  This Macy's store in New York City is staying open 24 hours a day for the last five days before Christmas. 

Retail⁴ analyst⁵ Howard Davidowitz believes it may be a sign of things to come. "Many shoppers, believe it or not, will go out crazy hours to avoid the crowds so it will be a real convenience for many people."

Analysts⁶ say retailers⁷ are going all out to attract last minute shoppers.  The National Retail Federation⁸ estimates American consumers will spend about $457 billion this year, most of it, on the waning⁹ days before Christmas. 

And unofficially, the second most stressful day of the year, according to some shoppers, is when the credit card statements arrive.

1 festive   

adj.欢宴的，节日的

参考例句：

• It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节，每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。
• We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。

2 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

3 revel   

vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢

参考例句：

• She seems to revel in annoying her parents.她似乎以惹父母生气为乐。
• The children revel in country life.孩子们特别喜欢乡村生活。

4 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。

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 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。

7 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。

8 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

9 waning   

adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• Her enthusiasm for the whole idea was waning rapidly. 她对整个想法的热情迅速冷淡了下来。
• The day is waning and the road is ending. 日暮途穷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》