VOA标准英语10月-ans Replace Customary Sweets With Other Gifts at

For generations, traditional Indian sweets have been a customary gift during the main Hindu festival, Diwali. But tastes are changing as India globalizes - and chocolates, cakes or other gifts are replacing Indian sweets as the hot favorites. From New Delhi, Anjana Pasricha has a report.
　

A young boy colors earthen lamps before selling them in the market ahead of the Diwali festival of lights, on the outskirts1 of Amritsar, India, 23 Oct 2008

Markets are packed with shoppers just days ahead of India's main Hindu festival, Diwali. Some people are heading to shops selling traditional sweets or "mitthai." They want to follow a custom that has been handed down generations - exchange a box of "mitthai" with friends, relatives, and colleagues.

The sweets come in dozens of varieties, mostly prepared with condensed milk and sugar, and flavored with spices such as saffron and cardamom.

But many other customers are passing by shops selling "mitthai." Instead they are looking out for chocolates, confectionery, household items such as fancy linen², or even the latest mobile phones and iPods.

In recent years, the allure³ of sweets appears to be fading - at least for the wealthy. Suhasini Sood, 35, says she has stopped buying "mitthai".

"I think it is mostly change of tastes, and also to some extent changing social norms," said Sood. "It's more "done" to give chocolates, and or you know some other gifts instead of "mitthai.""

Vinay Aggarwal is partner in a popular sweet shop in Central Delhi. He admits that sweets are no longer appetizing for some customers. But he says it is only the rich who have changed their habits - for the masses, it is still a box of sweets.

"Only five percent of the upper crust, elite⁴ of society, they can afford to buy chocolates or maybe whatever they want to buy, maybe gold, maybe whiskey, maybe anything," he said. "Not the common man."

However, the common man's wallet does not stretch as far as that of the wealthy. As a result, the changing trend has begun impacting sales. A survey by the Associated Chamber⁵ of Commerce and Industry estimated that sales of sweets last year were down 40 percent from the previous year.

This year could see sales plummet⁶ even further - partly due to the global financial crisis which is having ripples⁷ in India as stock markets and property prices crash, and companies prepare for lower profits.

Aggarwal says sales have been hit.

"For those who were buying 200 boxes are buying 50 boxes, which is very necessary," he said. "They can't afford to do away with it."

Diwali is India's biggest festival. Companies distribute bonuses at this time so that employees can buy gifts both for families and friends.

1 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

2 linen   

n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的

参考例句：

• The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
• Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

3 allure   

n.诱惑力，魅力；vt.诱惑，引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• The window displays allure customers to buy goods.橱窗陈列品吸引顾客购买货物。
• The book has a certain allure for which it is hard to find a reason.这本书有一种难以解释的魅力。

4 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

5 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

6 plummet   

vi.(价格、水平等)骤然下跌；n.铅坠；重压物

参考例句：

• Mengniu and Yili have seen their shares plummet since the incident broke.自事件发生以来，蒙牛和伊利的股票大幅下跌。
• Even if rice prices were to plummet,other brakes on poverty alleviation remain.就算大米价格下跌，其它阻止导致贫困的因素仍然存在。

7 ripples   

逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The moon danced on the ripples. 月亮在涟漪上舞动。
• The sea leaves ripples on the sand. 海水在沙滩上留下了波痕。