VOA标准英语2011--网络“心愿礼物单”在美国流行

Online Access Spurs Popularity of Gift Registries

网络“心愿礼物单”在美国流行

Once upon a time in America, people receiving gifts had no idea what was wrapped in the pretty paper. Surprise was part of the delight. The givers chose presents with care and imagination, and hoped the recipients¹ would treasure them.

过去在美国，人们收到礼物时，并不知道漂亮的包装纸里裹的是什么，开心之余还有惊喜。送礼者发挥想象力，精挑细选，希望受礼者珍爱。

But that was before something called gift registries came along and caught on among newly married couples and mothers-to-be. The bride-to-be, usually, or the expectant mother, marched down to the local department store and registered. If she fancied a certain spoon pattern, or a particular pillowcase - or a special crib for little “Babykins”-to-come - she’d put these items on her wish list, then tell her friends she was “registered” at that store.

自从“礼物登记”出现，并广受新婚夫妇和准妈妈青睐，情况就不同了。通常是准新娘或准妈妈来到当地商场注册登记，如果她喜欢某款汤匙，或是一款枕套，或是为未来宝宝买的某一特定的小儿床，她就把这些想要的东西写在愿望单上，然后告诉朋友她已在那家商店“注册”过。

For gift-givers, this meant no more fretting² over what the happy couple might like as they start life together, or what would be ideal for Babykins. Like a supply clerk filling an order, they picked something from the registry, and the store checked it off the list.

对送礼者来说，这样就不必花心思去想给开始共同生活的快乐夫妇送什么了，或是去想送宝宝什么最合适。就像供应办事员填写订购单一样，他们从注册单里选择合适的礼物，商店在清单里做标记。

The wine, and maybe the book this bride-to-be has just opened, were probably on her bridal shower gift list.

Then came the Internet, and online registries popped up like mushrooms after a Spring rain. Now, online, you can register your every material desire - not just the gifts you’d love to get for weddings and baby parties - but also your wishes for bar mitzvahs, graduations, holidays, and retirements³.

在网上，在线注册如雨后春笋般大量出现。如今，你可以在网上登记任何你想要的东西，不仅是婚礼或宝宝礼品，你也可以登记你想要的成人礼、毕业、假日和退休礼物。

Even if there’s no special occasion, these registries will record your or your family’s material dreams - just in case somebody wants to give you something. Right there in cyberspace⁴ for all to see, you can list that fireplace screen you’ve always wanted, a hard-to-find video for Johnny, and a particular, perhaps expensive, camera for Sue.

即便没有特别的节日，你也可以登记你梦想的家庭日常用品，以备有人想送给你。在这个人人都能看到的网络空间，你可以列出一直渴望的壁炉屏保，想给约翰尼买的那张很难找的录像带，或是想送给苏的那款可能很贵的照相机。

Gift registries save shopping time. They take the guesswork out of giving. But a lot of the affection, too. And they leave the stubborn few who still insist on surprising someone to quiver with doubt: “Will she like this toaster? And will she still like me?”

礼物登记可以节省购物时间，免去了送礼物时猜来猜去的麻烦，同时也让人喜欢。这让那些少数坚持送惊喜的顽固者怀疑：“她会喜欢这个烤箱吗？她还会喜欢我吗？”

1 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 fretting   

n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的

参考例句：

• Fretting about it won't help. 苦恼于事无补。
• The old lady is always fretting over something unimportant. 那位老妇人总是为一些小事焦虑不安。

3 retirements   

退休( retirement的名词复数 )； 退职； 退役； 退休的实例

参考例句：

• We've had two retirements in our office this year. 今年我们办公室已有二人退休。
• Those may take the form of sackings redundancies, temporary layoffs or retirements. 这些形式有开除，作为编余人员，暂时解雇或退休。

4 cyberspace   

n.虚拟信息空间，网络空间，计算机化世界

参考例句：

• She travels in cyberspace by sending messages to friends around the world.她利用电子空间给世界各地的朋友们发送信件。
• The teens spend more time in cyberspace than in the real world of friends and family.青少年花费在电脑上的时间比他们和真正的朋友及家人在一起的时间要多。