20万国人英国狂扫货 十一黄金周消费5亿磅

 Struggling under the weight of packed bags from luxury stores including Prada and Louis Vuitton, Amy Jiang pauses for breath. Theglittering mall is doing a brisk trade, with queues thronging¹ the popular shops and the most sought-after fashion items selling out fast.

在英国的Prada和LV店里疯狂扫货之后，中国女孩艾米决定停下来稍作休息。这些闪闪发光的奢侈品店生意相当好，店里购物的人群排长队，热销的单品顷刻就卖光了。

Giggling², Amy inspects her purchases, including a ?1,010 bubblegum-pink Miu Miu cashmere sweater, a black Gucci cocktail⁴ purse costing ?430, a ?335 Vuitton shawl and a Prada robot key-chain costing a mere³ ?115.

艾米满意地看着自己的“战利品”：粉红色的Miu Miu羊绒毛衫，价格1010英镑（约1万人民币）；黑色Gucci晚宴手拿包，价格430英镑（约4200元人民币）；LV的围巾，价格335英镑（约3300元人民币）；Prada机器人钥匙扣，价格115英镑（约1140元人民币）。

Like thousands of other Chinese nationals she is in the UK during Golden Week, China’s national anniversary holiday — and a full-on British shopping spree is how to celebrate.

和其他来英旅游的中国人一样，在这个中国国庆的黄金周里，艾米他们通过在英国疯狂购物来庆祝这一节日。

This year is London’s busiest Golden Week ever, with more than 200,000 Chinese estimated to visit, bringing a welcome boost of around half a billion pounds to our economy.

今年有伦敦最忙的一个黄金周，预计约有20万中国人来这里旅游，同时带来的还有5亿英镑的经济增长额。

This year, the People’s Republic of China celebrates its 65th anniversary, during which the whole nation gets three days paid holiday for Golden Week. Its government started the tradition in 1999 to boost domestic tourism, but since then it has become the fashion for the wealthier inhabitants to fly abroad.

今年是中华人民共和国建国65周年，国庆黄金周的七天里，包括3天的带薪休假。这样的休假方式始于1999年，目的是促进中国国内旅游业，但从那时开始这个假期也同时成为了中国有钱人海外购物的狂欢节。

China’s economy has been booming in recent years. Its purchasing power is set to exceed that of the U.S. this year, and is on track to become the number one global economy by the early 2020s. In short, it has produced some seriously wealthy young things, eager to spend their cash.

近年来中国的经济增长迅猛，其购买力也将在今年超过美国，预计到本世纪二十年代初期，中国经济将跃居全球第一。总之，中国富有的年轻人越来越多，他们急切地要花出钱包里大笔的钞票。

Myf Ryan, director of marketing⁵ in the UK and Europe for Westfield, says that China have become ‘the number one international market to visit Westfield London, particularly The Village — the luxury area of the mall.

威斯菲尔德的英国和欧洲市场营销主管莱恩称，中国是伦敦威斯菲尔德购物中心排名第一的国际市场，尤其吸引中国游客的是购物中心内的奢侈品区。

Westfield’s Cantonese-speaking concierge⁶ service is designed to cater⁷ to the every whim⁸ of its wealthy visitors. The concierge confirms the Chinese are distinct from other nations, with their own cultural mores⁹: ‘They are very organised and plan their trip day by day, hour by hour. They have done their research, and brand-wise they know what’s on-trend.

威斯菲尔德购物中心提供粤语服务就是为了迎合中国的有钱游客。店员称中国人不同于其他国家的游客，他们有着自己的购物习惯。“他们非常有条理，计划好了每天每时每刻的行程安排。他们来之前就做好了调查，知道哪些牌子哪些款式最流行。”

Unlike Middle Eastern shoppers — who make a similar annual splurge in the capital in the summer, nicknamed the Ramadan Rush — the Chinese don’t usually drive around in flash cars making outrageous¹⁰ displays of wealth. Instead, they’ll take public transport, or — in the case of those descending¹¹ on Bicester Village, the discount luxury retailer¹² in Oxfordshire — go by coach.

中东有钱的购物者每年夏天也都会来伦敦大购物一次，被称为“斋月高峰”。与他们不同，中国的购物者通常并不会开着豪车四处炫富。他们会使用公共交通，比如乘坐大巴车到比斯特购物村或是牛津的奢侈品零售打折店里扫货。

But like the Middle Eastern tourists, they do spend unbelievable amounts of money.

但和中东游客相同的是，中国人的花钱数额也相当惊人。

It’s little wonder retailers¹³ refer to this Chinese custom as ‘The Great Wallets of China’.

所以商家称中国人有“中国的大钱包”也不足为奇。

Kirsty Du and Han Zhun from Beijing have spent two hours in the Louis Vuitton store in Westfield’s luxury Village area, examining every bag they could lay their hands on.

来自北京的杜和寒已经在威斯菲尔德购物中心奢侈品区的LV店里呆了两个多小时了，他们仔细检查着想买的每一个包。

They have bought two — a clutch and a wallet — and spent more than ?3,000. They’re off to Gucci next.

最后他们花了3000英镑（月2.9万元人民币）买了一个手拿包和一个钱包。他们的下一站是Gucci店。

Harrods is a must-see destination for Chinese visitors, who can converse¹⁴ easily with the 100 Mandarin-speaking staff.

哈罗德百货商店是中国游客必去的一个地方，这里可以轻松找到说标准普通话的店员。

Harrods, like many luxury stores, now takes the CUP or China Union Pay card, which allows Chinese customers to see and complete the transaction in their own currency.

和其他奢侈品店一样，哈罗德百货商店里也可以使用中国的银联卡结账了，这使得中国游客可以用人民币直接结算。

These eager shoppers touch everything. In Selfridges’ watch department, one Chinese man is mulling over a ?60,000 black number by Panerai while another girl tries to choose between a white-strapped Jaeger LeCoultre and an IWC, both more than ?10,000.

急切购物的中国游客几乎对所有商品都感兴趣。在塞尔福里奇百货的手表店里，一位中国男士在精挑细选一款价格为6万英镑（约59万人民币）的Panerai手表，而另一名年轻女孩在一款白色积家手表和一款万国手表间举棋不定，这两款价格都超过1万英镑（约9.9万人民币）。

As Myf Ryan puts it: ‘The Chinese love luxury.’

正如莱恩说的那样：“中国人热爱奢侈品。”

And, of course, in London, luxury loves them right back.

所以当然，在伦敦，奢侈品也同样热爱中国人。

1 thronging   

v.成群，挤满( throng的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Architects from around the world are thronging to Beijing theacross the capital. 来自世界各地的建筑师都蜂拥而至这座处处高楼耸立的大都市——北京。 来自互联网
• People are thronging to his new play. 人们成群结队地去看他那出新戏。 来自互联网

2 giggling   

v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• We just sat there giggling like naughty schoolchildren. 我们只是坐在那儿像调皮的小学生一样的咯咯地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I can't stand her giggling, she's so silly. 她吃吃地笑，叫我真受不了，那样子傻透了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

4 cocktail   

n.鸡尾酒；餐前开胃小吃；混合物

参考例句：

• We invited some foreign friends for a cocktail party.我们邀请了一些外国朋友参加鸡尾酒会。
• At a cocktail party in Hollywood,I was introduced to Charlie Chaplin.在好莱坞的一次鸡尾酒会上，人家把我介绍给查理·卓别林。

5 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。

6 concierge   

n.管理员；门房

参考例句：

• This time the concierge was surprised to the point of bewilderment.这时候看门人惊奇到了困惑不解的地步。
• As I went into the dining-room the concierge brought me a police bulletin to fill out.我走进餐厅的时候，看门人拿来一张警察局发的表格要我填。

7 cater   

vi.(for/to)满足，迎合；(for)提供饮食及服务

参考例句：

• I expect he will be able to cater for your particular needs.我预计他能满足你的特殊需要。
• Most schools cater for children of different abilities.大多数学校能够满足具有不同天资的儿童的需要。

8 whim   

n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想

参考例句：

• I bought the encyclopedia on a whim.我凭一时的兴致买了这本百科全书。
• He had a sudden whim to go sailing today.今天他突然想要去航海。

9 mores   

n.风俗，习惯，民德，道德观念

参考例句：

• The mores of that village are hard to believe.那村子的习俗让人难以置信。
• We advocate a harmonious society where corruption is swept away,and social mores are cleared.我们提倡弊绝风清，建设一个和谐社会。

10 outrageous   

adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的

参考例句：

• Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
• Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。

11 descending   

n. 下行 adj. 下降的

参考例句：

• The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。
• The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。

12 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

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 converse   

vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反

参考例句：

• He can converse in three languages.他可以用3种语言谈话。
• I wanted to appear friendly and approachable but I think I gave the converse impression.我想显得友好、平易近人些,却发觉给人的印象恰恰相反。