2014年ESL之商务英语 20 Farming and Agribusiness

 

Farming and Agribusiness 

Brad: Is this your first visit to this area? 

Irene: It is and I’m surprised to see so many farms. I thought farming was a dying industry. 

Brad: Family farms and small-scale farming are disappearing, but agribusiness is alive and well, thanks to government subsidies¹. 

Irene: Are they lucrative²? 

Brad: They can be, but the subsidies were originally given to protect the livelihood³ of farmers. 

Irene: And that’s not what’s happening? 

Brad: Well, agribusiness has edged out small-scale farms because output is the name of the game. A lot of small- scale farmers have thrown in the towel. 

Irene: That’s a shame, but the subsidies are still used to protect domestic food production, right? 

Brad: That may be, but we’re losing a way of life. I come from a long line of farmers. 

Irene: And you’re not farming? 

Brad: Nope. 

Irene: What do you do? 

Brad: I work for the government agency that gives out subsidies to the very farms that put us out of business. 

Irene: That’s quite a twist of fate. 

Brad: You said it. 

 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse 

1 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

3 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。