【双语有声阅读】我们这个时代的购物狂(上)

Shopaholics of Our Times

我们这个时代的购物狂

In trying to keep up with the Jones, many people buy more than they can really afford.

人们都试图跟随琼斯，许多人购物超过了他们的承受能力。

For some who purchase many items they neither need or use, however, there is more than merely trying to keep up with the Jones going on.

然而，那些购买很多既不需要也不使用的东西的人，不仅仅是想要跟随琼斯的脚步。

These people have a compulsive shopping disorder¹, addicted² to going to malls and buying things they really don't need.

这些人患有购物强迫症，沉溺于逛商场，买自己不需要的东西。

They spend a lot of time juggling³ accounts and bills to be able to continue to shop for more things and lie to others about the amount of shopping done and the amount of money spent.

他们花很多时间摆平账户和账单，为了买更多的东西，有关购物数量和所花金额对别人撒谎。

Compulsive shopping is the uncontrollable desire to purchase items.

购物强迫症指对购物有种无法遏制的强烈愿望。

In a society that celebrates spending and credit, this behavior is usually looked upon as a joke rather than a serious problem.

在一个秀支出和信贷的社会里，这种行为常被看成一个笑话，而不是一个严重的问题。

Shopaholics are often viewed as merely being financially irresponsible and therefore left on their own with no support in dealing⁴ with their problem.

购物狂不仅被视为金钱上的不负责任，而且也会令自己再遇到困难的时候变得束手无策。

Studies indicate that as many as 1 in 12 people in the US suffer from shopaholism with 80%-90% of those suffering from it being women.

研究表明在美国12个人里就有1个患有购物狂症，其中80%到90%是女性。

The typical compulsive buyer is a woman in her early to mid-30s who has a number of credit cards and whose family earns a low to middle income.

典型的强迫性购物狂是30到35岁间的女性，她们有一系列的信用卡，家庭收入处于低到中等水平。

The shopaholism can have devastating⁵ effects.

购物狂症会带来毁灭性打击。

It often leads to financial problems, such as overspending and can also create mental and emotional difficulties.

它常会导致经济困境，比如过度消费，还可能会产生精神和情感的困扰。

1 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

2 addicted   

adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的

参考例句：

• He was addicted to heroin at the age of 17.他17岁的时候对海洛因上了瘾。
• She's become addicted to love stories.她迷上了爱情小说。

3 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。