英语听力精选进阶版 6394

We expect companies selling products to make them as available as possible. But now some of them are bringing back rationing¹. As you might expect, it's all part of a plan to make us spend more, not less.

Once upon a time, goods were scarce², and hard to get for all but the extremely wealthy. But industrial mass production has changed all of that. Factories all over the world are pumping out bright and beautiful objects.

When everyone has to wait and save up for new things, owning them feels exciting and special. But when lovely things are available every day, they stop being a treat.

Another feature of consumer society is that we aim for social distinction through what we own. But if everyone has lots of stuff³, how can we impress anyone with our purchases? All of this takes the fun out of shopping and means there's a limit to how much consumerism can grow.

This is deeply worrying to companies, and some of them have started to fight it, by creating artificial⁴ scarcity⁵. For example, in Singapore, a small cafe called Liberty⁶ Coffee only opens on random⁷ days. It sometimes stays closed for over a week at a time. Swedish rapper Adam Tensta has limited access to his latest track. Only one person at a time can access it, and fans must take their place in a digital queue.

This trend means we can again own something rare. But the risk for these companies is that in a world of so much stuff, if they make their products too hard to get, we'll just buy from someone else instead.

Quiz 测验

1. According to the article, what happens when we can have lovely things every day?

They stop being a treat.

2. Does industrial mass production make goods more or less scarce?

It makes them less scarce.

3. Which examples of artificial scarcity does the article give?

Swedish rapper Adam Tensta's music and Liberty Coffee in Singapore.

4. Why do fans of Adam Tensta have to queue to hear his music?

Because only one person can access the track at a time.

5. Which days does Liberty Coffee open?

It opens on random days.

Glossary 词汇表

products 产品

available 有货，可买到的

rationing 定量供应

scarce 稀少的

hard to get 难以获得的

industrial mass production 工业化的大批量生产

pumping out 批量推出

save up for 存钱以便（购买某物）

treat 款待

consumer society 消费者社会

social distinction 优等社会地位

stuff （泛指任何）物品，东西

impress 给人深刻印象

purchases 购买

takes the fun out of 失去了乐趣（意义）

artificial scarcity 人为的物品缺乏

random 任意的

limited access to 限制收听权

queue 队伍

trend 潮流

rare 稀罕的

1 rationing   

n.定量供应

参考例句：

• Wartime austerities included food rationing and shortage of fuel. 战时的艰苦包括食物配给和燃料短缺。
• Food rationing was abolished in that country long ago. 那个国家早就取消了粮食配给制。

2 scarce   

adj.缺乏的，不足的；稀少的，罕见的

参考例句：

• The food was scarce during the war.战争期间食物短缺。
• This kind of material is rather scarce.这种原料较缺。

3 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

4 artificial   

adj.人工的，人造的，人为的；做作的，假装的

参考例句：

• The new dam will form a large artificial lake behind it.新筑的水坝将会在后面形成一个人工湖。
• We don't use any artificial flavourings in our products.我们的产品不使用任何人工调味剂。

5 scarcity   

n.缺乏，不足，萧条

参考例句：

• The scarcity of skilled workers is worrying the government.熟练工人的缺乏困扰着政府。
• The scarcity of fruit was caused by the drought.水果供不应求是由于干旱造成的。

6 liberty   

n.自由，自由权；冒昧行为

参考例句：

• He stood for the cause of liberty and justice.他为自由和正义的事业而奋斗。
• You are at liberty to do as you please.你可以随意行事。

7 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。