英语听力精选进阶版 19611

Downsize 很多情境下我们都需要缩减规模

Would you be ready to downsize?

Neil: Hello. Neil here with you. And this is Feifei.

Feifei: Hello!

Neil: The word we are going to focus on today is the verb ‘to downsize’. That’s the word companies use to describe cutting a number of jobs and making employees redundant¹. ‘Downsizing’ is the noun².

Feifei: Yes. When they make workers redundant the companies become smaller in size. They downsize. 如果一个公司企业决定裁员从而缩小其规模，这个行为就可以用动词 downsize 来形容。Downsizing 是其名词形式。

Neil: You might have heard or read this verb during the economic downturn of the last few years. As most people were short of cash, they decided³ to save the money they did have and it had an impact⁴ on businesses all over the world.

Feifei: And some people have started applying the term to their own situations. If you've had to sell your house and move to a smaller flat, for example, you might say you were ‘downsizing’. 这个词也适用于个人生活里的一些改变。比如，因为需要，你卖了大房子，然后般进小房子去住，这你就可以说“你在 downsizing”。

Neil: ‘To downsize’ is today's expression in Authentic⁵ Real English. Let's hear some examples of how it's used.

Examples

The growth of online sales in the UK has forced many retail⁶ businesses to downsize. Some of them have reduced their number of outlets⁷ in the high street.

Now that I am going to university, my parents have decided to downsize. They are selling the house, moving to a flat and using some of the money to travel the world.

Feifei: 诶，Neil, 你要不介意我说啊你就应该缩小缩小规模。I think you would benefit from downsizing.

Neil: What do you mean? I don’t own a company and I’m not selling my house.

Feifei: No but I've noticed you've… well, you know, you really enjoy your food, 你挺爱吃的，不是吗？

Neil: Are you calling me fat!?

Feifei: Oh no, no, no… well, yes. A little.

Neil: How dare you! And anyway, we don't use 'downsize' for bodies, so you're confusing our audience!

Feifei: Sorry, Neil.

Neil: I am a bit fat, actually…

Feifei: Well, maybe if the company downsizes, you won't be able to afford all those meat pies.

Neil: That’s what I like about you, Feifei. You always look on the bright side.

1 redundant   

adj.多余的，过剩的；(食物)丰富的；被解雇的

参考例句：

• There are too many redundant words in this book.这本书里多余的词太多。
• Nearly all the redundant worker have been absorbed into other departments.几乎所有冗员，都已调往其他部门任职。

2 noun   

n.名词

参考例句：

• What kind of noun is this?这是哪类名词？
• This word is a collective noun.这个词是个集体名词。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 impact   

n.冲击，碰撞；影响；vt.装紧，压紧

参考例句：

• The computer had made a great impact on modern life.计算机对现代生活产生了巨大的影响.
• How will the war impact on such a poet?战争对这样一个诗人会产生什么影响？

5 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

6 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

7 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》