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2006年VOA标准英语-In Kenya, It's Beginning to Look a Lot More Lik

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By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
22 December 2006

The meaning and expression of Christmas is changing in Kenya, with more and more people buying expensive gifts and many choosing to stay in the city or go to the coast rather than travel to the country villages to visit extended family. Cathy Majtenyi visited her neighborhood department store in the capital Nairobi and files this report for VOA.

A child plays with a Santa Claus display model at a shopping mall in Nairobi, 21 Dec. 2006
A child plays with a Santa Claus display model at a shopping mall in Nairobi, 21 Dec. 2006
A plastic mechanical Santa Claus, clothed in his red velvet1 suit and hat, dips and sways as he greets shoppers perusing2 the isles3 of Nakumatt, one of Kenya's largest department store chains.

Christmas trees twinkle as the shoppers browse4 among microwaves, fridges, clothing, toys, books, and other goods, checking to see what gifts their holiday budgets will enable them to take home.

Elizabeth Kisebu and her husband and two children are looking for a Christmas tree and cards in the stationery5 section.

She tells VOA she has been putting money aside all year to buy Christmas gifts for her family. Kisebu says she intends to spend up to 20,000 shillings, or close to $290, for this year's gifts, much more than the 5,000 shillings, or around $72 she used to spend some five years ago.

For Kisebu, holiday expenses are a pressure to her. She shares with VOA how Christmas has changed for her since the days of her childhood.

"It's very different," she said. "When I was small, there was a lot of excitement, you know, you go to church. But now, not a lot of premium6 is placed on going to church. We are more concerned with, what are we going to eat, what are we going to wear. The meaning seems to have gotten lost somewhere along the way. I guess for Africans maybe it's different. It wasn't really gift buying and stuff like that, but like I said, times are changing."

On the other end of the store, a real-life Santa Claus, Nakumatt employee Jacob Yiega, rings his bell and winks7 at the children darting8 in and out of the isles.

He says he was inspired to become Santa because of Christmas movies he has seen coming from the West and novels he read growing up.

As a child, Yiega recalls how people used to give each other small gifts as a way of commemorating9 the birth of Jesus Christ. Now, he says, the season is referred to as "X-mas" and most people's focus is on the presents.

"Nowadays, you see people can go and buy something worth about 5,000, 6,000 [shillings; about $80], but long time ago, somebody can just come with a bunch of bananas and give you like a gift, but nowadays, people go and buy big, huge items as a Christmas gift," he said. "When they walk with their parents, children run and come and say, 'Daddy, I want this, I want a toy, I want such a thing.' But long time ago, your parents would go to the shop and buy something and give it to you."

Yiega says that the most favorite and popular gifts for children are dresses, suits, and other clothing as, Yiega explains, children consider Christmas to be a time to wear new things that will last for the following year.

James Ndongo, who is in charge of the appliance and electronic section at this Nakumatt branch, tells VOA the increased spending he witnesses in his department, which he attributes to growing Western influence and culture, is a sign of good economic times in Kenya.

"If you even ask some people, 'Why do you think you can afford to buy this at this time and you're telling me down about two or three years' time [ago] you couldn't,' you find some, even young people, just saying right now they're able to buy something because it is easier to get even access to loans in the banks," he explained.

The focus on buying bigger and better gifts has changed the way many people spend their holidays. Traditionally, most people left the cities at Christmas time to join their extended families in villages in the countryside.

Now, many are opting10 to stay in the city or spend a few days at a resort on Kenya's coast.

Shopper Kisebu explains why.

"Previously11 it [Christmas] was more to do with being together as a family," she said. "But now, if being together as a family means being together with extended family, it's a lot of money, so you'd rather sometimes even just spend time on your own, with your little family. You have 20,000 (shillings) to spread among fewer people if you're just immediate12 family, but if you have to everywhere, you have to spread it a little thinner."

But the season is not just about consumerism, says Patricia Mbatia, public relations officer at the television cable company Multi-Choice Kenya.

Her company is one of several that have banded together to encourage shoppers to donate food and other items for poor children living in up to 300 children's homes across Kenya. All Nakumatt locations across the country have bins13 where people can donate groceries, clothing, books, and other supplies for the children.

Mbatia says she and her colleagues saw impressive results from the campaign last year.

"I think Christmas has a certain aura about it, about giving, because lots of people are shopping and there's all this excitement. I think it's an easier time for people to give," she said.

Mbatia says the level of donations keeps rising. Last year's tally14 was about $72,000's worth of food and materials; the year before that was $43,000 and, when the campaign first began several years ago, about $14,000.


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1 velvet 5gqyO     
n.丝绒,天鹅绒;adj.丝绒制的,柔软的
参考例句:
  • This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
  • The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。
2 perusing bcaed05acf3fe41c30fcdcb9d74c5abe     
v.读(某篇文字)( peruse的现在分词 );(尤指)细阅;审阅;匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览(某篇文字)
参考例句:
  • She found the information while she was perusing a copy of Life magazine. 她在读《生活》杂志的时候看到了这个消息。 来自辞典例句
  • Hence people who began by beholding him ended by perusing him. 所以人们从随便看一看他开始的,都要以仔细捉摸他而终结。 来自辞典例句
3 isles 4c841d3b2d643e7e26f4a3932a4a886a     
岛( isle的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • the geology of the British Isles 不列颠群岛的地质
  • The boat left for the isles. 小船驶向那些小岛。
4 browse GSWye     
vi.随意翻阅,浏览;(牛、羊等)吃草
参考例句:
  • I had a browse through the books on her shelf.我浏览了一下她书架上的书。
  • It is a good idea to browse through it first.最好先通篇浏览一遍。
5 stationery ku6wb     
n.文具;(配套的)信笺信封
参考例句:
  • She works in the stationery department of a big store.她在一家大商店的文具部工作。
  • There was something very comfortable in having plenty of stationery.文具一多,心里自会觉得踏实。
6 premium EPSxX     
n.加付款;赠品;adj.高级的;售价高的
参考例句:
  • You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
  • Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后,清水便因稀而贵了。
7 winks 1dd82fc4464d9ba6c78757a872e12679     
v.使眼色( wink的第三人称单数 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮
参考例句:
  • I'll feel much better when I've had forty winks. 我打个盹就会感到好得多。
  • The planes were little silver winks way out to the west. 飞机在西边老远的地方,看上去只是些很小的银色光点。 来自辞典例句
8 darting darting     
v.投掷,投射( dart的现在分词 );向前冲,飞奔
参考例句:
  • Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句
9 commemorating c2126128e74c5800f2f2295f86f3989d     
v.纪念,庆祝( commemorate的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements. 他被授予一幅卷轴,以表彰其所做出的成就。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The post office issued a series commemorating famous American entertainers. 邮局发行了一个纪念美国著名演艺人员的系列邮票。 来自互联网
10 opting e6a09ce5b5c8079c1654586c4e1dc5b3     
v.选择,挑选( opt的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • What courses are most students opting for? 多数学生选什么课程? 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Wells doesn't rule out opting out and then re-signing with Houston. 威尔斯没有排除跳出合同再与火箭重签的可能。 来自互联网
11 previously bkzzzC     
adv.以前,先前(地)
参考例句:
  • The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
  • Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿,解释原先发生了什么。
12 immediate aapxh     
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的
参考例句:
  • His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
  • We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
13 bins f61657e8b1aa35d4af30522a25c4df3a     
n.大储藏箱( bin的名词复数 );宽口箱(如面包箱,垃圾箱等)v.扔掉,丢弃( bin的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • Garbage from all sources was deposited in bins on trolleys. 来自各方的垃圾是装在手推车上的垃圾箱里的。 来自辞典例句
  • Would you be pleased at the prospect of its being on sale in dump bins? 对于它将被陈列在倾销箱中抛售这件事,你能欣然接受吗? 来自辞典例句
14 tally Gg1yq     
n.计数器,记分,一致,测量;vt.计算,记录,使一致;vi.计算,记分,一致
参考例句:
  • Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
  • The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。

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