英语听力精选进阶版 6088（在线收听）

There are only 12 shopping days until Christmas, and the British public is going present-shopping crazy. But some parents might have left it too late to buy the present their child really wants for Christmas.

Every year there seems to be a certain craze which sweeps across Britain, whether through clever marketing or peer pressure, so that practically every child in the country wants the same thing for Christmas.

Of course, with thousands of parents trying to make their child's Christmas, it's quite easy for the most popular presents to get sold out before everyone can buy one. This leads to parents going to extraordinary lengths to find the desired gift.

In past years, the most favoured toys have included Tracy Island, from the 'Thunderbirds' TV series, and Buzz Lightyear, from the 'Toy Story' film.This years must-have present is the Nintendo Wii, an indication that British children are becoming more and more technologically savvy.

Other presents which are expected to top Christmas wish-lists this year are several toys related to TV programmes, such as popular science-fiction series 'Doctor Who', and pre-school sensation 'In the Night Garden', as well as the main character from the 'Transformers' movie.

As parents desperately search shops and online retailers for the gifts their children want, some people are cashing in. Those who predicted the trends bought some of the top presents earlier in the year, and can now sell them for great profits on online auction websites.

Special stock-check websites have been set up to alert parents as soon as a certain item becomes available anywhere. But with so many people signed up it'll still be a race against time to buy the toys before they sell out again.

Some children will inevitably be disappointed on Christmas morning, but let's hope that the chocolates, Christmas dinner and the many other presents will make up for it.

GLOSSARY 词汇表

shopping days 购物日

marketing 市场推销

peer pressure 同行压力

to make 使…成功

going to extraordinary lengths 不遗余力的

must-have 必备的

savvy 有见识的

wish-lists （盼望的）礼物清单

science-fiction 科幻

sensation 轰动

cashing in （抓住机会捞一把）赚钱

predicted 预测的 

trends 潮流

signed up 登记

auction 拍卖

stock-check 查看进货

to alert 通知；提醒

a race against time 和时间赛跑

inevitably 难免地

make up for it 补偿