VOA慢速英语2018 美国人花钱为宠物做更多的事

Americans Spending and Doing More for Their Pets

More and more American families own pets.

越来越多美国家庭养宠物。

A recent study says that 85 million families in the United States own a pet.

最近一项研究表明，美国85%的家庭养宠物。

The American Pet Products Association’s study for the years 2017-2018 says that represents 68 percent of all families in the U.S.

美国宠物用品协会2017-2018年的这项调查表明，养宠物家庭占到了美国所有家庭的68%。

Thirty years ago, when the study was first done, 56 percent of families owned a pet.

30年前当这项调查初次完成时，有56%的家庭养有宠物。

The survey found dogs are the most popular pets. Sixty-point-two percent of homes own one. Cats are the second most popular with 47.1 percent of families reporting they had a cat. Freshwater fish came in third with 12.5 percent.

调查发现，狗是最受欢迎的宠物，62%的家庭养狗。猫是第二受欢迎的，47.1%的家庭称他们养猫。淡水鱼排在第三位，占全部家庭的12.5%。

Nicki Dobson is head of marketing¹ and communication for Three Dog Bakery. The business calls itself the "original bakery for dogs." She said pets have become especially popular among Americans in the past 10 years.

妮琪·多布森（Nicki Dobson）是三犬糕饼房的营销传播负责人。该公司自称为狗狗最早的糕饼房。她说，过去10年里，宠物在美国人当中变得特别受欢迎。

She said, "People are having more pets and less children. People are concerned about what they eat. Our whole premise² was trying to make things with human-grade ingredients³ and a focus on nutrition. They look like human food, but they're meant for pets."

她说：“人们开始养更多的宠物，生更少的孩子。人们关心宠物们吃什么。我们的设想是尝试用人用级别的成分制作食物并注重营养。它们看上去像是人类食物，但是是给宠物食用的。”

Another company, Posh Puppy⁴ Boutique, sells clothes, jewelry⁵ and other items for dogs.

另一家 Posh Puppy Boutique 公司销售狗用的服装、珠宝以及其它物品。

There are also pet hotels and pet health centers. One study found that Americans spend about $126 each month on their pets.

此外还有宠物酒店和宠物医院。一项研究发现，美国人每个月在他们的宠物身上花费126美元左右。

Three Dog Bakery opened in 1989. Dobson says there are now 45 bakeries around the world, including in Canada and China. She said cakes are the most popular item. She added that some people pay $50-75 on baked goods each week for their pets.

三犬糕饼屋于1989年开业。多布森表示，他们现在在全球有45家店，包括加拿大和中国在内。她说，蛋糕是最受欢迎的品种。她还说，有些人每周给他们的宠物在烘培食品上花50到70美元。

Pets rather than children?

宠物胜过孩子？

Some younger Americans seem to be choosing pets over having children. Some are making big life decisions, such as buying a home, around the lives of their pets.

一些美国年轻人似乎选择了养宠物而不是生孩子。有些人开始围绕宠物生活来做重大的人生决定，例如购买房子。

The SunTrust banking⁶ company did a study in 2017 of people under the age of 40 buying their first home. The study found that 33 percent said a good yard or good space for their pets influenced them to buy a new home. Only 25 percent said marriage was a reason, and 19 percent said the birth of a child.

美国太阳信托银行2017年对40岁以下人士购买首套房屋做了一项调查。调查发现，33%的受访者认为，一处适合宠物的好院子或空地促使他们购买新房。只有25%的受访者认为婚姻，19%的受访者认为孩子出生是买房理由。

Some companies now offer pet benefits such as pet insurance. They are also offering "pawternity" leave, which gives workers free time to spend with their new pets.

一些公司现在提供宠物福利，例如宠物保险。他们还提供宠物假，让员工们有时间跟他们的新宠物们在一起。

Dobson noted⁷ that taking dogs to work is now popular in places that permit it.

多布森指出，现在在一些规定允许的公司，带狗上班很盛行。

Americans' love for their pets is even influencing their travel plans. A recent survey found that 49 percent of pet owners have not left the country since owning their pet. Sixty-eight percent of those said it was because they feel guilty leaving their pets alone.

美国人对其宠物的爱甚至影响到了他们的旅行计划。最近一项调查发现，49%的宠物主人自从养有宠物之后再没有出过国。68%的受访者表示，这是因为他们觉得把宠物单独留下会很内疚。

Health experts say pets can improve the health of their owners. The American-based Centers for Disease⁸ Control and Prevention says pets can reduce blood pressure, cholesterol⁹ levels and feelings of loneliness.

健康专家表示，宠物可以改善主人的健康。美国疾病控制和预防中心表示，宠物可以帮助降低血压、胆固醇水平以及孤独感。

The CDC adds that pets also offer chances for outdoor exercise and socialization with other people.

美国疾病控制和预防中心还表示，宠物也给主人提供了户外运动以及与他们社交的机会。

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

original –adj. happening or existing first or at the beginning

premise – n. a statement or idea that is accepted as being true and that is used as the basis of an argument

focus – n. a main purpose or interest

benefits –n. something extra (such as vacation time or health insurance) that is given by an employer¹⁰ to workers in addition to their regular pay

insurance –n. an agreement in which a person makes regular payments to a company and for which the company promises to pay money if a person suffers a loss (of their home, or health)

1 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

2 premise   

n.前提；v.提论，预述

参考例句：

• Let me premise my argument with a bit of history.让我引述一些史实作为我立论的前提。
• We can deduce a conclusion from the premise.我们可以从这个前提推出结论。

3 ingredients   

n.（混合物的）组成部分( ingredient的名词复数 )；（烹调的）原料；（构成）要素；因素

参考例句：

• All ingredients are readily available from your local store. 所有的原料都可以方便地从你当地的商店买到。
• We never use second quality ingredients to build building. 我们决不使用次等材料用于建筑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 puppy   

n.小狗，幼犬

参考例句：

• You must school your puppy to obey you.你要训练你的小狗服从你。
• Their lively puppy frisks all over the house.他们的小狗在屋里到处欢快地蹦跳。

5 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

6 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

9 cholesterol   

n.（U）胆固醇

参考例句：

• There is cholesterol in the cell of body.人体细胞里有胆固醇。
• They are determining the serum-protein and cholesterol levels.他们正在测定血清蛋白和胆固醇的浓度。

10 employer   

n.雇用方，雇主

参考例句：

• My employer deducted ten pounds from my wages this week.我的雇主从我本周的工钱中扣除了十英镑。
• His monthly salary is paid into the bank by his employer.他的月薪由雇主替他存入银行。