VOA标准英语2011--Chinese Goods Top Christmas Wish List In Cameroon

Chinese Goods Top Christmas Wish List In Cameroon

 

中国商品在喀麦隆圣诞节愿望清单中成为抢手货

For many in predominantly Chrisian Cameroon, Christmas without new dresses, playthings and extraordinary food is unthinkable. Family breadwinners must provide them all for their spouses¹, kids and other dependents to guarantee a happy and peaceful holiday.

喀麦隆的绝大多数基督教徒无法想象自己的圣诞节没有新衣服,玩物及异乎寻常的食物。在家庭中负责生计的人必须保障其配偶,孩子及家属渡过幸福安宁的假期。

Across the country this year, the traditional hustle² and bustle³ that usually heralds⁴ the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ started off slowly. Until a few days ago, traders grumbled⁵ about poor sales, fearing they may end up with piles of unsold stocks of the seasonal⁶ Christmas goods.

今年全国传统的熙熙攘攘通常预示着纪念耶稣基督的出生已经开始。直到几天前,交易者们还在抱怨可怜的销售额,担心季节性的圣诞节商品砸在自己手里卖不出去。

Civil servants complained the government had failed to pay their salaries on time. Others said they were waiting for the last minute rush and a possible drop in prices. As a result, most markets nationwide only recently witnessed an upsurge in sales in the final days to Christmas.

而公务员则在抱怨政府没有按时支付其工资。其他人表示他们正在等待最后的一鼓作气及有可能的价格下跌。结果全国范围的大多数市场最近亲眼目睹了圣诞节最后几天的销售狂潮。

In the country’s most-populated city and economic nub Douala, the vast majority of Christmas shoppers prefer low-priced Chinese goods. Many said imported products from other parts of the world like Europe and America are far beyond their reach. They addedthat with as little as little as five dollars, it is possible to buy a dress and a pair of shoes.

在这个国家人口最稠密的城市及经济核心杜阿拉,绝大多数的圣诞购物者钟爱价格低廉的中国商品。许多人表示世界其他地方像欧洲以及美国的进口产品都远远超出他们的承受范围。他们补充道最少只要五元,就能买一条裙子和一双鞋子。

Soaring demand

Gifts made in China, the preference of many consumers this Christmas in Cameroon.

Throughout the streets of Douala and other major urban settlements, the soaring demand for Chinese dresses, toys, medicines, motorbikes and electronic appliances among others has led to cutthroat competition for street-side commercial space between Chinese nationals and their Cameroonian hosts.

杜阿拉整个街道及其他主要城市聚居地,对中国的衣服、玩具、药品、摩托车、电子电器的需求日益高涨甚至引发了中国侨民和喀麦隆本地商人街边地盘的激烈竞争。

Economists⁷ say the failure of the country to manufacture consumer goods and the heavy dependence⁸ on imports has favored the steady influx⁹ over the years of Chinese products.

经济学家表示国家制造消费品的失败及严重依赖进口使中国商品多年来稳定的涌入进来。

Calixtus Fuh Gentry¹⁰ is the Secretary of State in the Ministry¹¹ of Mines, Industries and Technological¹² Development. He said the situation is not peculiar¹³ to Cameroon.

卡里特斯•福•哥特里是矿工业技术发展部的国务卿。他表示这种情况对于喀麦隆来说并不罕见。

"China is bailing¹⁴ out the whole," said Gentry. "The U.S. owes China lots of money. China is bailing out Europe. So it’s not that we’re rushing to China. The very partners we started with, who are internationally renowned¹⁵ companies from very highly industrialized countries are heading to China to get financing, or they’re bought out by the Chinese."

“中国援助世界,是整个世界的大赢家。” 哥特里说道。“美国欠中国很多钱。中国正在援助欧洲。因此不是我们冲向中国。我们开始合作的伙伴是来自高度发达国家的国际知名公司,他们正前往中国获得融资,或许他们被中国买下所有权也不一定。”

However, a fraction of Cameroonian consumers said they would not, for anything in the world, spend a dime¹⁶ on Chinese goods for Christmas. For them, the more expensive products from Europe or America are better because they last longer.

然而,喀麦隆的一小部分消费者表示他们不会花一毫一厘购买世界上任何的中国商品过圣诞节。对他们来说, 来自欧洲或美国昂贵的产品更有好处,因为它们持续的时间更长。

Demand for consumer electronics

Despite the ongoing¹⁷ debate, Chinese products have clearly topped the wish lists for many this Christmas in Cameroon. Among the choice items for shoppers are educational electronic toys and gadgets¹⁸ including laptops.

尽管存在持续不断的争论,但中国商品品已经很明确成了喀麦隆圣诞节许多人愿望清单中的一部分。购物者选择的项目中主要是教育电子玩具及笔记本电脑。

Many parents say they have noted¹⁹ with delight the absence of toy weapons on the markets this season. They say it is an indication that years of lobbying against them are finally paying off.

许多父母表示他们很高兴注意到玩具武器没有在这个季节的市场上出现。他们表示多年的反对游说终于有了作用。

Elsewhere, some are frowning at the increasing commercialization of Christmas over the years. Ursula Njefrey, a member of the Holy Trinity Choir²⁰ of the Presbyterian Church in the capital Yaoundé, said the growing attention on material at Christmas is blurring²¹ the real meaning of Christmas for many.

在其他地方,有些人对今年的圣诞节商业化表示不满,首都雅温得长老教堂圣三一教堂唱诗班的成员厄素拉•杰弗里表示,过分关注圣诞节的内容实质上是在模糊圣诞节的真正意义。

"Christmas is a season for reconciliation²², for peace, for love," she said. For those who cannot afford to buy gifts, or don't believe in purchased ones, she offers songs,and greetings, of the season instead.

“圣诞节的主题是为了和解,为了,为了爱。”她说道。对于那些买不起礼物,或不相信购买的人,她用歌曲及问候替代。

1 spouses   

n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
• An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句

2 hustle   

v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌)

参考例句：

• It seems that he enjoys the hustle and bustle of life in the big city.看起来他似乎很喜欢大城市的热闹繁忙的生活。
• I had to hustle through the crowded street.我不得不挤过拥挤的街道。

3 bustle   

v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹

参考例句：

• The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
• There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。

4 heralds   

n.使者( herald的名词复数 )；预报者；预兆；传令官v.预示( herald的第三人称单数 )；宣布（好或重要）

参考例句：

• The song of birds heralds the approach of spring. 百鸟齐鸣报春到。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The wind sweeping through the tower heralds a rising storm in the mountain. 山雨欲来风满楼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 grumbled   

抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声

参考例句：

• He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
• The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。

6 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

7 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

9 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

10 gentry   

n.绅士阶级，上层阶级

参考例句：

• Landed income was the true measure of the gentry.来自土地的收入是衡量是否士绅阶层的真正标准。
• Better be the head of the yeomanry than the tail of the gentry.宁做自由民之首，不居贵族之末。

11 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

12 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

13 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

14 bailing   

（凿井时用吊桶）排水

参考例句：

• Both fountains were going furiously and both pumps bailing with might and main. 两个人的口水只管喷泉似地朝外涌，两个抽水机全力以赴往外抽水。
• The mechanical sand-bailing technology makes sand-washing operation more efficient. 介绍了机械捞砂的结构装置及工作原理，提出了现场操作注意事项。

15 renowned   

adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的

参考例句：

• He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
• She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。

16 dime   

n.（指美国、加拿大的钱币）一角

参考例句：

• A dime is a tenth of a dollar.一角银币是十分之一美元。
• The liberty torch is on the back of the dime.自由火炬在一角硬币的反面。

17 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

18 gadgets   

n.小机械，小器具（ gadget的名词复数 ）

参考例句：

• Certainly. The idea is not to have a house full of gadgets. 当然。设想是房屋不再充满小配件。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• This meant more gadgets and more experiments. 这意味着要设计出更多的装置，做更多的实验。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

19 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。

20 choir   

n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• The church choir is singing tonight.今晚教堂歌唱队要唱诗。

21 blurring   

n.模糊，斑点甚多，（图像的）混乱v.（使）变模糊( blur的现在分词 )；（使）难以区分

参考例句：

• Retinal hemorrhage, and blurring of the optic dise cause visual disturbances. 视网膜出血及神经盘模糊等可导致视力障碍。 来自辞典例句
• In other ways the Bible limited Puritan writing, blurring and deadening the pages. 另一方面，圣经又限制了清教时期的作品，使它们显得晦涩沉闷。 来自辞典例句

22 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。