商务英语阅读下2.ppt

BusinessEnglishReadingCoursewareBook2Chapter TwelveAbstracts from Articles onConsignment&Auction寄售与拍卖分析文摘寄售与拍卖分析文摘StepOneFirst,readMaterialOneunderteachersinstructions.Thenteachergiveshintsortipsforreading.Finally,teachercheckstheanswersandgivesexplanations.When Conscience and Closet CollideREVIEWING her wardrobe earlier this season,Elizabeth Marvin had a moment of reckoning.“How did this closet become so massively overstuffed?”she mused,disconcerted by the sight of so many Marni jackets,Chlo bags and Jimmy Choo shoes jostling for space on the racks.“From my green perspective,part of me feels guilty about being such a major consumer.”But Ms.Marvin,the New York sales director for theNational Audubon Society and a self-described“majorenvironmentalist,”feltneithersoguiltynorsostrappedthatsheplannedtostopshoppingcoldturkey.“InsteadofbuyingthatChlojacketthatIwantrightnow,”shesaid,“Im much happier purchasing something at aconsignmentstorethatismuchless.”Inrecentmonths,high-enddesignerresaleshopshavebeen the beneficiaries of a subtle shift in consumerthinking,asfashionlovers,eventhosewhocanaffordtosplurge,reassesstheirpriorities.Unsettledbycontinuingrecession fears and the soaring prices of designerclothes,and assailed by queasy consciences as well,manyfindtheseshopsawaytoupdatetheirwardrobeswithoutseriouslydentingtheirbankaccountsortheirsenseofsocialpropriety.“Everyone is feeling the pinch these days or knowspeople who are feeling the pinch,”said Linda KenneyBaden,aprominentlawyerinNewYork.“Itsgoodtobuyausedcaragain,anditschictobuyusedclothes.”ShopperslikeMrs.Baden,somewithformidableretailhabits,are turning to consignment stores to offloaddesigner clothing and accessories and to accumulatesparecash,asoftenasnotplowingtheprofitsbackintothe very same store.Cash-strapped bargain seekersandaffluenttrophyhuntersalikeareparingtheirclosets,earning 40 to 50 percent of the resale shops askingprice.Resaleshopperspayroughlyaquartertoathirdoftheoriginalmarketvalueofstill-covetedSaintLaurentMusebags,StellaMcCartneyjumpsuitsandLouboutinpumps.Merchants report that the number of shoppers andconsignorsisclimbingandthatbusinesshasrarelybeenso robust.“The rise of the euro,sky-high retail pricesandtheideaofrecyclingthosearesomeofthethingsthatdrivecustomersrighttoourdoor,”saidLauraFluhr,anownerofMichaels,the54-year-oldgrandedameoffancy resale stores on the Upper East Side ofManhattan.“In an otherwise bleak retail scene,consignment is athrivingarea,”Ms.Fluhrsaid,notingthatherbusinessis30percentaheadforthefirstfourmonthsof2008.Sheadded that the extravagant prices of new designerfashions and the influx of European visitors scouringNewYorkforbargainshavecontributedtothegrowth.“Peopleare really resentingdesignerprices atconventional stores,”said Ina Bernstein,the owner ofIna,thedesignerresalechaininManhattan.“Inaway,thatswhyourbusinessisup.”Shesaidthatsalesareaheadby15percentfromJanuarythroughAprilateachofherfiveboutiques.VickiHaberman,whosellsprivatelyandthroughaWebsite,ascribes a heightened interest in consignmentshoppingpartlytoconsumersapparentlyunquenchableappetite for luxury labels,even those that are gentlyworn.“Every time you open a magazine,you seesomebody wearing a quote-unquote vintage designergown,”she said.“Shopping vintage and consignmenthaslostmuchofitsstigmaandbecomemainstream.”April was a record month for Rickys Exceptional Treasures,aluxuryresalestoreoneBay.RickySerbin,theowner,reportedthathis site had about 150,000 hits and some 4,000 visits a day.“ThesepeopledonotneedtobeshoppingoneBay,”Mr.Serbinsaid of his well-heeled customers.“They tell themselves,Imgettinga$13,000gownfor$2,000or$3,000,whichisnothingtothem.”Ifacustomerpartswith$1,000forajeweledLanvinnecklaceatthe site,its a bargain compared with the original$8,000 tag.“Theymayseethatasatighteningofthebelt,”Mr.Serbinnotedtartly.Certainlytherewardsofbuyingandsellingthroughresaleshopscanbemoreemotionalthanpractical.AsJudyYun,acustomerand consignor at Ina,acknowledged,there are no savings ingetting back$350 for a Balenciaga bag that cost$1,600,thenspendingthemoneyona$400pairofManoloBlahniksandals.She buys and consigns nonetheless because,she said:“I likeseeingthatlittlebitofextracash.Actually,itsnotsolittlewhenyouretalkingaboutaBalenciagahandbag.”Among the covetable pieces at Ina last week were aPrada pink mock-crocodile evening bag,which wasselling for$825,compared with the original price ofabout$2,200;aD&Geveningdressinbronze-coloredlacefor$475,$1,800new;anda$325pairofLouboutinpumps,originally$775.AtActII,adesigner resalestoreinKansasCity,Mo.,pieces from St.John,Yves Saint Laurent,Prada andDior are quick to vanish from the racks,said GloriaEverhart,theowner.ChanelboucltweedsandHermshandbags can fetch prices in the thousands wherevertheyturnup.Other labels that once sizzled have lost their draw.“Escada has gone cold,and so has Armani,”saidBarbaraNell,theowneroftheDaisyShoponOakStreetinChicago.Butforthemostpart,clothesthathavegathereddustinclosetsformonthsrarelymolderonconsignmentracks.Thatisbecausehigh-endmerchantsturntheirinventoryfrequently,buyingpiecesthatarenomorethanafewseasons old and dropping prices every few weeks toensure that the wares look fresh and will sell at areasonablecost.Both merchants and consumers say that purging the closet and buying castoffs can be cleansing for the soul.“The whole idea of recycling and going green motivates some of our customers,”said Ms.Fluhr of Michaels.“People are aware that Jimmy Choos fill landfills,too.”Ms.Yun said she has grown increasingly sensitive to environmental issues.“Selling to resale shops becomes a platform to recycle,”she said.“Besides,I tell myself,Its obscene to have so much.”Five years ago,Mrs.Baden,the lawyer,rarely gave much thought to paying full retail for an evening dress she was unlikely to wear again.But in the weeks approaching a recent gala,she bought a Chanel gown at Rickys on eBay for one third of its original$10,000 price.“I was going to wear it to just one function,”she recalled.“To spend that kind of money I couldnt justify it.”StepTwoStudentsreadMaterialTwothemselvesfirstly.Thenteachercheckstheanswerswithoutgivingexplanations.vocabulary1.reckon:vt.a.猜想;估计 b.非正思忖;设想c.考虑;认为 d.正计算 vi.料想；预计；指望2.disconcert:vt.a.使不安,使为难b.使慌张,使窘迫3.strap:vt.a.用皮带捆扎,用带子系（或捆、扎、扣）好b.用皮带抽打c.包扎；给打绷带 n.带子d.挎带,肩带;背带4.consignment n.a.托付货物;托卖货物b.寄售;托运;托付;交付c.以寄售方5.splurge n.乱花钱;糟蹋钱;挥霍 vt.&vi.乱花(钱);糟蹋(钱);挥霍6.queasy adj.a.恶心的；欲吐的b.易反胃的c.稍感紧张的；略有不安的；心神不定的7.pinch vt.a.盗窃,偷b.逮捕,拘留c.夹痛,扎痛d.使入不敷出 vt.&vi.a.捏,掐,夹,拧n.a.捏,掐,夹,拧b.一撮,微量c.困苦,穷苦8.chic adj.漂亮的,时髦的,潇洒的 n.高雅，雅致9.formidable adj.a.可怕的,令人畏惧的b.令人惊叹钦佩的;令人敬畏的c.难以克服对付的10.cash-strapped adj.a.缺乏现金的，资金约束的b.经济困难的11.jumpsuit n.连衣裤，(尤指女式)连衣裤12.unquenchable adj.难抑制的,不能消灭的13.vintage n.a.(优良品牌的)葡萄酒b.采摘葡萄酿酒的期间（或季节）；葡萄收获期（或季节）c.一个收获季节采得的葡萄(所酿的酒)d.特定年份（或地方）酿制的酒；酿造年份e.某年代的产品;年代 adj.a.（指葡萄酒）优质的，上等的，佳酿的b.（过去某个时期）典型的，优质的；（某人的）最佳作品的c.古色古香的（指 19171930 年间制造，车型和品味受人青睐的）d.成绩卓著的一年；成功的一年14.stigma n.耻辱的标记,瑕疵15.well-heeled adj.富有的,穿着考究的16.covetable adj.可羡慕的,值得渴望的17.tweed n.a.(用于缝制大衣和成套服装的)粗花呢b.花呢套装18.sizzle vi.a.发咝咝声 b.表现良好;进行顺利vt.a.把.烧得哧哧响,烧焦b.恶言相骂n.a.咝咝声b.咝咝发烫的东西;热得要命的一天19.purge vt.a.清除(政敌等);清洗b.涤除(罪恶等)c.律消除(错事等)的不良影响;以认错赎(罪)d.医使通便e.净化（心灵、风气等）；涤荡（污秽）n.a.清除异己,整肃(行动),清洗b.医泻药20.slump:v.(价格等)暴跌,(买卖)清淡;衰落;萧条 21.shed:v.去除，除去（不想要或不需要的东西）22.pesky:adj.讨厌的，麻烦的23.auction:n.拍卖24.patron:n.顾客；主顾25.salesroom:n.拍卖场26.mum:adj.沉默的；无言的；不说话的27.derivative:n.衍生物28.hybrid:n.混合物29.converge:v.达成一致，趋于或达成联合、共同结论 30.equilibrium:n.平衡31.forebear:n.祖先，祖宗32.cliffhang:v.扣人心弦,悬疑33.open-outcry:n.公开叫价34.quaint:kweint adj.古怪有趣的35.sleek:sli:k adj.时髦的36.pit:pit n.期货交易场37.Brent crude futures：北海布伦特原油期货38.benchmark:n.基准点；可依照做出衡量和判断的参照点39.liquidity:n.流动资金；资产折现力40.West Texas Intermediate:西德州轻质原油41.hedge fund:对冲基金42.prop up:支撑,支持43.glitch:n.小故障，小毛病44.lot:n.一批（在一起）拍卖的物品45.viable:adj.可行的；可实施的46.unsustainable:adj.无法维持的47.treasury-bond:国库券48.headway:n.前进；进展49.dabble:v.(作为兴趣或爱好)随便搞搞,涉猎单元注释Consignment is the act of consigning,which is placing any material in the hand of another,but retaining ownership until the goods are sold or person is transferred.This may be done for shipping,transfer of prisoners to auction,or for sale in a store(i.e.a consignment shop).寄售是一种委托代售的贸易方式。它是指委托人(货主)先将货物运往寄售地，委托国外一个代销人(受托人)，按照寄售协议规定的条件，由代销人代替货主进行销售，在货物出售后，由代销人向货主结算货款的一种贸易方式。2.An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid,taking bids,and then selling the item to the highest bidder.In economic theory,an auction may refer to any mechanism or set of trading rules for exchange.拍卖也称竞买，商业中的一种买卖方式，卖方把商品卖给出价最高的人。拍卖品并不都是处理商品，现在外面很多拆房子、换季拍卖等，实质上是一种大甩卖、贱卖，我们所说的拍卖是一种高档次的行为，不是削价处理，价格是不固定的，必须要有二个以上的买主，要有竞争，价高者得，没有这三个条件的不能称为拍卖。3.MARNI于1994年由Castiglioni家族创建，如今已是意大利的一线时尚女装。出色、独到的设计以及严谨、高品质的风格，为MARNI这个品牌赢得了专属的标志性风格：折衷主义。对于MARNI来说：折衷主义就是早期的嘻皮风与现代感的完美融合。长期以来，MARNI的主设计师Consuelo一直坚持自己的理念，不标新立异也不因循守旧或盲目跟风，从而使MARNI在众多设计师品牌中树立了自己鲜明的个性。4.CHLOE诞生于20世纪50年代，那正是生活化的成衣品牌向贵族式的巴黎高级女装传统挑战之时，CHLOE品牌创造出了简洁美观、可穿性强的现代成衣理念.CHLOE品牌是巴黎高级成衣界的变色龙，它虽相当频繁地聘用各国名师，但品牌的风格框架并未因设计师的更迭而改变，一直保持着法兰西风格的色彩特征和优雅情调。其所聘设计师的个性投入，加上CHLOE生产经营体系的保证使CHLOE品牌风格保持与时代潮流同步。5.Jimmy Choo 国际著名鞋子设计师 Jimmy Choo（周仰杰）以设计昂贵的鞋子闻名，也是唯一一位在国际上以自己英文姓名为著名鞋子品牌的华裔人士。练习答案【材料一】I.1.Becauseshecouldpurchasethesomethingataconsignmentstorethatismuchless.2.Shopperscouldoffloaddesignerclothingandaccessoriesandtoaccumulatesparecash,asoftenasnotplowingtheprofitsbackintotheverysamestoreandresaleshopperspayroughlyaquartertoathirdoftheoriginalmarketvalueofdesignerstuff.3.Peoplearereallyresentingdesignerpricesatconventionalstoresandconsignmentstorescouldofferthesimilardesignerfashionsatlowerprices.4.Sellingtoresaleshopsbecomesaplatformtorecycleanditisgoodfortheenvironment.练习答案【材料一】II.1.A2.B3.C4.B.5.CIII.1.A2.A3.C4.B5.B【材料二】I.AII.1.B2.D3.C4.A5.A【材料三】1.A2.D3.D4.D5.B【材料四】1.B2.C3.C4.B5.D【单元弹性练习一】1.C2.A3.D4.B5.A1.C2.B3.C【单元弹性练习二】Classisover.Thanksforyourattention.