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第四十七篇
　　Spoilt for Choice
　　Choice，we are given to1 believe，is a right. In daily life，people have come to expect endless situations about which they are required to make decisions one way or another. In the main2，these
　　are just irksome moments at work which demand some extra energy or brainpower，or during lunch breaks like choosing which type of coffee to order or indeed which coffee shop to go to. But sometimes selecting one option as opposed to another can have serious or lifelong repercussions. More complex decision-making is then either avoided，postponed，or put into the hands of the army of professionals，lifestyle coaches，lawyers，advisors，and the like，waiting to lighten the emotional burden for a fee2.But for a good many4 people in the world，in rich and poor countries，choice is a luxury，not a right. And for those who think they are exercising their right to make choices，the whole system is merely an illusion，created by companies and advertisers wanting to sell their wares5.
　　The main impact of endless choice in people’s lives is anxiety. Buying something as basic as a coffee pot is not exactly simple. Easy access to a wide range of consumer goods induces a sense of powerlessness，even paralysis，in many people，ending in the shopper giving up and walking away6，or just buying an unsuitable item that is not really wanted in order to solve the problem and reduce the unease. Recent surveys in the United Kingdom have shown that a sizeable proportion of electrical goods bought per household are not really needed. The advertisers and the shareholders of the manufacturers are，nonetheless，satisfied.
　　It is not just their availability that is the problem, but the speed with which new versions of products come on the market. Advances in design and production mean that new items are almost ready by the time that goods hit the shelves7.Products also need to have a short 1ifespan so that the public can be persuaded to replace them within a short time. The classic example is computers, which are almost obsolete once they are bought. At first，there were only one or two available from a limited number of manufacturers，but now there are many companies all with not only their own products but different versions of the same machine. This makes selection a problem. Gone are the days when one could just walk with ease into a shop and buy one thing8：no choice，no anxiety.
　　The plethora of choice is not limited to consumer items. With the greater mobility of people around the world，people have more choice about where they want to 1ive and work-a fairly recent phenomenon. In the past，nations migrated across huge swathes of the earth in search of food，adventure，and more hospitable environments. Whole nations crossed continents and changed the face of history. So the mobility of people is nothing new. The creation of nation states and borders9 effectively slowed this process down. But what is different now is the speed at which migration is happening.
　　詞匯：
　　spoil vt.使某人掃興 unease n.焦慮，不安
　　irksome adj.令人心煩的 sizeable adj.相當大的，頗大的
　　brainpower n.智能 proportion n.部分，比例
　　option n.選擇 shareholder n.股東
　　repercussions n.(常指意料之外的)影響，后果 manufacturer n.制造商，廠家
　　complex adj.復雜的 nonetheless adv.然而，不過
　　postpone vt.&vi.延遲，延緩 availability n.可獲得性，可使用性
　　professional n.專業(yè)人士adj內(nèi)行的
　　version n.版本
　　coach n.教練員，指導 obsolete adj.過時的，被淘汰的
　　luxury n.難得的享受 plethora n.過多，過剩
　　illusion n.幻覺，想象 phenomenon n.現(xiàn)象
　　ware n.商品，貨物 migrate vi.遷徙
　　jmpact n.影響 swathe n.大片土地
　　anxiety n.焦慮，不安 hospitable 有利的，適宜的
　　consumer n.消費者 skip v.跳過
　　induce vt.引起，導致 obese adj.肥胖的
　　paralysis n.麻痹 metabolic adi.新陳代謝的
　　unsuitable adj.不恰當?shù)?，不適適宜的 psychiatric adj.精神病的
　　abnormal adj.異常的
　　注釋：
　　1.be given to：傾向于
　　2.in the main：大體上，基本上
　 　3. More complex decision-making is then either avoided，postponed，or put into the hands of the army of professionals，lifestyle coaches，lawyers，advisors，and the like，waiting to lighten the emotional burden for a fee.對于情況更復雜的決策，人們或者回避、拖延，或者求助于各式各樣的專業(yè)人士--生活方式指導人員、律師、咨詢師等等，而他們也正等著你付費來緩解 心理重負呢。put A in the hands of B由B為A做決策。the like等等，諸如此類的(人或物)。
　　4. a good many：也可說a great many， (用來強調(diào)所指數(shù)量)非常多的。
　 　5.And for those who think they are exercising their right to make choices.the whole system is merely an illusion，created by companies and advertisers wanting to sell their wares.對那些自認為行使選擇權(quán)的人來說，這整個體制不過是銷售商和廣告商為了賣貨而制造出的一種幻覺而已。exercise one’S right行使權(quán)利。
　　6. Easy access to a wide range of consumer goods induces a sense of powerlessness，even paralysis，in many people，ending in the shopper giving up and walking away.購物更便捷，商品更豐富，但這卻讓很多人感到不知所措，甚至麻痹，最后只好放棄挑選，一走了之。access to…獲得…的渠道。
　　7.hit the shelves：上架，上市
　　8.Gone are the days when one could just walk with ease into a shop and buy one thing.那種無它可選，輕松購物的日子一去不復返了。此句為倒裝句。
　　9. nation states and borders：國家和疆域。
　　練習：
　 　1. What is the difference between the decision to shop in a certain supermarket and the decision to drop out of college according to the first paragraph?
　　A)The former is a right while the latter is not.
　　B)The latter has more impact on life.
　　C)The former may happen for many times in life.
　　D)The latter requires a fee.
　　2.When people can not easily decide what to buy，what is the least possible choice?
　　A)Give up.
　　B)Walk away.
　　C) Buy an unsuitable item.
　　D) Seek advice.
　　3. Why do products have short lifespan nowadays?
　　A)They are more often replaced with better ones.
　　B)They have worse quality.
　　C)They have too many versions.
　　D) Computer technology advances too fast.
　　4.How does migration differ from the past?
　　A)People now migrate across the whole earth.
　　B)People now migrate for better life.
　　C)People now have more choice about where to migrate.
　　D)People now migrate for better environment.
　　5. Which is the best summary of the writer’s attitude towards choice in a commercial society?
　　A) More choice，more anxiety.
　　B)Better more choice than no choice.
　　C)Better no choice than more choice.
　　D) All choice is not easy.
　　答案與題解：
　 　1. B根據(jù)文章第一句話，這兩種選擇都是權(quán)利，所以A不對，選項C本身沒錯但文中絲毫未提及，選項D有可能發(fā)生，但不是絕對的。選項B符合But sometimes selecting one option as opposed to another can have serious or lifelong repercussions的意思。
　　2. D第二段第三句提到了A、B、C三個選項，只有D沒提到，這正是本題答案。
　　3. A第三段都是在講商家為了銷售更多的商品，不斷推出新產(chǎn)品，老百姓不知不覺更換地更勤，所以一個商品的使用壽命就更短了。
　　4. C其它三個選項都不是新的特點，最后一段第三句話都有涉及。
　　5. A整篇文章都是在論述現(xiàn)代商品社會人們雖然選擇更多了，但焦慮感也多了。其它三個選項文中都有提及，但不能代表作者整體的態(tài)度