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The jack-o-lanterns are still on the stoop, but already we’re seeing prices for holiday ornaments slashed in half at J. C. Penne

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问题     The jack-o-lanterns are still on the stoop, but already we’re seeing prices for holiday ornaments slashed in half at J. C. Penney and pricey toys at Wal-Mart marked down to $10 a pop. Home Depot skipped Halloween altogether, piling up Christmas trees by early October.
    【F1】Retailers always engage in some Christmas calculus to get you to loosen your wallet during the holiday season, but this year it feels a little more desperate. Stores are starting their promotions earlier in the hopes of luring in customers quickly to spend money—before they’re tapped out or the markdowns get any steeper. Black Friday, the Friday after Thanksgiving, is the traditional kick-off of the holiday shopping frenzy, and it will still be the biggest sales generator of the season. But don’t sweat it if you can’t shop that day.
    【F2】One reason for the earlier discounts; a shorter window to shop. Black Friday falls on November 28th this year, the latest date possible. That means five fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas than last year.
    The key for retailers will be managing inventory smartly.【F3】The economy has been braking for months, so many stores have already adjusted inventories accordingly. Still, no one predicted a Wall Street implosion right before Santa Claus’ arrival.
    【F4】So far, Sears, which has been struggling, is leading the promotional pack, announcing 450 door busters, or specially priced items, from 5 a. m. to 11 a. m. on Black Friday. Although Wal-Mart already marked down 10 toys to $10, from butterfly-winged Barbie Mariposa to Fur Real Newborn Animals, its full Black Friday prices won’t be announced until November 24. One difference this year is that online retailers are getting in on the Black Friday action. Most stores will let shoppers get Black Friday deals online instead of fighting the crowds. Retailers could well be fighting over less. Almost 60% of consumers expect to reduce their spending this Christmas according to Deloitte’s annual holiday survey, with 11% reporting that they’re still paying off holiday debt from last year. Shoppers indicated they would purchase a lot fewer gifts this year—21.5 presents on average compared with 23.1 last year. Almost seven in 10 said they intend to change their shopping behavior because of the economy; 81% say they plan to buy more sale items.
    While analysts say there is no must-have item this Christmas season, they expect discount chains like Wal-Mart to lead the pack. Consumer electronics could be a bright spot especially since prices for items such as plasma screen TVs and GPS navigation systems have declined dramatically.【F5】And with consumers indicating they’re planning on staying home more often— eating in or taking "staycations" instead of vacations—a brand new TV or DVD player might be a good way to indulge while still saving money.
    One thing will not change, even with an economic slowdown; people will continue to buy gifts. What’s undecided is how many and how much. Says Martin, "You have to do a lot to take away Christmas from the American consumer. "
【F4】
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答案到目前为止，美国西尔斯公司已经在极力寻求出路，在促销装方面走在了同行前列，他们已经公布了450种广告商品(特价商品)，并宣布黑色星期五当天从早上5点营业到晚上11点。
解析 该句句式比较复杂，在主语Sears后有一个非限制性定语从句，而在主句之后又有一个现在分词短语作伴随状语，而且这个伴随状语包含有两层含义，所以整句话翻译时关键在于如何断句。一般来说，遇到复杂句式，定语从句不宜译成定语放在修饰语之前，而是单独译成一句；复杂句式中，意思比较复杂的现在分词短语也翻译成一个单句比较合适。在本句中，现在分词短语还包含了两层含义，并且两层意思之间比较独立，适合翻译成两句话。此外，本句中两个短语the promotional pack和door busters的意思分别是“促销装”和“广告商品”，这就需要大家对西方的文化背景有所了解，否则就翻译不出确切的含义，不过，door busters的意思也可以根据下文中or specially priced items来推断。
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