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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

admin2015-03-25  18
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. "
【F2】
选项
答案提早进行打折的原因之一是：购物的时限更短了。
解析 该句句式很简单，难点在于a shorter window的翻译，直译为“更短的窗户”固然不好，但翻译成“更短的橱窗”也不符合原文的意思。根据后面to shop的提示，shorter在这里是形容时间短，根据上文，可以确定a shorter window to shop的意思是“更短的购物时间”，从而顺利译出全句。
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