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  3. 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

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. "
【F3】
选项
答案经济已经停滞几个月了，这么多的商店已经相应地调整了他们的库存商品。
解析 该句为并列句。需要注意的是brake和inventory两个词语的词义确定。brake作动词原意为“刹车”，在本句中需要根据上文的语境引申为“停滞”。而inventory要特别注意，这个词的词根为invent(发明)，但inventory作为名词，词义跟“发明”却毫不相干，意为“商品的目录，库存”。
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