The World of Books Braces for a Newly Ominous Future
疫情添新愁,图书业为应对惨淡前景做准备
--------From YLYK 每日外刊精读专辑
In these isolated times, many people are inside reading, but the book business, like others, is bracing for catastrophe. As the severity of the coronavirus outbreak continues to intensify, authors, publishers and booksellers are struggling to confront and limit the financial fallout.
在这个人人隔离的时期,许多人都在家中读书。然而,像其他行业一样,图书业正为应对灾难做准备。随着新冠疫情的严重程度持续加剧,作家、出版商和书商都在努力应对并缓解其经济损失。
The potential long-term effects for book retailers are sobering. A growing number of independent booksellers have responded to the public health crisis by closing their stores and sending employees home. Other bookstores, which often serve as community hubs as well as businesses, are trying to offset falling foot traffic by offering customers free delivery or curbside pickup.
对图书零售商而言,潜在的长期影响令人警醒。面对这场公共卫生危机,越来越多的独立书店不得不关门大吉、解雇员工;另一些同时充当社区活动中心的营业书店,正力图通过向顾客提供免费送货服务或路边取货服务来抵消店内客流量下降的影响。
The American Booksellers Association said it has been lobbying publishers to support independent stores by offering discounts, free shipping to customers and a removal of the cap on returns of unsold titles, among other measures. Other groups have been raising money to donate to hard-hit independent stores.
美国书商协会表示自己一直在游说出版商支援独立书店,比方说通过打折、免费送货上门、取消未售出书籍的退货限制等各类措施给予帮助。其他组织也一直在筹集资金,捐赠给那些遭受重创的独立书店。
Still, many in the industry worry that financial losses stemming from the outbreak will cripple a significant number of stores and cause them to close permanently. Others fear that the lockdowns and government guidelines mandating social distancing will give an even greater advantage to Amazon as more homebound customers turn to internet shopping.
不过,许多业内人士仍担心,疫情造成的经济损失将重创大量书店,导致它们永久关闭。另一些人则担心,封城举措和政府要求社交隔离的方针将让亚马逊进一步获利,因为越来越多的居家消费者会因此转向网上购物。
写作技巧:
负面词&事件背景推进关键词:
be bracing for catastrophe
the severity continues to intensify
be struggling to confront and limit the fallout
表示两类观点且有递进感
many worry… others fear…
生词好句
the world of… ……行业
the world of teachers 教师行业
brace UK /breɪs/ US /breɪs/ n. 支架,托架 vt. 准备(一般接不好的事情)
a neck brace 颈部支架
teeth brace 牙套
brace oneself for sth. 为某事做准备
We need to brace ourselves for the job losses.
面对失业问题,我们需要做好准备。
brace for impact 做好防冲击姿势
embrace v. 拥抱
embrace new opportunities 迎接新的机会
ominous UK /ˈɒmɪnəs/ US /ˈɑːmənəs/ adj. 不祥的;不看好的(unpromising)
近义词:
inauspicious adj. 不祥的;不好的;不成功的
omen n. 预兆
newly UK /ˈnjuːli/ US /ˈnuːli/ adv. 最近地(recently)
isolated UK /ˈaɪsəleɪtɪd/ US /ˈaɪsəleɪtɪd/ adj. 单独的;孤立的
self-isolating 自我隔离
social distance 保持距离
inside UK /ɪnˈsaɪd/ US /ɪnˈsaɪd/ adv. 在里面
catastrophe UK /kəˈtæstrəfi/ US /kəˈtæstrəfi/ n. 灾难,大祸, 严重的不幸
程度比disaster更严重
severity UK /sɪˈverəti/ US /səˈverəti/ n. 严重
severe adj. 严重的
continues to intensify 进一步加剧
escalate v. 加剧,升级
escalator n. 电梯
struggle to do sth. 努力地做某事,非常困难地做某事
fallout UK /ˈfɔːlaʊt/ US /ˈfɑːlaʊt/ n.(核爆炸后的)放射性坠尘,辐射性尘埃;(尤指预料不到的)影响,结果(负面性质)
potential long-term effects 潜在的长期影响(对远景的预期)
retailer UK /ˈriːteɪlə/ US /ˈriːteɪlər/ n. 零售商;零售商店
retail v. 零售;零卖
sobering UK /ˈsəʊbrɪŋ/ US /ˈsoʊbərɪŋ/ adj. 清醒的;警醒的
sober v. 醒酒 adj. 清醒的
sober up (使)酒醉后清醒过来,(使)醒酒
After drinking for 3 hours, I ought to sober up a bit.
喝了3个小时,我应该醒醒酒了。
He has a sober view of life.
他对生活有清醒的认知。
stay sober 不喝酒
I am going to stay sober tonight, so I would just have a lemonade.
今晚我就不喝酒了,我要一杯柠檬水就好。
respond to… 应对……
serve as… 起到……功能(function as)
hub UK /hʌb/ US /hʌb/ n. (地域、系统、活动等的)中心,枢纽
hub airport 枢纽机场
offset UK /ˌɒfˈset/ US /ˌɑːfˈset/ vt. 抵消(counteract)
foot traffic 人流量
curbside UK /ˈkɜːbsaɪd/ US /ˈkɜrːbsaɪd/ n. 马路边上
curb n. 马路牙子
lobby UK /ˈlɒbi/ US /ˈlɑːbi/ n. 门廊,门厅 vt. 游说(persuade)
lobbyist n. 说客
political lobbyist 政治说客
cap UK /kæp/ US /kæp/ n. 帽子;限制,封顶(经济学)
among other + 前述提及事物的概括性抽象名词 表示列举(and so on)
stem from 起源于;由……造成(come from / be caused by)
cripple UK /ˈkrɪpəl/ US /ˈkrɪpəl/ vt. 毁坏,毁灭(devastate/destroy)
crippled adj. 残疾的,瘸的
permanently UK /ˈpɜːmənəntli/ US /ˈpɜrːmənəntli/ adv. 永久的,持久的
permanent adj. 永久的,持久的
mandate UK /ˈmændeɪt/ US /ˈmændeɪt/ vt. 要求(require);命令
mandatory adj. 强制性的
homebound UK /həʊmbaʊnd/ US /hoʊmbaʊnd/ adj. 居家的,困于家中的