(单词翻译:单击)
中英文本
There are many food shortages in Venezuela. Many Venezuelans cannot buy basic goods. This problem is made worse because people buy too much of something when they see it in the stores. It's a kind of panic buying. President Nicolas Maduro has started a new system to stop people buying too much. Shoppers must soon start scanning their fingerprints when they buy food at grocery stores and supermarkets. This is to make sure that more people can buy an equal share of food and groceries. Mr Maduro has not said when the new system will start, but people close to him say it could be January. It is also unclear how much food people can buy and what happens if they buy too much.
There are many reasons for Venezuela's food shortages. The government blames smugglers who buy cheap goods and take them to Colombia to resell them for up to four times their original price. Another reason is that the government controls the price of food. Many food companies say the price is too low for them to make a profit, so they do not produce as much as they could. A final reason is the strength of the US dollar against Venezuela's currency. This means it is very expensive to import food from other countries. Critics say the fingerprinting takes away people's privacy and will not work. They say the whole economy needs to change and that the government needs to have less control.
委内瑞拉食品短缺的原因很多。政府谴责那些在国内购买便宜商品的走私者，把商品运送到哥伦比亚，并以高出原价四倍的价格售卖。另一原因是，政府控制食品价格。许多食品公司称，价格太低导致他们很难获利，所以他们不会生产很多食品。最终的原因是，美元对委内瑞拉货币的汇率。这意味着委内瑞拉从其他国家进口食品的价格会很高。批判者称，指纹识别会造成个人隐私的泄露，而且不会起作用。他们说，整个的经济状况需要改变，而且政府控制应当减少。
译文属可可英语原创，未经允许，不得转载。
重点讲解
1. panic buying抢购，恐慌性抢购
Nearly a quarter of French gas stations are without fuel because of the blockade of refineries and fuel depots, and there has been some panic buying.
由于炼油厂和油库被封锁，法国已经有将近四分之一的加油站发生供油短缺，导致一些民众进行恐慌性抢购。
2. equal share相等份额
An equal share speaks a language other than English at home.
五分之一的美国人在家使用英语以外的其他语言。
3. close to接近于；在附近
Do we simply not want to be bothered with the ailments of those close to deaths door?
抑或是我们仅仅是不想跟这些已经接近死亡之门的人所患有的疾病打交道呢？
4. original price原价
And retailers are smart to show the original price alongside the sale price than show the sale price alone.
零售商也很聪明：他们把原始价格挨着销售价格标示，而不是仅仅标示销售价格。
5. take away带走，拿走，取走
Take away the glasses and the tray.
把这些玻璃杯和托盘拿走。
听力试题
1.What kind of goods are Venezuelans finding it difficult to buy?
a) basic goods
b) imported goods
c) expensive goods
d) luxuries
2.What did the article call the problem of people buying too much?
a) overbuying
b) problem buying
c) panic buying
d) market buying
3.Where will shoppers have to scan their fingerprints?
a) a government department
b) grocery stores and supermarkets
c) at home
d) in police stations
4.What will fingerprinting make sure people get an equal share of?
a) bread
b) shopping time
c) money
d) food and groceries
5.When might the new system start?
a) January
b) February
c) March
d) April
6.Who does the government blame for the food shortages?
a) Colombia
b) food companies
c) grocery stores
d) smugglers
7.How much more than the original price are smugglers selling goods?
a) 3
b) 4
c) 5
d) 6
8.What did companies say they can't make because of low prices?
a) goods
b) bread
c) jobs
d) profits
9.What strong currency is one of the reasons for the food shortages?
a) euro
b) peso
c) dollar
d) yen
10.What are critics worried about being removed?
a) fingerprints
b) privacy
c) discounts
d) shelves
听力答案
1.a
2.c
3.b
4.d
5.a
6.d
7.b
8.d
9.c
10.b
