每天读一篇英语小故事：Black Friday
The day after Thanksgiving has become America’s wildest shopping day.Closed all day on Thursday, chain stores all across the nation open early on
Friday. Some stores open at 12:01 Friday morning, while others open at 4 a.m.
Some “sleepyhead” stores, like Target this year, don’t open their doors on
Friday until 6 a.m. From Friday to the day before Christmas, this is the season
when businesses make as much as 25 percent of their annual revenue. This season
puts many businesses “in the black”—that is, into profitability—for the
year.
Reporters from local TV stations interview people who camp out in front of
stores a day or two before the doors open on Friday. These people patiently wait
in line to get products that are discounted 50 percent or more.
“Oh, we have fun,” said one camper. “We bring games to play, we watch TV
and order lots of pizza, and we meet interesting people. And, most important of
all, we save big bucks!” The catch, of course, is that only a very small number
of products are available at the largest discounts. Regardless, each store has
plenty of other items that are reduced from 10 to 50 percent—saving shoppers
from $10 to $400 per item—to entice Americans to shop.
Not all Americans appreciate this frenzy of shopping. Reverend William
Graham, pastor of the Church of the Risen Jesus, wants to rename Black Friday.
“We want to call it Remember Jesus Friday. People should start the season with
the right attitude. Christmastime has become a Season of Shopping. We want to
make it a Season of Giving. And we don’t mean giving IPods, DVDs, flat screen
TVs, and other crap. We mean giving your back, your mind, and your hands. Help
an old lady clean up her house. Teach a kid how to read. Visit sick people in
the hospital or in nursing homes. Pick up the trash in your neighborhood. Give
blood to the Red Cross. Do volunteer work for charities. Celebrate Christmas by
remembering Jesus and forgetting Santa Claus.”
页:
[1]