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2Hello guys! Welcome to my channel! My name is JC, a University Lecturer in the UK. 哈喽大家好，欢迎来到我的频道——每天学点经济学人英语。我叫JC，是一名在英国高校工作的大学老师。In this channel, I hope to share with you some latest news happening around the world, and some useful words and expressions to talk about them. 那么这个频道呢主要是和大家分享一些最新的热门话题，以及如何用地道的词汇和短语进行表达。我们选用的语料主要来源于《经济学人》: 一本诙谐幽默的英文新闻周报。选用它主要是因为它的用词相当日常，而且常常带有梗的成分,可以说是学习英语的不二之选。那么话不多说——let’s jump right in!
Hey guys! It's Sep 19th 2024. Today’s news is about Tupperware. Have you used their products before? The lunchboxes and bottles this company sells are usually of high quality and store food well, keeping them fresh and in good condition. But they have gone bankrupt! Let’s hear more from the news.
【听力原文】
Tupperware, an American company famous for its colourful plastic food-storage containers, filed for bankruptcy. The business has struggled to keep up with rising costs and failed to make its products attractive to younger buyers. Founded by Earl Tupper in 1946, the firm pioneered the practice of “home-selling”, where consumers were paid a commission for hosting “Tupperware parties” and selling its products to their friends.
【参考译文】以生产色彩鲜艳的塑料食品储存容器而闻名的美国特百惠公司申请破产。该公司一直挣扎于跟上不断上涨的成本，也未能让自己的产品吸引更年轻的买家。1946年由厄尔·塔珀创立的特百惠公司开创了“家庭销售”的先路，即消费者通过举办“特百惠派对”并向他们的朋友销售特百惠产品而获得佣金。
【逐句分析】
1. Tupperware, an American company famous for its colourful plastic food-storage containers, filed for bankruptcy.
以生产色彩鲜艳的塑料食品储存容器而闻名的美国特百惠公司申请破产。
-ware后缀：…制品；用品
Glassware: n. 玻璃制品；homeware家居用品；
Container: n. 容器
n. 集装箱 a container ship: 集装箱船
file for sth: to present sth so that it can be officially recorded and dealt with提起（诉讼）；提出（申请）；送交（备案）
< Pan Am is the second airline in two months to file for bankruptcy.> 泛美航空公司是两个月内第二家申请破产的航空公司。
2.The business has struggled to keep up with rising costs and failed to make its products attractive to younger buyers.
该公司一直挣扎于跟上不断上涨的成本，也未能让自己的产品吸引更年轻的买家。
Struggle to do sth: 苦于做某事
Keep up with: 跟上：与他人保持相同的进度或水平，在比赛、竞争等中与他人保持平衡。
Fail to do sth: 未能做某事 = did not manage to do sth
< The party failed to win the election. > 该政党未能赢得选举。
3. Founded by Earl Tupper in 1946, the firm pioneered the practice of “home-selling”, where consumers were paid a commission for hosting “Tupperware parties” and selling its products to their friends.
1946年由厄尔·塔珀创立的特百惠公司开创了“家庭销售”的先路，即消费者通过举办“特百惠派对”并向他们的朋友销售特百惠产品而获得佣金。
Found-founded-founded: 创办，建立
Pioneer: v. when sb pioneers sth, they are one of the first people to do, discover or use sth new当开拓者；做先锋；倡导
n. 先锋 （in sth） 显微外科领域的创始人
commission: n. 佣金；回扣
n. 委员会（大写）the European Commission欧洲委员会
