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麦当劳和汉堡王的价格战
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麦当劳和汉堡王的价格战
在动画片《海绵宝宝》中，蟹老板是卖蟹堡王汉堡的商人，他经常无情地哄抬物价。 
双语精读
Biggie deal: What a fast-food price war says about America's inflation fight
优惠套餐：快餐价格战说明了美国对抗通胀的情况
In the cartoon "SpongeBob SquarePants", Mr Krabs, purveyor of krabby patty hamburgers, is a frequent and ruthless price-gouger. He can get away with it because he has no competition, save for the unappetising Chum Bucket.
在动画片《海绵宝宝》中，蟹老板是卖蟹堡王汉堡的商人，他经常无情地哄抬物价。他可以侥幸逃脱惩罚，因为除了毫无吸引力的"海之霸"餐厅之外，他没有竞争对手。
McDonald's, a chain that flips real-world hamburgers, can only dream of Mr Krabs's pricing power. It has been forced into a fast-food price war.
麦当劳是一家做真正汉堡的连锁店，想拥有蟹老板那样的定价权对它来说只能在梦里实现。麦当劳被迫进入了一场快餐价格战。
Since June 25th Americans hungry for a deal have been able to get a sandwich, fries, chicken nuggets and soft drink under the golden arches for just 5 meal deal of its own.
自6月25日起，想吃套餐的美国人在麦当劳只用花5美元就可以买到一个三明治、一份薯条、一份鸡块和一杯软饮。其竞争对手 ---- 快餐连锁店汉堡王----也推出了5美元套餐来与麦当劳的套餐抗衡。
The two are following in the footsteps of Wendy's, which is temporarily adding an ice cream to its long-standing Biggie Bag combo. Starbucks, seemingly determined to protect its reputation for high mark-ups, is pricing a sandwich and a coffee at $6.
这两家餐厅正在追随温迪汉堡的脚步，温迪汉堡暂时在其一直都有的"大袋子"套餐中增加了一份冰淇淋。星巴克似乎决心要保持其高档餐厅的声誉，正在将一个三明治加一杯咖啡定价为6美元。
McDonald's calls this the "summer of value"; economists call it deflation. However labelled, the development is heartening for consumers--and for Federal Reserve officials, who would like to reduce interest rates before the year is out.
麦当劳把这个套餐称为"超值之夏"，经济学家则称其为通货紧缩。不论是什么名称，这种事态发展对消费者来说都是令人振奋的，对美联储官员来说也是如此，他们希望在年底前降低利率。
The food fight is a return to normality in an industry defined by high volumes and low margins.
这场快餐大战是快餐行业回归常态的表现，这个行业的特点就是薄利多销。
To make a buck, fast-food chains need to attract vast numbers of value-conscious, typically low-income diners. McDonald's, fearing that Burger King and Wendy's were eating its lunch, introduced a Dollar Menu in 2002.
为了赚钱，快餐连锁店需要吸引大量注重性价比的食客，这些食客通常收入较低。麦当劳担心汉堡王和温迪汉堡抢走它的市场份额，于是在2002年推出了一美元菜单。
Yet in recent years, rising incomes and surging inflation have given fast-food joints a reason to supersize prices.
然而近年来，收入的增加和通货膨胀的加剧给了快餐店提高价格的理由。
The cost of a McDonald's meal has risen by 40% since 2019, compared with a 19% rise in consumer prices more broadly. This boosted the firm's operating profits until March, when they came in below expectations.
吃一顿麦当劳要花的钱自2019年以来上涨了40%，而更大范围的消费价格才上涨了19%。这推动了该公司的营业利润增长，直到3月份，当时的利润低于预期。
McDonald's put the disappointing results down to consumers becoming "more discriminating with every dollar".
麦当劳将令人失望的结果归咎于消费者变得"对花出去的每一美元都更挑剔"。
American households spend almost all of what they earn and have made their way through savings built up during the covid-19 pandemic.
美国家庭几乎花光了他们的所有收入，并且已经耗尽了他们在新冠疫情期间积累的储蓄。
In the face of slowing disposable-income growth and a robust-but-cooling jobs market, consumers are pulling back and plan to dine out less often. Takeaway meals have been in part responsible for keeping inflation above the Fed's 2% target, with prices growing by 4% in the year to June, compared with 1% for groceries.
面对可支配收入增长放缓和就业市场强劲但降温的情况，消费者正在退缩，并计划减少外出就餐的频率。外卖餐食在一定程度上导致了通货膨胀率高于美联储2%的目标，截至6月的一年中，外卖餐食价格上涨了4%，而日用品价格上涨了1%。
But that may be about to change. Although McDonald's plans for its value offer to last about a month, the economics of the fast-food industry have shifted. Lower prices appear to be on the menu for good.
但这种情况可能即将改变。虽然麦当劳计划让其超值优惠套餐持续约一个月，但是快餐业的经济状况已经发生了变化。更低的价格似乎将永远留在菜单上。
词汇预习
typically [高考]
美[ˈtɪpɪkli] | 英[ˈtɪpɪkli]
adv. 典型地；代表性地；通常，一般；不出所料地
temporarily [高考]
美[tempəˈrerɪlɪ] | 英[tempəˈrerɪlɪ]
adv. 暂时地；临时地
seemingly [高考]
美[ˈsiːmɪŋli] | 英[ˈsiːmɪŋli]
adv. 表面上；似乎；看起来
conscious [高考]
美[ˈkɑːnʃəs] | 英[ˈkɒnʃəs]
adj. 神志清醒的；意识到的；自觉的；有意的 n. 意识
growth [高考]
美[ɡroʊθ] | 英[ɡrəʊθ]
n. 【U】增长；生长；发展；种植 n. 【C】生长物；【医】瘤;赘生物
target [高考]
美[ˈtɑːrɡɪt] | 英[ˈtɑːɡɪt]
n. 目标；对象；靶 vt. 把 ... 作为目标；瞄准
reputation [高考]
美[ˌrepjuˈteɪʃn] | 英[ˌrepjuˈteɪʃn]
n. 好名声；声誉，名声，名气
vast [高考]
美[væst] | 英[vɑːst]
adj. 广阔的；巨大的；大量的；巨额的 n. 浩瀚；广阔无垠的空间 n. (Vast)人名；(法)瓦斯特
frequent [高考]
美['frikwənt] | 英['friːkw(ə)nt]
adj. 频繁的；经常的 vt. 常到；常去
in part [高考]
美[ɪn pɑːrt] | 英[ɪn pɑːt]
部分地
dine [高考]
美[daɪn] | 英[daɪn]
v. 用正餐；进餐
rival [高考]
美[ˈraɪvl] | 英[ˈraɪvl]
n. 竞争者；对手；同伴 adj. 竞争的 v. 竞争；与 ... 相匹敌
would [高考]
美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]
aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式
inflation [四级]
美[ɪnˈfleɪʃn] | 英[ɪnˈfleɪʃn]
n. 通货膨胀；膨胀
fast-food [四级]
美['fɑst'fud] | 英['fɑ:st'fu:d]
n. 快餐 adj.（与）快餐（有关）的，供应快餐的
broadly [四级]
美[ˈbrɔːdli] | 英[ˈbrɔːdli]
adv. 概括地；大体上；宽广地；广泛地；明白地；无礼貌地
responsible for [四级]
美[rɪˈspɑnsəbəl fɔr] | 英[riˈspɔnsəbl fɔ:]
负责 是 ... 的原因
rise in [四级]
美 | 英
在……方面的增加；上涨
reputation for [四级]
美 | 英
以 ... 闻名
get away with [四级]
美[ɡet əˈweɪ wɪð] | 英[ɡet əˈweɪ wɪð]
v. 侥幸逃脱(惩罚)
hungry for [四级]
美 | 英
渴望; 渴求
economics [四级]
美[ˌiːkəˈnɑːmɪks , ˌekəˈnɑːmɪks] | 英[ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪks , ˌekəˈnɒmɪks]
n. 经济学
determined [四级]
美[dɪˈtɜːrmɪnd] | 英[dɪˈtɜːmɪnd]
adj. 坚定的；坚决的；果断的；确定的，既定的
cartoon [四级]
美[kɑːrˈtuːn] | 英[kɑːˈtuːn]
n. 卡通；漫画；草图 vt. 为 ... 画漫画
robust [六级]
美[roʊˈbʌst] | 英[rəʊˈbʌst]
adj. 强健的；稳固的；耐用的；粗野的；浓的
disposable [六级]
美[dɪˈspoʊzəbl] | 英[dɪˈspəʊzəbl]
adj. 可任意处理的；一次性的 n. 用完即可丢弃的东西
buck [六级]
美[bʌk] | 英[bʌk]
n. [非正式]美元，澳元；雄性动物；[非正式]小伙子；[古]纨绔子弟，花花公子；责任，过失 v. 反对，抵制；鼓舞，使振作；弓背跃起；猛烈颠簸 adj. 龅牙的 【名】（Buck）（美）巴克（人名）
ruthless [六级]
美[ˈruːθləs] | 英[ˈruːθləs]
adj. 残忍的；无情的
save for [六级]
美[sev fɔr] | 英[seiv fɔ:]
除 ... 之外； 除去
standing [专八]
美[ˈstændɪŋ] | 英[ˈstændɪŋ]
n. 持续；地位 adj. 永久的；不动的；直立的；不流动的
long-standing [考研]
美[ˈlɔŋˈstændɪŋ, ˈlɑŋ-] | 英[ˈlɔŋstædiŋ]
adj. 长久的；经久不衰的
Federal [考研]
美[ˈfedərəl] | 英[ˈfedərəl]
adj. 联邦制的；联邦政府的；同盟的 n. 联邦主义者；同盟盟友
following [考研]
美[ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ] | 英[ˈfɒləʊɪŋ]
adj. 接着的；下列的 prep. 在 ... 以后 n. 追随者；下列各项
重点讲解
Biggie deal: What a fast-food price war says about America's inflation fight
优惠套餐：快餐价格战说明了美国对抗通胀的情况
get away with
1. 做（坏事）而未受惩罚
【例】Nobody gets away with insulting me like that.
任何人那样侮辱我都不会有好果子吃。
2. 以（比预期少的事物）就能应付
【例】After the first month, you should be able to get away with one lesson a week.
第一个月之后，每周上一次课就可以了。
save v. & prep. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）救，拯救
【例】to save sb's life 救某人的命
（2）储蓄；保留
【例】We'll save the rest of the food and have it later.
我们把剩下的食物留着以后吃。
（3）使…免除（不想做的事情）
【例】If you lent me £5, it would save me a trip to the bank.
如果你能借我五英镑，我就省得去一趟银行了。
2. 作介词：除了；除…外
【例】They knew nothing about her save her name.
除名字外，他们对她一无所知。
【近义词】save for 除了
3. 作名词：（守门员的）救球
【例】He made a spectacular save.
他那扑救的动作令人叹为观止。
In the cartoon "SpongeBob SquarePants", Mr Krabs, purveyor of krabby patty hamburgers, is a frequent and ruthless price-gouger. He can get away with it because he has no competition, save for the unappetising Chum Bucket.
在动画片《海绵宝宝》中，蟹老板是卖蟹堡王汉堡的商人，他经常无情地哄抬物价。他可以侥幸逃脱惩罚，因为除了毫无吸引力的"海之霸"餐厅之外，他没有竞争对手。
get away with
1. 做（坏事）而未受惩罚
【例】Nobody gets away with insulting me like that.
任何人那样侮辱我都不会有好果子吃。
2. 以（比预期少的事物）就能应付
【例】After the first month, you should be able to get away with one lesson a week.
第一个月之后，每周上一次课就可以了。
save v. & prep. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）救，拯救
【例】to save sb's life 救某人的命
（2）储蓄；保留
【例】We'll save the rest of the food and have it later.
我们把剩下的食物留着以后吃。
（3）使…免除（不想做的事情）
【例】If you lent me £5, it would save me a trip to the bank.
如果你能借我五英镑，我就省得去一趟银行了。
2. 作介词：除了；除…外
【例】They knew nothing about her save her name.
除名字外，他们对她一无所知。
【近义词】save for 除了
3. 作名词：（守门员的）救球
【例】He made a spectacular save.
他那扑救的动作令人叹为观止。
McDonald's, a chain that flips real-world hamburgers, can only dream of Mr Krabs's pricing power. It has been forced into a fast-food price war.
麦当劳是一家做真正汉堡的连锁店，想拥有蟹老板那样的定价权对它来说只能在梦里实现。麦当劳被迫进入了一场快餐价格战。
match n. & v.
1. 作名词
（1）体育比赛；竞赛
【例】a football match 足球比赛
（2）火柴
【例】to strike a match 划火柴
（3）相配的人（或物）；强大的敌手
【例】I was no match for him at tennis.
打网球我根本不是他的对手。
2. 作动词
（1）相配；相同
【例】Their actions do not match their words.
他们言行不一致。
（2）适应；满足
【例】Investment in hospitals is needed now to match the future needs of the country.
为了适应国家未来的需要，必须现在就投资医院建设。
Since June 25th Americans hungry for a deal have been able to get a sandwich, fries, chicken nuggets and soft drink under the golden arches for just 5 meal deal of its own.
自6月25日起，想吃套餐的美国人在麦当劳只用花5美元就可以买到一个三明治、一份薯条、一份鸡块和一杯软饮。其竞争对手 ---- 快餐连锁店汉堡王----也推出了5美元套餐来与麦当劳的套餐抗衡。
match n. & v.
1. 作名词
（1）体育比赛；竞赛
【例】a football match 足球比赛
（2）火柴
【例】to strike a match 划火柴
（3）相配的人（或物）；强大的敌手
【例】I was no match for him at tennis.
打网球我根本不是他的对手。
2. 作动词
（1）相配；相同
【例】Their actions do not match their words.
他们言行不一致。
（2）适应；满足
【例】Investment in hospitals is needed now to match the future needs of the country.
为了适应国家未来的需要，必须现在就投资医院建设。
The two are following in the footsteps of Wendy's, which is temporarily adding an ice cream to its long-standing Biggie Bag combo. Starbucks, seemingly determined to protect its reputation for high mark-ups, is pricing a sandwich and a coffee at $6.
这两家餐厅正在追随温迪汉堡的脚步，温迪汉堡暂时在其一直都有的"大袋子"套餐中增加了一份冰淇淋。星巴克似乎决心要保持其高档餐厅的声誉，正在将一个三明治加一杯咖啡定价为6美元。
determine v.
1. 查明；测定
【例】Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire.
调查人员仍在设法弄清失火的原因。
【近义词】establish v. 查实；确定
2. 决定；直接影响
【例】Age and experience will be determining factors in our choice of candidate.
年龄和经验是我们选择候选人的决定因素。
3. 决定；确定
【例】We determined to leave at once.
我们决定立即离开。
McDonald's calls this the "summer of value"; economists call it deflation. However labelled, the development is heartening for consumers--and for Federal Reserve officials, who would like to reduce interest rates before the year is out.
麦当劳把这个套餐称为"超值之夏"，经济学家则称其为通货紧缩。不论是什么名称，这种事态发展对消费者来说都是令人振奋的，对美联储官员来说也是如此，他们希望在年底前降低利率。
determine v.
1. 查明；测定
【例】Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire.
调查人员仍在设法弄清失火的原因。
【近义词】establish v. 查实；确定
2. 决定；直接影响
【例】Age and experience will be determining factors in our choice of candidate.
年龄和经验是我们选择候选人的决定因素。
3. 决定；确定
【例】We determined to leave at once.
我们决定立即离开。
The food fight is a return to normality in an industry defined by high volumes and low margins.
这场快餐大战是快餐行业回归常态的表现，这个行业的特点就是薄利多销。
volume n.
1. 音量；响度
【例】Can you turn the volume up?
请你把音量调大好吗？
2. 量；总量
【例】the volume of trade 贸易量
3. 体积；容量
【例】an instrument for measuring the volume of a gas
测量气体体积的仪器
4. （书的）卷，册
【例】The period from 1940–45 is in volume 9.
1940年至1945年这段时间在第9卷。
margin n.
1. 页边空白；白边
【例】a narrow/wide margin 窄/宽空白边
2. 利润
【例】Margins are low and many companies are struggling.
利润很少，很多公司都在苦苦挣扎。
3. 边缘部分；非主体部分
【例】people living on the margins of society
生活在社会边缘的人
To make a buck, fast-food chains need to attract vast numbers of value-conscious, typically low-income diners. McDonald's, fearing that Burger King and Wendy's were eating its lunch, introduced a Dollar Menu in 2002.
为了赚钱，快餐连锁店需要吸引大量注重性价比的食客，这些食客通常收入较低。麦当劳担心汉堡王和温迪汉堡抢走它的市场份额，于是在2002年推出了一美元菜单。
volume n.
1. 音量；响度
【例】Can you turn the volume up?
请你把音量调大好吗？
2. 量；总量
【例】the volume of trade 贸易量
3. 体积；容量
【例】an instrument for measuring the volume of a gas
测量气体体积的仪器
4. （书的）卷，册
【例】The period from 1940–45 is in volume 9.
1940年至1945年这段时间在第9卷。
margin n.
1. 页边空白；白边
【例】a narrow/wide margin 窄/宽空白边
2. 利润
【例】Margins are low and many companies are struggling.
利润很少，很多公司都在苦苦挣扎。
3. 边缘部分；非主体部分
【例】people living on the margins of society
生活在社会边缘的人
Yet in recent years, rising incomes and surging inflation have given fast-food joints a reason to supersize prices.
然而近年来，收入的增加和通货膨胀的加剧给了快餐店提高价格的理由。
joint adj. & n.
1. 作形容词：联合的；共同的
【例】The report was a joint effort.
这个报告是大家共同努力的成果。
2. 作名词
（1）关节；接合处
【例】a permanently damaged knee joint
永久性损伤的膝关节
（2）廉价餐厅；酒吧；俱乐部
【例】a hamburger joint 汉堡店
The cost of a McDonald's meal has risen by 40% since 2019, compared with a 19% rise in consumer prices more broadly. This boosted the firm's operating profits until March, when they came in below expectations.
吃一顿麦当劳要花的钱自2019年以来上涨了40%，而更大范围的消费价格才上涨了19%。这推动了该公司的营业利润增长，直到3月份，当时的利润低于预期。
joint adj. & n.
1. 作形容词：联合的；共同的
【例】The report was a joint effort.
这个报告是大家共同努力的成果。
2. 作名词
（1）关节；接合处
【例】a permanently damaged knee joint
永久性损伤的膝关节
（2）廉价餐厅；酒吧；俱乐部
【例】a hamburger joint 汉堡店
McDonald's put the disappointing results down to consumers becoming "more discriminating with every dollar".
麦当劳将令人失望的结果归咎于消费者变得"对花出去的每一美元都更挑剔"。
discriminating adj. 有鉴别能力的；有鉴赏力的
【例】a discriminating audience/customer 有鉴赏力的观众/顾客
【拓展】discriminate v.
1. 区别；辨别
【例】When do babies learn to discriminate voices?
婴儿什么时候学会辨别嗓音呢？
2. 区别对待；歧视
【例】It is illegal to discriminate on grounds of race, sex or religion.
因种族、性别或宗教信仰而实行歧视是非法的。
build up
1. 加大；增多
【例】All the pressure built up and he was off work for weeks with stress.
各方面的压力越来越大，他因负荷太重有好几个星期没上班。
2. 吹捧；鼓吹
【例】The play was built up to be a masterpiece but I found it very disappointing.
那部戏被捧为杰作，可我却大失所望。
3. 创建；开发
【例】She's built up a very successful business.
她创办了一家非常成功的企业。
American households spend almost all of what they earn and have made their way through savings built up during the covid-19 pandemic.
美国家庭几乎花光了他们的所有收入，并且已经耗尽了他们在新冠疫情期间积累的储蓄。
discriminating adj. 有鉴别能力的；有鉴赏力的
【例】a discriminating audience/customer 有鉴赏力的观众/顾客
【拓展】discriminate v.
1. 区别；辨别
【例】When do babies learn to discriminate voices?
婴儿什么时候学会辨别嗓音呢？
2. 区别对待；歧视
【例】It is illegal to discriminate on grounds of race, sex or religion.
因种族、性别或宗教信仰而实行歧视是非法的。
build up
1. 加大；增多
【例】All the pressure built up and he was off work for weeks with stress.
各方面的压力越来越大，他因负荷太重有好几个星期没上班。
2. 吹捧；鼓吹
【例】The play was built up to be a masterpiece but I found it very disappointing.
那部戏被捧为杰作，可我却大失所望。
3. 创建；开发
【例】She's built up a very successful business.
她创办了一家非常成功的企业。
In the face of slowing disposable-income growth and a robust-but-cooling jobs market, consumers are pulling back and plan to dine out less often. Takeaway meals have been in part responsible for keeping inflation above the Fed's 2% target, with prices growing by 4% in the year to June, compared with 1% for groceries.
面对可支配收入增长放缓和就业市场强劲但降温的情况，消费者正在退缩，并计划减少外出就餐的频率。外卖餐食在一定程度上导致了通货膨胀率高于美联储2%的目标，截至6月的一年中，外卖餐食价格上涨了4%，而日用品价格上涨了1%。
for good 永远；永久
【例】This time she's leaving for good.
她这次走是再也不会回来了。
【近义词】permanently adv. 永久地；长久地
【例】The accident left him permanently disabled.
事故造成他终身残疾。
But that may be about to change. Although McDonald's plans for its value offer to last about a month, the economics of the fast-food industry have shifted. Lower prices appear to be on the menu for good.
但这种情况可能即将改变。虽然麦当劳计划让其超值优惠套餐持续约一个月，但是快餐业的经济状况已经发生了变化。更低的价格似乎将永远留在菜单上。
for good 永远；永久
【例】This time she's leaving for good.
她这次走是再也不会回来了。
【近义词】permanently adv. 永久地；长久地
【例】The accident left him permanently disabled.
事故造成他终身残疾。
课后练习
Why is McDonald's offering a $5 meal deal?
A. To follow the pricing strategy of Mr Krabs.
B. To respond to the price war started by Wendy’s.
C. To maintain its reputation as an affordable brand.
D. To promote its new sandwich and chicken nuggets.
What is the normality of fast-food industry?
A. Attracting customers by offering cheap food.
B. Offering expensive food items to gain higher margins.
C. Grabbing the market share of other competitors.
D. Providing delicious and large portions of food.
What leads to the disappointing profits of MacDonald's in March?
A. The surging inflation has increased the cost of operating.
B. Consumers are dissatisfied with the quality of its food.
C. The fierce competition has brought down food prices.
D. Consumers have less money to spend on dining out.
What is the author's prediction of fast-food prices?
A. They will continue to rise due to surging inflation.
B. They will remain stable at the current level.
C. They will rise at a faster rate than groceries.
D. They will fluctuate with the unstable economy.
The Economist-经济学人下载(外刊易,下载外刊更容易)
