- Published on
美国小费可能已达最高点(Tipped over the edge: America's gratuity madness may soon calm)
- Authors
美国小费可能已达最高点
美国人为什么坚持要给高额小费呢？传统的解释是，小费能鼓励优质的服务。 
双语精读
Tipped over the edge: America's gratuity madness may soon calm
小费将达极限：美国对小费的狂热可能很快就会平息
Why do Americans persist with hefty tips?
美国人为什么坚持要给高额小费呢？
The conventional explanation is that it encourages good service.
传统的解释是，小费能鼓励优质的服务。
Anthony Gill of the American Institute for Economic Research, a think-tank, explains it as a solution to a principal-agent problem.
美国经济研究所（一家智库）的安东尼·吉尔将其解释为解决委托代理问题的一种方法。
Restaurant managers want good waiters, but struggle to monitor performance.
餐厅经理想要优秀的服务员，但很难监督其表现。
Tipping in effect outsources supervision to the customer.
小费实际上是将监督工作外包给了顾客。
Mr Lynn has found that when restaurants have eliminated tipping and instead charged higher prices, online customer ratings have suffered.
林恩发现，当餐厅取消了小费并转而收取更高的价格时，网上的顾客评价会变差。
Yet there is reason to think America is approaching peak tip.
然而有理由认为美国正在接近小费的峰值。
First, consider the sheer numbers. Tipflation is a form of super-inflation.
首先，考虑一下小费金额之高。小费膨胀是一种超级通货膨胀的形式。
If tips were a fixed percentage, they would rise at the rate of general restaurant inflation.
如果小费是固定比例的，它们会随一般餐厅涨价的速度同速增长。
Since the percentage actually increases over time, tipflation is bound to outstrip restaurant inflation.
由于这个百分比实际上是逐渐增加的，所以小费的涨幅必然会超过餐厅的涨价幅度。
This matters because, following the price surge of the past few years, spending on meals out has hit 5.6% of post-tax incomes in America, up from the 4.5-5% typical in the previous half-century.
这一点很重要，因为在过去几年价格飙升之后，美国人外出就餐支出占税后收入的比例已从前50年通常的4.5%至5%上升到了5.6%。
People have long grumbled about tipping. Now complaints are more forceful.
人们长期以来一直对付小费颇有怨言。现在怨气更大了。
The legal landscape is also in flux.
法律环境也在不断变化。
Many restaurants in America pay what is known as a tipped minimum wage, which can be as low as $2.13.
在美国，许多餐馆支付的是小费最低时薪，可能低至2.13美元。
The rest-to get to the state minimum wage-is meant to be derived from tips.
其余部分——要达到州最低时薪标准需要补上的部分——应该来自小费。
In practice many servers earn well above that.
在现实中，许多服务员的收入远远高于此。
Restaurant owners like this system because it gives them flexibility to hire more workers and to keep menu prices down, knowing that customers will directly cover wage costs through tipping. But little by little cities and states are applying their true minimum wages to all workers, whether tipped or not.
餐厅老板喜欢这种制度，因为这让他们可以灵活地雇佣更多员工，并保持菜单价格低廉，因为他们知道顾客会通过给小费直接支付工资成本。但是，许多城市和州正在逐渐将其真正的最低工资标准用于所有工作者，无论他们是否有小费收入。
Higher minimum wages raise labour costs for restaurants.
提高最低工资标准会使餐厅的劳动力成本上升。
Some establishments have responded by cutting staff or shutting during slow hours, while others have added mandatory service charges or raised prices.
一些餐厅的应对措施是裁员或在淡季关门，其他餐厅则增加了强制服务费或提高了价格。
From a broader economic perspective, the impact need not be quite so dramatic: the main effect for customers will be to see some of the cost of their meal migrating from the tip line on their receipts to the upfront food price.
从更广泛的经济角度来看，提高最低工资标准的影响不需要这么夸张：对顾客来说，主要影响是他们会看到部分餐费从账单上的小费栏转移到了预付的饭菜价格上。
This does not mean that gratuities will go away-they are too deeply entrenched in American life.
这并不意味着小费会消失，小费在美国人的生活中根深蒂固。
But the eye-watering amounts may start to recede. The country is at a tipping-point.
但令人肉疼的小费金额可能开始减少。这个国家正处于小费转折点。
词汇预习
economic [高考]
美[ˌiːkəˈnɑːmɪk] | 英[ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk]
adj. 经济的，经济学的；有利可图的；节约的
impact [高考]
美[ˈɪmpækt , ɪmˈpækt] | 英[ˈɪmpækt , ɪmˈpækt]
n. 影响；冲击力；撞击 vt. 挤入；压紧；撞击；对 ... 发生影响 vi. 冲击；撞击；产生影响
peak [高考]
美[piːk] | 英[piːk]
n. 山顶；顶峰；山峰；尖端；帽檐；极值 v. 达到高峰；达到最高值 adj. 最高的；高峰期的；最大值的 【名】（Peak）（英）皮克（人名）
landscape [高考]
美[ˈlændskeɪp] | 英[ˈlændskeɪp]
n. 风景；风景画；山水；[计]横向 v. 美化景观
dramatic [高考]
美[drəˈmætɪk] | 英[drəˈmætɪk]
adj. 戏剧性的；引人注目的；给人深刻印象的；激动人心的
flexibility [高考]
美[ˌfleksə'bɪləti] | 英[ˌfleksə'bɪləti]
n. 灵活性；弹性；适应性；柔韧性
forceful [高考]
美[ˈfɔrsfl] | 英[ˈfɔ:sfl]
adj. 有力的；强烈的
supervision [高考]
美[ˌsjupɚˈvɪʒən] | 英[ˌsju:pə'vɪʒn]
n. 监督；管理
perspective [高考]
美[pərˈspektɪv] | 英[pəˈspektɪv]
n. 视角，观点；远景；景观；透视法 adj.(按照)透视画法的；透视的
rate [高考]
美[reɪt] | 英[reɪt]
n. 比率；速度；价格；费用；等级 v. 认为；估价；定等级；值得；怒斥；责骂
struggle [高考]
美[ˈstrʌɡl] | 英[ˈstrʌɡl]
vi. 努力；奋斗；斗争；挣扎 n. 斗争；竞争；奋斗
hire [高考]
美[ˈhaɪər] | 英[ˈhaɪə(r)]
v. 雇用；出租 n. 租金；雇用；租用
previous [高考]
美[ˈpriːviəs] | 英[ˈpriːviəs]
adj. 以前的；先于；在 ... 之前
explanation [高考]
美[ˌekspləˈneɪʃn] | 英[ˌekspləˈneɪʃn]
n. 解释；说明
percentage [高考]
美[pərˈsentɪdʒ] | 英[pəˈsentɪdʒ]
n. 百分比，百分率；部分，比例；利润分成，提成；[非正式]利益，好处
legal [高考]
美[ˈliːɡl] | 英[ˈliːɡl]
adj. 法定的；法律的；合法的
tax [高考]
美[tæks] | 英[tæks]
n. 税；负担 v. 斥责；课税；使 ... 负重荷
minimum [高考]
美[ˈmɪnɪməm] | 英[ˈmɪnɪməm]
adj. 最少的；最低程度的 n. 最低限度；最小量
labour [高考]
美[ˈleɪbər] | 英[ˈleɪbə(r)]
n. 劳动；劳工；分娩 v. 努力；干苦力活；困难吃力地行进；反复说明 n. (英国)工党
wage [高考]
美[weɪdʒ] | 英[weɪdʒ]
n. 工资；报酬 v. 开展；从事；进行(战争、运动)
conventional [高考]
美[kənˈvenʃənl] | 英[kənˈvenʃənl]
adj. 传统的；惯例的；常规的
tank [高考]
美[tæŋk] | 英[tæŋk]
n. 箱；罐；槽；贮水池；坦克 vt. 把 ... 储于槽中
bound [高考]
美[baʊnd] | 英[baʊnd]
adj. 必定的；有义务的；受约束的；装订的 vi. 跳；跳跃前进；猛涨 n. 跳跃；范围；界限
solution to [高考]
美 | 英
解决 ... 的方法
little by little [高考]
美[ˈlɪtl baɪ ˈlɪtl] | 英[ˈlɪtl baɪ ˈlɪtl]
逐渐地，渐渐地
sheer [高考]
美[ʃɪr] | 英[ʃɪə(r)]
adj. 极轻薄的；陡峭的；全然的 adv. 垂直地 v. 避开；转向 n. 偏航；透明薄织物
would [高考]
美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]
aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式
persist [四级]
美[pərˈsɪst] | 英[pəˈsɪst]
v. 坚持；执意；继续；持续
inflation [四级]
美[ɪnˈfleɪʃn] | 英[ɪnˈfleɪʃn]
n. 通货膨胀；膨胀
surge [四级]
美[sɜːrdʒ] | 英[sɜːdʒ]
n. 汹涌；波涛；猛增 v. 汹涌；涌起；激增；[海]缆绳滑脱
in effect [四级]
美[ɪn ɪ'fekt] | 英[ɪn ɪ'fekt]
adj. 实际上；正在实行；有效
fixed [四级]
美[fɪkst] | 英[fɪkst]
adj. 固定的；不变的；确定的
flux [六级]
美[flʌks] | 英[flʌks]
n. 流量；变迁；助熔剂 vt. 使熔化；使泻；涨 vi. 熔化
madness [专四]
美[ˈmædnɪs] | 英[ˈmædnəs]
n. 疯狂；愚蠢的行为
mandatory [专八]
美[ˈmændətɔːri] | 英[ˈmændətəri]
adj. 法定的；义务的；强制性的；受委托的 n. 受托管理者
hefty [专八]
美[ˈhɛfti] | 英[ˈhefti]
adj. 重的；肌肉发达的；异常大的；相当多的
upfront [专八]
美[ˈʌpˈfrʌnt] | 英[ˌʌpˈfrʌnt]
adj. 在前面的；坦率的，诚实的；预付的，预交的；[美]在最前（或最突出）位置的 adv. 在前面；（报酬）预付，先期地；（足球比赛中）在前锋位置
recede [考研]
美[rɪˈsiːd] | 英[rɪˈsiːd]
vi. 后退；减弱 vt. 撤回
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
Tipped over the edge: America's gratuity madness may soon calm
小费将达极限：美国对小费的狂热可能很快就会平息
tip n. & v.
1. 作名词
（1）末端；尖端
【例】the tips of your fingers 手指尖
（2）小费
【例】Did you leave a tip?
你留小费了吗？
（3）窍门，忠告
【例】Perhaps she could give us a few tips.
也许她能给我们一些建议。
2. 作动词
（1）给小费
【例】I tipped him $5.
我给了他5美元小费。
（2）（使）倾斜，倾倒
【例】The boat tipped to one side.
船向一边倾斜。
（3）预言…获胜；事先说…会成功
【例】The band is being tipped for the top.
人们说这支乐队将位居榜首。
【搭配】tip… over the edge 使（某人）精神崩溃
【例】The death of her father tipped Kate over the edge.
她父亲的死使凯特的精神崩溃了。
hefty adj.
1. 高大健壮的；笨重的
【例】a tall hefty man 一个高大健壮的男人
2. （尤指金钱）大量的，巨额的
【例】a hefty fine 巨额罚款
3. 用力的；猛烈的
【例】He gave the door a hefty kick.
他猛踢了一下门。
Why do Americans persist with hefty tips?
美国人为什么坚持要给高额小费呢？
tip n. & v.
1. 作名词
（1）末端；尖端
【例】the tips of your fingers 手指尖
（2）小费
【例】Did you leave a tip?
你留小费了吗？
（3）窍门，忠告
【例】Perhaps she could give us a few tips.
也许她能给我们一些建议。
2. 作动词
（1）给小费
【例】I tipped him $5.
我给了他5美元小费。
（2）（使）倾斜，倾倒
【例】The boat tipped to one side.
船向一边倾斜。
（3）预言…获胜；事先说…会成功
【例】The band is being tipped for the top.
人们说这支乐队将位居榜首。
【搭配】tip… over the edge 使（某人）精神崩溃
【例】The death of her father tipped Kate over the edge.
她父亲的死使凯特的精神崩溃了。
hefty adj.
1. 高大健壮的；笨重的
【例】a tall hefty man 一个高大健壮的男人
2. （尤指金钱）大量的，巨额的
【例】a hefty fine 巨额罚款
3. 用力的；猛烈的
【例】He gave the door a hefty kick.
他猛踢了一下门。
The conventional explanation is that it encourages good service.
传统的解释是，小费能鼓励优质的服务。
principal adj. & n.
1. 作形容词：最重要的；主要的
【例】His principal reason for making the journey was to visit his family.
他那次旅程的首要目的是探访家人。
2. 作名词
（1）校长；主角；本金
【例】He is the principal of this school.
他是该学校的校长。
（2）（尤指商务或法律事务的）当事人，委托人
【例】An agent is answerable to his principal.
代理人应对委托人负责。
monitor v. & n.
1. 作动词：监视；监督
【例】The temperature is carefully monitored.
温度受到仔细的监控。
2. 作名词
（1）监视器；显示器
【例】She was staring at her computer monitor.
她注视着电脑显示屏。
（2）监督员；核查员；班长
【例】The UN is sending peace monitors to the area.
联合国将派遣和平监督员到该地区。
Anthony Gill of the American Institute for Economic Research, a think-tank, explains it as a solution to a principal-agent problem.
美国经济研究所（一家智库）的安东尼·吉尔将其解释为解决委托代理问题的一种方法。
principal adj. & n.
1. 作形容词：最重要的；主要的
【例】His principal reason for making the journey was to visit his family.
他那次旅程的首要目的是探访家人。
2. 作名词
（1）校长；主角；本金
【例】He is the principal of this school.
他是该学校的校长。
（2）（尤指商务或法律事务的）当事人，委托人
【例】An agent is answerable to his principal.
代理人应对委托人负责。
monitor v. & n.
1. 作动词：监视；监督
【例】The temperature is carefully monitored.
温度受到仔细的监控。
2. 作名词
（1）监视器；显示器
【例】She was staring at her computer monitor.
她注视着电脑显示屏。
（2）监督员；核查员；班长
【例】The UN is sending peace monitors to the area.
联合国将派遣和平监督员到该地区。
Restaurant managers want good waiters, but struggle to monitor performance.
餐厅经理想要优秀的服务员，但很难监督其表现。
principal adj. & n.
1. 作形容词：最重要的；主要的
【例】His principal reason for making the journey was to visit his family.
他那次旅程的首要目的是探访家人。
2. 作名词
（1）校长；主角；本金
【例】He is the principal of this school.
他是该学校的校长。
（2）（尤指商务或法律事务的）当事人，委托人
【例】An agent is answerable to his principal.
代理人应对委托人负责。
monitor v. & n.
1. 作动词：监视；监督
【例】The temperature is carefully monitored.
温度受到仔细的监控。
2. 作名词
（1）监视器；显示器
【例】She was staring at her computer monitor.
她注视着电脑显示屏。
（2）监督员；核查员；班长
【例】The UN is sending peace monitors to the area.
联合国将派遣和平监督员到该地区。
Tipping in effect outsources supervision to the customer.
小费实际上是将监督工作外包给了顾客。
in effect
1. 实际上；事实上
【例】In effect, the two systems are identical.
实际上，这两种系统完全一样。
2. 在实施中；有效
【例】These laws are in effect in twenty states.
这些法律在二十个州有效。
Mr Lynn has found that when restaurants have eliminated tipping and instead charged higher prices, online customer ratings have suffered.
林恩发现，当餐厅取消了小费并转而收取更高的价格时，网上的顾客评价会变差。
in effect
1. 实际上；事实上
【例】In effect, the two systems are identical.
实际上，这两种系统完全一样。
2. 在实施中；有效
【例】These laws are in effect in twenty states.
这些法律在二十个州有效。
Yet there is reason to think America is approaching peak tip.
然而有理由认为美国正在接近小费的峰值。
in effect
1. 实际上；事实上
【例】In effect, the two systems are identical.
实际上，这两种系统完全一样。
2. 在实施中；有效
【例】These laws are in effect in twenty states.
这些法律在二十个州有效。
First, consider the sheer numbers. Tipflation is a form of super-inflation.
首先，考虑一下小费金额之高。小费膨胀是一种超级通货膨胀的形式。
sheer adj. & adv. & v.
1. 作形容词
（1）（某物）之重/之大（用于强调）
【例】The sheer size of the country makes communications difficult.
该国幅员辽阔，造成了通信的困难。
（2）完全的；纯粹的
【例】The concert was sheer delight.
这场音乐会是一次十足的享受。
（3）陡峭的
【例】sheer cliffs/slopes 悬崖峭壁；陡坡
2. 作副词：垂直地；陡峭地
【例】cliffs which rose sheer from the sea 从海面垂直拔起的悬崖
3. 作动词：突然转向（尤指为了避开某物）
【例】The boat sheered away and headed out to sea.
这艘小船突然转向朝大海驶去。
If tips were a fixed percentage, they would rise at the rate of general restaurant inflation.
如果小费是固定比例的，它们会随一般餐厅涨价的速度同速增长。
sheer adj. & adv. & v.
1. 作形容词
（1）（某物）之重/之大（用于强调）
【例】The sheer size of the country makes communications difficult.
该国幅员辽阔，造成了通信的困难。
（2）完全的；纯粹的
【例】The concert was sheer delight.
这场音乐会是一次十足的享受。
（3）陡峭的
【例】sheer cliffs/slopes 悬崖峭壁；陡坡
2. 作副词：垂直地；陡峭地
【例】cliffs which rose sheer from the sea 从海面垂直拔起的悬崖
3. 作动词：突然转向（尤指为了避开某物）
【例】The boat sheered away and headed out to sea.
这艘小船突然转向朝大海驶去。
Since the percentage actually increases over time, tipflation is bound to outstrip restaurant inflation.
由于这个百分比实际上是逐渐增加的，所以小费的涨幅必然会超过餐厅的涨价幅度。
sheer adj. & adv. & v.
1. 作形容词
（1）（某物）之重/之大（用于强调）
【例】The sheer size of the country makes communications difficult.
该国幅员辽阔，造成了通信的困难。
（2）完全的；纯粹的
【例】The concert was sheer delight.
这场音乐会是一次十足的享受。
（3）陡峭的
【例】sheer cliffs/slopes 悬崖峭壁；陡坡
2. 作副词：垂直地；陡峭地
【例】cliffs which rose sheer from the sea 从海面垂直拔起的悬崖
3. 作动词：突然转向（尤指为了避开某物）
【例】The boat sheered away and headed out to sea.
这艘小船突然转向朝大海驶去。
This matters because, following the price surge of the past few years, spending on meals out has hit 5.6% of post-tax incomes in America, up from the 4.5-5% typical in the previous half-century.
这一点很重要，因为在过去几年价格飙升之后，美国人外出就餐支出占税后收入的比例已从前50年通常的4.5%至5%上升到了5.6%。
landscape n. & v.
1. 作名词
（1）风景，景色；风景画
【例】the beauty of the New England landscape
新英格兰风光之美
（2）（政治/社会）形势
【例】Recent electoral shocks have shaken the European political landscape.
最近的选举风波撼动了欧洲政坛。
2. 作动词：给......作景观美化；给......作园林美化
【例】The area around the mill pond has also been landscaped.
磨坊水池周围也作了景观美化。
People have long grumbled about tipping. Now complaints are more forceful.
人们长期以来一直对付小费颇有怨言。现在怨气更大了。
landscape n. & v.
1. 作名词
（1）风景，景色；风景画
【例】the beauty of the New England landscape
新英格兰风光之美
（2）（政治/社会）形势
【例】Recent electoral shocks have shaken the European political landscape.
最近的选举风波撼动了欧洲政坛。
2. 作动词：给......作景观美化；给......作园林美化
【例】The area around the mill pond has also been landscaped.
磨坊水池周围也作了景观美化。
The legal landscape is also in flux.
法律环境也在不断变化。
landscape n. & v.
1. 作名词
（1）风景，景色；风景画
【例】the beauty of the New England landscape
新英格兰风光之美
（2）（政治/社会）形势
【例】Recent electoral shocks have shaken the European political landscape.
最近的选举风波撼动了欧洲政坛。
2. 作动词：给......作景观美化；给......作园林美化
【例】The area around the mill pond has also been landscaped.
磨坊水池周围也作了景观美化。
Many restaurants in America pay what is known as a tipped minimum wage, which can be as low as $2.13.
在美国，许多餐馆支付的是小费最低时薪，可能低至2.13美元。
little by little 缓慢地；逐渐地
【例】His English is improving little by little.
他的英语正在逐步提高。
【拓展】more than a little/not a little 非常；十分
【例】Graham was more than a little frightened by what he had seen.
格雷厄姆被眼前所见吓了一大跳。
【拓展】little did somebody know 某人没有想到（某事会发生或是真的）
【例】Little did I know that the course of my life was about to change.
当时我一点也没有想到，我的人生轨迹即将发生变化
The rest—to get to the state minimum wage—is meant to be derived from tips.
其余部分——要达到州最低时薪标准需要补上的部分——应该来自小费。
little by little 缓慢地；逐渐地
【例】His English is improving little by little.
他的英语正在逐步提高。
【拓展】more than a little/not a little 非常；十分
【例】Graham was more than a little frightened by what he had seen.
格雷厄姆被眼前所见吓了一大跳。
【拓展】little did somebody know 某人没有想到（某事会发生或是真的）
【例】Little did I know that the course of my life was about to change.
当时我一点也没有想到，我的人生轨迹即将发生变化
In practice many servers earn well above that.
在现实中，许多服务员的收入远远高于此。
little by little 缓慢地；逐渐地
【例】His English is improving little by little.
他的英语正在逐步提高。
【拓展】more than a little/not a little 非常；十分
【例】Graham was more than a little frightened by what he had seen.
格雷厄姆被眼前所见吓了一大跳。
【拓展】little did somebody know 某人没有想到（某事会发生或是真的）
【例】Little did I know that the course of my life was about to change.
当时我一点也没有想到，我的人生轨迹即将发生变化
Restaurant owners like this system because it gives them flexibility to hire more workers and to keep menu prices down, knowing that customers will directly cover wage costs through tipping. But little by little cities and states are applying their true minimum wages to all workers, whether tipped or not.
餐厅老板喜欢这种制度，因为这让他们可以灵活地雇佣更多员工，并保持菜单价格低廉，因为他们知道顾客会通过给小费直接支付工资成本。但是，许多城市和州正在逐渐将其真正的最低工资标准用于所有工作者，无论他们是否有小费收入。
little by little 缓慢地；逐渐地
【例】His English is improving little by little.
他的英语正在逐步提高。
【拓展】more than a little/not a little 非常；十分
【例】Graham was more than a little frightened by what he had seen.
格雷厄姆被眼前所见吓了一大跳。
【拓展】little did somebody know 某人没有想到（某事会发生或是真的）
【例】Little did I know that the course of my life was about to change.
当时我一点也没有想到，我的人生轨迹即将发生变化
Higher minimum wages raise labour costs for restaurants.
提高最低工资标准会使餐厅的劳动力成本上升。
perspective n.
1. （思考问题的）角度，观点
【例】Try to see the issue from a different perspective.
试以不同的角度看待这件事。
2. 合理判断，正确认知
【例】She was aware that she was losing all sense of perspective.
她意识到自己正在失掉一切正确判断的能力。
3. 景观；远景
【例】a perspective of the whole valley 山谷全景
Some establishments have responded by cutting staff or shutting during slow hours, while others have added mandatory service charges or raised prices.
一些餐厅的应对措施是裁员或在淡季关门，其他餐厅则增加了强制服务费或提高了价格。
perspective n.
1. （思考问题的）角度，观点
【例】Try to see the issue from a different perspective.
试以不同的角度看待这件事。
2. 合理判断，正确认知
【例】She was aware that she was losing all sense of perspective.
她意识到自己正在失掉一切正确判断的能力。
3. 景观；远景
【例】a perspective of the whole valley 山谷全景
From a broader economic perspective, the impact need not be quite so dramatic: the main effect for customers will be to see some of the cost of their meal migrating from the tip line on their receipts to the upfront food price.
从更广泛的经济角度来看，提高最低工资标准的影响不需要这么夸张：对顾客来说，主要影响是他们会看到部分餐费从账单上的小费栏转移到了预付的饭菜价格上。
perspective n.
1. （思考问题的）角度，观点
【例】Try to see the issue from a different perspective.
试以不同的角度看待这件事。
2. 合理判断，正确认知
【例】She was aware that she was losing all sense of perspective.
她意识到自己正在失掉一切正确判断的能力。
3. 景观；远景
【例】a perspective of the whole valley 山谷全景
This does not mean that gratuities will go away—they are too deeply entrenched in American life.
这并不意味着小费会消失，小费在美国人的生活中根深蒂固。
recede v.
1. 逐渐远离；渐渐远去
【例】The sound of the truck receded into the distance.
卡车的声音渐渐在远处消失了。
2. 逐渐减弱；慢慢变小
【例】The pain was receding slightly.
疼痛正在一点一点地减弱。
But the eye-watering amounts may start to recede. The country is at a tipping-point.
但令人肉疼的小费金额可能开始减少。这个国家正处于小费转折点。
recede v.
1. 逐渐远离；渐渐远去
【例】The sound of the truck receded into the distance.
卡车的声音渐渐在远处消失了。
2. 逐渐减弱；慢慢变小
【例】The pain was receding slightly.
疼痛正在一点一点地减弱。
课后练习
What is the function of tipping?
A. To motivate waiters to offer good service.
B. To increase the income of restaurant workers.
C. To make customers feel superior and satisfied.
D. To encourage favourable online customer ratings.
What impact does inflation have on tips?
A. Tips have decreased because people have less money to spend.
B. Tips remain the same percentage of the bill regardless of inflation.
C. Tips are reaching the highest point because they are already expensive.
D. Tips may be abolished because people are complaining about them.
What may happen when true minimum wages are applied to restaurant workers?
A. Restaurant owners will hire more workers.
B. Menu prices will decrease and tips will increase.
C. Part of the tips may be paid through food prices.
D. Customers will pay less for their meals overall.
What is the subject of the text?
A. The reasons why tips may start to decrease.
B. The impact of inflation on tipping in America.
C. The benefits of applying true minimum wages.
D. The reasons why tipping is entrenched in America.
