酷兔英语


The wealthy are recovering their fortunes and their joie de vivre, but they haven't recovered their love for luxury.


钱人正重新积聚财富、寻回生活乐趣,不过他们对奢侈品的热爱尚未回归。



A new survey from the Affluence Collaborative, run by the luxury-ad experts AgencySacks, finds that the wealthy are optimistic about their finances and feel genuinely happy about their place in life.


奢侈品广告专家AgencySacks旗下Affluence Collaborative项目的最新调查发现富人们对自己的财务状况表示乐观,对自己的生活状况真正感到高兴。



According to the survey, which polled 900 people with incomes of more than $75,000, half of those with incomes of more than $500,000 said they felt 'extremely optimistic' about their financial situation. Of those with $75,000 to $200,000 of income, only about a fifth reported extreme optimism. The $500,000-plus group also reported being happier than they were two years ago and happier than others around them.


900位收入超过75,000美元的人士接受了调查。调查显示,收入超过500,000美元的人中有一半说他们对自己的财务状况"非常乐观";收入介于75,000美元至200,000美元之间的人中仅五分之一左右称对自己的财务状况非常乐观。收入超过500,000美元的人群还称自己比两年前更快乐,也比周遭之人更幸福。



But when it comes to spending, they are feeling downright morbid.


但谈到支出时,他们的感觉却非常不佳。



About a third of the women in the study said they plan on decreasing the amount they spend on luxury items in the next 12 months, while half planned no change and only 16% plan to spend more. The categories taking the biggest hit among those planning to spend less were jewelry, clothing, accessories, shoes and handbags.


接受调查的女性中有三分之一称计划在未来12个月内减少奢侈品支出,有一半称不做改变,仅有16%计划增加这方面的支出。受计划减少支出影响最大的奢侈品类别是:珠宝、服装、配饰、鞋及包类。



More than half the women said they get more satisfaction from saving money.


一半以上的女性称从省钱中感受到更多乐趣。



But here's the kicker. When given a list of 25 brands from various categories and asked which made them happiest, the top four responses were technology brands. Fashion brands didn't even make the top 15.


但也有意外:当面对25个不同类别的品牌回答哪一个使他们最快乐时,排在前四位的是科技类品牌。时尚品牌甚至未进入前15位。



When given a list of 22 activities that contribute to their current sense of happiness, shopping for luxuries ranked 20th, barelybeating smoking.


在从22种行为中选择哪种能在当前带来快乐时,购买奢侈品排在第20位,仅比吸烟好一点。



Some might see that as an encouraging sign, since, for smokers, few things in life add to your momentary happiness than lighting up.


这对吸烟者来说,可能是个令人鼓舞的好信号,人生中没有多少事比抽根烟更能增添暂时乐趣的了。



Another way to look at it is that for today's affluent, luxury spending is bad for your financial health. Like smoking, it gives you short-term happiness, but ultimately is damaging to you and the broader society.


从另一个方面看,今天将大笔开支用于奢侈品对你的财务健康不利。像吸烟一样,吸烟可给予你暂时性快乐,但最终对吸烟者本人及社会是有害的。



Or, perhaps the wealthy just like to sound virtuous in surveys, especially as the rest of the country remains mired in recession. They say they are being frugal, but really they are splurging like it is 2007. After all, someone is responsible for all the blockbuster earnings of late by the luxury companies.


或者,富人仅在调查中才听起来具有美德,特别是当美国其它地方仍处于衰退中之时。他们口称现在很节俭,但实际上他们如2007年一样挥霍。毕竟,得有人为近来奢侈品公司盈利暴涨负责。



Do you think luxury spending is as bad as smoking? Have you kicked the habit?


你认为奢侈品支出与吸烟一样糟吗,这个习惯你戒掉了吗?



Robert Frank
  • wealthy [´welθi] 移动到这儿单词发声 a.富有的;丰富的 (初中词汇)
  • survey [´sə:vei] 移动到这儿单词发声 vt.&n.俯瞰;审视;测量 (初中词汇)
  • financial [fi´nænʃəl] 移动到这儿单词发声 a.金融的,财政的 (初中词汇)
  • income [´inkʌm] 移动到这儿单词发声 n.收入,所得 (初中词汇)
  • extreme [ik´stri:m] 移动到这儿单词发声 a.尽头的 n.极端 (初中词汇)
  • amount [ə´maunt] 移动到这儿单词发声 n.总数;数量 v.合计 (初中词汇)
  • luxury [´lʌkʃəri] 移动到这儿单词发声 n.奢侈(品);享受 (初中词汇)
  • satisfaction [,sætis´fækʃən] 移动到这儿单词发声 n.满意;满足 (初中词汇)
  • contribute [kən´tribju:t] 移动到这儿单词发声 v.贡献出;投稿;捐献 (初中词汇)
  • barely [´beəli] 移动到这儿单词发声 ad.公开地;仅仅 (初中词汇)
  • responsible [ri´spɔnsəbəl] 移动到这儿单词发声 a.尽责的;责任重大的 (初中词汇)
  • jewelry [´dʒu:əlri] 移动到这儿单词发声 n.珠宝(饰物) (高中词汇)
  • momentary [´məuməntəri] 移动到这儿单词发声 a.瞬息间的 (四级词汇)
  • lighting [´laitiŋ] 移动到这儿单词发声 n.照明,发光 (四级词汇)
  • ultimately [´ʌltimitli] 移动到这儿单词发声 ad.最后,最终 (四级词汇)
  • virtuous [´və:tjuəs] 移动到这儿单词发声 a.道德的;善良的 (四级词汇)
  • genuinely [´dʒenjuinli] 移动到这儿单词发声 ad.由衷地 (六级词汇)
  • downright [´daunrait] 移动到这儿单词发声 a.直率的 ad.彻底 (六级词汇)
  • taking [´teikiŋ] 移动到这儿单词发声 a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (六级词汇)
  • beating [´bi:tiŋ] 移动到这儿单词发声 n.敲;搅打;失败 (六级词汇)
  • frugal [´fru:gəl] 移动到这儿单词发声 a.节俭的,俭朴的 (六级词汇)
  • earnings [´ə:niŋz] 移动到这儿单词发声 n.收益;报酬;获得 (六级词汇)