ECONOMICS REPORT - Back-to-School Time Spells S-h-o-p-p-i-n-

ECONOMICS¹ REPORT - Back-to-School Time Spells S-h-o-p-p-i-n-g
By Caty Weaver²

Broadcast: Friday, September 03, 2004

This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Economics Report.

Most children in the United³ States are returning to school after the summer holiday. Public education for children in the United States is free. But parents still have to buy equipment, new clothes and other supplies for their children before every new school year.

The National Retail⁴ Federation⁵ studies such sales each year. It is an organization of many kinds of stores, as well as companies that sell goods by mail order and the Internet. The group recently released⁶ a report on back-to-school sales this year. The report says American parents will spend almost fifteen thousand million dollars this year to prepare their children for school.

A research business carried out the study for the National Retail Federation. It asked more than eight thousand Americans about their back-to-school needs and shopping and spending plans.

The study found that ninety-three percent of families with school-age children plan to purchase clothes, shoes and school supplies.

Families will spend an average of almost five-hundred dollars on those things. This is an increase of more than seven percent from last year. Almost half of those questioned also said they planned to spend about one hundred dollars on electronics⁸ and computer-related products. The National Retail Federation says that would be a fifteen percent increase from last year. The group says most families have enough money to buy electronic⁷ and computer equipment for their children. It says this helps parents continue their children's education at home.

Half of the parents in the study said their children would be using their own money to buy some things for school. Teenaged⁹ children are expected to spend about eighty five dollars each for supplies. And, twenty-three percent of parents said even their younger children will buy some things for themselves.

To help shoppers save money, several cities permit¹⁰ people to buy some goods without paying sales tax. Washington¹¹, D.C., is one such city. It observed a ten-day sales tax holiday in August. During this period, people could buy clothing, shoes or school supplies that cost less than one-hundred dollars without having to pay sales tax.

This VOA Special English Economics Report was written by Caty Weaver. This is Gwen Outen.

1 economics   

n.经济学，经济情况

参考例句：

• He is studying economics,which subject is very important.他正在学习经济学，该学科是很重要的。
• One can't separate politics from economics.不能把政治与经济割裂开来。

2 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

3 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

4 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

5 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

6 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

7 electronic   

adj.电子的；n.[-s]电子学，电子设备

参考例句：

• It is an electronic device with many uses.这是一部具有多种用途的电子仪器。
• Father needs a new electronic shaver.爸爸需要一个新的电子剃须刀。

8 electronics   

n.电子器件，电子学，电子技术

参考例句：

• About 45000 people worked in electronics in Scotland.苏格兰约有4.5万人在电子行业工作。
• He wants to brush up his knowledge of electronics.他想温习他的电子学知识。

9 teenaged   

adj.青少年的，十几岁的少年的

参考例句：

• They have two teenaged daughters. 他们有两个十几岁的女儿。
• My teenaged nephew's face is covered with zits. 我那正值青春期的侄子脸上长满青春痘。 来自辞典例句

10 permit   

n.许可证，许可，执照；vt.允许，容许；vi.容许

参考例句：

• The doctor will not permit mother up until her leg is better.在母亲的腿好些之前,医生不允许她起床。
• The soldiers had orders to permit no stranger through.士兵们接到命令不许任何陌生人通过。

11 Washington   

n.华盛顿特区(是美国首都)

参考例句：

• His birthplace is Washington,but he lives in San Francisco.他出生于华盛顿，但住在旧金山。
• They, together with my father,have gone to Washington.他们和我父亲一起去华盛顿了。