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The jack-o-lanterns are still on the stoop, but already we’re seeing prices for holiday ornaments slashed in half at J. C. Penne

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问题     The jack-o-lanterns are still on the stoop, but already we’re seeing prices for holiday ornaments slashed in half at J. C. Penney and pricey toys at Wal-Mart marked down to $10 a pop. Home Depot skipped Halloween altogether, piling up Christmas trees by early October.
    【F1】Retailers always engage in some Christmas calculus to get you to loosen your wallet during the holiday season, but this year it feels a little more desperate. Stores are starting their promotions earlier in the hopes of luring in customers quickly to spend money—before they’re tapped out or the markdowns get any steeper. Black Friday, the Friday after Thanksgiving, is the traditional kick-off of the holiday shopping frenzy, and it will still be the biggest sales generator of the season. But don’t sweat it if you can’t shop that day.
    【F2】One reason for the earlier discounts; a shorter window to shop. Black Friday falls on November 28th this year, the latest date possible. That means five fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas than last year.
    The key for retailers will be managing inventory smartly.【F3】The economy has been braking for months, so many stores have already adjusted inventories accordingly. Still, no one predicted a Wall Street implosion right before Santa Claus’ arrival.
    【F4】So far, Sears, which has been struggling, is leading the promotional pack, announcing 450 door busters, or specially priced items, from 5 a. m. to 11 a. m. on Black Friday. Although Wal-Mart already marked down 10 toys to $10, from butterfly-winged Barbie Mariposa to Fur Real Newborn Animals, its full Black Friday prices won’t be announced until November 24. One difference this year is that online retailers are getting in on the Black Friday action. Most stores will let shoppers get Black Friday deals online instead of fighting the crowds. Retailers could well be fighting over less. Almost 60% of consumers expect to reduce their spending this Christmas according to Deloitte’s annual holiday survey, with 11% reporting that they’re still paying off holiday debt from last year. Shoppers indicated they would purchase a lot fewer gifts this year—21.5 presents on average compared with 23.1 last year. Almost seven in 10 said they intend to change their shopping behavior because of the economy; 81% say they plan to buy more sale items.
    While analysts say there is no must-have item this Christmas season, they expect discount chains like Wal-Mart to lead the pack. Consumer electronics could be a bright spot especially since prices for items such as plasma screen TVs and GPS navigation systems have declined dramatically.【F5】And with consumers indicating they’re planning on staying home more often— eating in or taking "staycations" instead of vacations—a brand new TV or DVD player might be a good way to indulge while still saving money.
    One thing will not change, even with an economic slowdown; people will continue to buy gifts. What’s undecided is how many and how much. Says Martin, "You have to do a lot to take away Christmas from the American consumer. "
【F1】
选项
答案零售商们总是绞尽脑汁地想让你在圣诞节期间打开钱包，但是今年似乎更加孤注一掷。
解析 该句是由but连接的两个并列分句。翻译时首先要注意词义的选择和确定。句中的calculus原意为“微积分，结石”，Christmas calculus根据原意无法翻译，需要取其引申义，根据文章的背景，把Christmas calculus译为“圣诞节推销的各种方法”，从而把engage in some Christmas calculus译为“绞尽脑汁”。此外，翻译时遇到多义词，需要根据上下文巧妙地确定其词义。句中的desperate本身有多个词义，但根据上文中作者表达出的零售商想尽办法让消费者掏钱，可看出下半句的意思是销售商今年会更加努力，更加用心地设计推销策略，由此确定desperate的意思为“拼命的”。
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