外刊精读笔记 -- 经济学人也聊“摆地摊”呐

这个6月的关键词是什么？在中国的语境下应该就是“一起摆地摊”叭~ 大部分人说出口可能只是句戏谑的话，也没往深了去琢磨它的前因后果。所以，这期挑了一篇经济学人里关于地摊经济的报道。比较轻松易读，也可以学一点儿这个热门话题的表达。

这篇文章依然有三种颜色标注，对应不同的知识点解析。开始 —

原文：In a country of high-tech factories and giant state-owned firms, you might not expect street hawkers to attract much attention. But in China these days, people like Shui Jin, an old lady pedalling a wooden cart laden with apricots and cherries through the narrow lanes of Suzhou, an eastern city, are in the spotlight. Both of her daughters-in-law recently lost their jobs, among the tens of millions in China hurt by the coronavirus slump. Her family needs the money she can scrape together. Whether the country needs her on the streets has become a matter for debate.

For years, municipal officials pushed out hawkers, trying to tidy up the colourful hubbub that once characterised China’s cities. In the name of “civilising” urban life, they wanted to see steamed dumplings and plastic toys sold inside shopping malls, not from the back of carts. On June 1st Li Keqiang, the prime minister, seemed to signal a change, declaring that street vendors were vital to the economy. “Only when the people are in good shape can the nation be in good shape,” he said.

经济学人的很多文章都会用一个身边的小人物小故事来起头，比如这一篇里踩着推车在苏州城里走街串巷卖水果的老太太。自从李克强总理这个月初提出用地摊经济来拉动消费、创造就业，“摆地摊”这种以往只能偷摸着干的买卖好像立马就扬眉吐气起来。

上图在文章里的配文是Ready for a quick getaway（随时准备卷铺盖跑路）。以前在社会新闻里那些个城管与流动摊贩的推搡纠纷，经过这次的政策洗牌，可能就要不复存在了吧。

一个句式：“X变成热议的话题”-原文：Whether the country needs her on the streets has become a matter for debate.-翻译：这个国家是否需要她在街上（摆摊）已经成为辩论的焦点。

上个月的一篇文里我提过，写议论文时我们常忍不住想说两个阵营有争议“一些人认为啥啥，而另一些人认为啥啥”，就着那篇文章介绍了一个拒绝划水句型One of the liveliest debates in/aboutX is over whether X。

现在可以再多积累一个：Whether X has become a matter for debate.例如：Whether printed newspapers or books will be replaced by online reading has become a matter for debate.

这篇文之后的段落里也有一个表达：X generate much buzz about X，意思很类似，就是没有前面两种正式，可以配合不同场景使用呐。

* 一个小词：in the name of

“以X的名义”，多么耳熟能详的口号~文中说以前政府以“建设文明城市”的名义把小摊贩驱赶走，现在经济颓了又希望这种门槛相对较低的营生来助个力。之前讲《动物农场》里以拿破仑为首的猪们打着共赢的幌子搞剥削，你可以说：They justify villainyinthenameofhigh ideals。当然这个短语也并不是特地用来反讽哒，你也可以in the name ofthe moon去变装打怪兽🌙🌙

* 一个句式：“只有当”

-原文：Only when the people are in good shape can the nation be in good shape.

-翻译：只有当人民处于良好状态时，国家才能处于良好状态。

这是一个好用又好看的句式：它是倒装句中的一种：only+状语置于句首时，主句内部需要部分倒装。比如文中这句话如果扳顺了说，是The nation can be in good shapeonly when the people are in good shape，是不是感觉有点过于板正了？

道理就是这么个道理，如果语法基础好，你可以琢磨一下自己造几个句子练习下。如果半懂不懂的，可以简单固定两个步骤：1.Only when X/ Only in this way +一个完整的陈述句；2.陈述句中的助动词/情态动词/be动词提前到陈述句的句首。比如：Only in this way can the trend be reversed in the foreseeable future.如果还写不利索，那就算了吧不必和命运死磕

原文：That generated much buzz about the revival of China’s “street-stall economy”, as it has been called. At least 27 provinces and cities said they would welcome hawkers. Chengdu, a bustling city in Sichuan province in the southwest, was seen as a shining example. Firms there started setting up street stalls in March, creating more than 100,000 jobs, the local government says. China certainly needs to boost employment. Between 60m and 100m people— perhaps as many as 20% of non-farm workers—were out of work in April, according to Ernan Cui of Gavekal, a research firm.

In small towns, officials are excited about the street-stall idea. For instance, Zhangye, a poor western town, says it will create spaces for 4,120 hawkers in its markets. But for Ms Shui, the fruit vendor in Suzhou, change has not been radical. Last year the officers who enforce urban rules would often seize her cart and fine her. Now they just tell her to move on.

Officials in China’s richest cities are afraid that encouraging street vendors will lead to a mess. “It is not for Beijing,” declared the capital city’s main newspaper. Shanghai has made it clear that it will not allow vendors to set up stalls willy-nilly. Licences must be obtained and, for those selling food, hygienic standards met.

这部分讲了一些城市是如何积极响应“地摊救市”哒，主要就是失业率这么高呀还好我们能摆摊。但也举了一些反例，像是北京上海这种一线城市吧还是严防死守着，或者是需要小摊贩们先去申请一些资质。

就着月初的政策出台网络上也冒出了一大堆励志文挨个列举了马云刘强东柳传志的摆摊创业事迹，就好像我们离财富自由只差了支起一个小摊儿。我也和小伙伴热烈讨论过摆地摊议题不过聊一聊就果断放弃了，先不说帝都的禁令吧，我俩既没有自己批货带货的手艺又也并没有如图摆成一排的大奔

* 一个冷知识：willy-nilly

这是一个非常古老的词了，查了下词源它第一次被正式记录的使用是在1608年。拆开来看Willy-nilly可以理解为：will I nill I; will ye nill ye; will he nill he。其中nill这个词在古代英语中解释为“不愿意”，现代英语中已经不使用了；另外一个ye大家应该眼熟吧，莎士比亚的各种剧里都爱用，就是古代的“你”。

串起来的意思就是“无论愿不愿意”，也引申为“无可奈何地”、“随意地”，文中就是用这个词来表达上海政府不允许大家随意摆摊。两个Collins例句巩固一下：

- Bothsidesweredrawn, willy-nilly, into theconflict.- Shethrewherclotheswilly-nilly into adrawer.

原文：Can the stalls, such as they are, really help the economy? Some investors see a business opportunity. The price of shares in Wuling Motors, which makes a new van that can double as a mobile kiosk, has doubled since Mr Li’s comments. Other firms that might benefit, including Yindu Kitchen, which makes portable cooking equipment, also saw their shares surge.

The direct impact on job creation, alas, is unlikely to be so spectacular. The demise of street stalls in recent years is only partially the result of government restrictions. It also reflects the rise of e-commerce platforms, where products are often both better and cheaper. Whether online or on the street, the main concern for vendors now is weak demand. On one historic street in Suzhou, a 62-year-old woman walks back and forth with flashing glow-sticks for sale. With few tourists, there are few buyers. She has cut her asking price from ten yuan ($1.40) to five.

But the street stalls do dovetail with a separate policy, launched last year, to develop China’s night-time economy. Suzhou and Shanghai, among other cities, have recently opened glitzy outdoor night markets. Though far more orderly and corporate than the hawkers’ free-for-all of old, they are lively. And they help the government to deliver an important message. Officials cautiously avoid proclaiming that covid-19 has been beaten in China. But the reinvigoration of street life looks like a declaration of victory.

Late one recent evening in Suzhou, thousands of people flocked to its official night market. Most were not wearing face masks, a sight unthinkable just a month ago. “I was cooped up at home for a long time,” says Cao Yunqiang, 19, visiting from Henan province, further inland. “Things aren’t fully back to normal, but it’s the right time to come out and have some fun.”

那么问题来了，地摊政策真的可以拯救疫情下疲软的经济局势吗？经济学人的态度是，它确实是带动了一批相关制造业的销量，比如流动餐车什么哒，但是对于真实参与到摆地摊浪潮中的人来说，它可能没有我们期待的那样给力。

文章指出了一个本质问题：近几年包括流动摊贩在内的实体经济受到最大的冲击不是严苛的政策和粗暴的城管，而是电商的兴起。如果我们愿意放弃逛吃逛吃的乐趣，在线购物确实是可以提供更低的价格和更多的产品选择。不过关于电商和地摊经济我看过一个报道，阿里和京东这次都推出了一些免息赊购的帮扶计划，出于社会责任感也好追求双赢也好，让人想要默默点赞多多下单。

* 一个小词：alas

这个词就是一声叹息，“唉”~讲真我没有在电影或者英剧美剧里听过有人说它，但是经济学人我看过的几乎每一本里都有它时不时冒出来，可能这些埋头做严肃内容输出的人都心里苦吧哈哈哈。挺俏皮的一个词，分享出来给大家。

* 一个句式：“A归因于B”

-原文：The demise of street stalls in recent years is only partially the result of government restrictions

.-翻译：近年来，街边小摊的消亡只能部分归因于政府的限制管控。

这句话提供了一个好用的句式，很适合用来提出立场或者分论点：A is partially/mainly/entirely the result of B，类似功能的还有一个短语be attributed to。这个句式中A可以是一组名词或者名词性从句，例如：That many English learners have learned for years without really mastering it is partially the result of inadequate reading.

最后补充一些“地摊经济”相关用语，按文中出场顺序： hawker / cart / push out street vendor / revival / street-stall economy / set up street stall / boost employment / enforce urban rule / fine / obtain licence / hygienic standard / mobile kiosk / portable cooking equipment / e-commerce platform / outdoor night market / reinvigoration

本期读报时间结束，就着文章讲了三个句式、两个小词、一个冷知识，希望你觉得有用。

用一句网络小酸文收个尾

人间烟火气，最抚凡人心

OVER~

插图 /来自TE + 网络 + Kikiro in Japan

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