友邻优课2019.8.11优食陷入困境,爷爷奶奶脚踏运动鞋“雪中送炭”

外刊阅读

在中国，送外卖的都是骑着电动车的“外卖小哥”。然而，在日本，随着Uber 开展外卖业务，街头出现了许多“外卖爷爷”和“外卖奶奶”。而且与普通送餐员使用电动代步车送餐不同，他们选择步行送外卖。为什么日本会出现老年人送外卖的现象？背后反映出日本怎样的社会现象？一起来听今天的讲解。

本篇课程首发于2019年8月11日

Uber Eats in a Pickle, Pensioners in Trainers to the Rescue

优食陷入困境，爷爷奶奶脚踏运动鞋“雪中送炭”

1.in a pickle 陷入困境pickle /ˈpɪkəl/ n. 酱菜；困境；窘境

in a pretty pickle/in a real pickle遇到麻烦（=in a difficult situation, or in a trouble）

I’m in trouble. 我遇到麻烦了。I’m in a real pickle now. 我现在是真的遇到麻烦了。

2.pensioner /ˈpenʃənə(r)/ n. 领养老金者；领取抚恤金者pension /ˈpenʃən/ n. 养老金；抚恤金private/personal pension个人养老金get/receive/draw/collect a pension领取养老金

3.trainer /ˈtreɪnə(r)/ n. 运动鞋（running shoes, sneakers）；培训师；教练员train v. 训练personal trainer私教

①Uber is aiming to seek out new ways to grow its meal delivery business in Japan, but the leading transportation company has found itself in a tight spot rarely seen back on its home turf of the USA.

优步打算找到新的方式来拓展其在日本的送餐业务，但这家领先的运输公司发现自己陷入了在美国本土罕见的困境。

4.rescue/ˈreskjuː/ n. 救援go/come to the rescue帮助别人/救人于危难之中（to help sb. who is in a pickle）

5.aim to do…力求达到……；努力做……

6.seek sth. out 找出；找到seek /siːk/ vt. 寻找；找寻

7.find oneself in…发现某人处于某种状态I find myself in an embarrassing situation.

我发现我处于一个尴尬的状态。

8.spot /spɒt, spɑːt/ n. 地点；场所in a tight spot 处于困境

9.one's home turf 某人（自己的）地盘；（比赛时的）主场turf /tɜːf/ n. 草皮；地盘

He feels more confident on his home turf.他在主场感到更有信心。

This is my home turf. You should listen to me.在我的地盘，你就听我的。

②The answer to its dilemma might be grandparents in trainers.

穿着运动鞋的爷爷奶奶可能是解决这一困境的答案。

10.the answer to sth.对于……的答案；对于……的解决方法

11.dilemma /daɪˈlemə, dɪˈlemə/ n. 困境

③In this fledgling market where most rideshare businesses are banned, it’s the elderly who are keen to work as Uber Eats couriers. Typically, the averag e take-away delivery person turns up on a scooter, but Japanese pensioners in search of exercise are running these fast-food errands on foot.

日本法律禁止大多数共享交通业务。但在这个外卖业务的新兴市场，老年人十分热衷于承接送餐业务。通常，大多数送餐员会骑电动代步车，但想锻炼的日本老年送餐员则选择步行。

12.fledgling market新兴市场fledgling /ˈfledʒlɪŋ/ adj. 刚开始的；缺乏经验的

n. 幼鸟；无经验的新人；新体系fledgling businesses 新兴公司

外刊阅读

13.rideshare business 共享交通业务

15.courier /ˈkʊriə(r)/ n. 快递员

16.take-away 外卖（英式英语）美式英语中的“外带食物”：=takeout; take out food; to go

17.turn up 出现；来到

18.scooter /ˈskuːtə(r)/ n. 电动车；摩托车

19.in search of sth.寻找；寻求in search of opportunities 找寻机会

20.errand /ˈerənd/ n. 差事run errands for sb.为某人办事；跑腿

He often runs errands for his boss.他经常给他的老板跑腿儿。

④Japan’s unemployment rate has dipped to a twenty-five-year low of 2.4%, which means that the job market is tight. At the same time, Japan boasts the world’s oldest population.

日本的失业率已经跌至2.4%，达25年来最低点，这意味着劳动力市场吃紧。与此同时，日本拥有世界上平均年龄最大的人口。

21.be keen to do sth. 渴望做某事keen /kiːn/ adj. 渴望的；热衷的

I’m very keen to start work as soon as possible.

22.dip /dɪp/ v. 下降；降低；蘸；浸dip sth in/into sth. 把某物放到某物里蘸一蘸

Dip the marshmallows in the melted chocolate.把棉花糖放到巧克力浆里蘸一下。

Profits dipped slightly last year.去年利润略有降低。

23.tight /taɪt/ adj. 紧的；（经济上）拮据的，不宽裕的We have a very tight budget.

24.boast /bəʊst, boʊst/ vt. 拥有（have）；vi. 吹嘘She is always boasting about how wonderful her children are.她总是夸耀她的孩子们多么出色。

She boasts a successful career in her own right.她自己拥有非常成功的事业。

Paris boasts great restaurants and friendly locals.巴黎拥有很棒的餐馆和友好的当地人。

⑤The authorities in Japan began raising the national retirement age back in 2004, in an endeavor to lengthen working lives. Companies have been told to scrap the retirement age altogether or at least bring in a system for rehiring retirees.

为了延长工作年限，日本政府早在2004年就开始提高全国退休年龄。政府还要求公司彻底废除退休年龄制度，或至少引进新的制度来重新雇用退休人员。

25.in an endeavor to do sth.尝试做某件事（in an attempt to do sth.）endeavor /enˈdevə(r)/ n. 努力，尝试vi. 努力；竭力endeavor to do sth. 竭尽全力做某事

I will endeavor to do my best for my country.我将竭尽全力报效祖国。

26.lengthen /ˈleŋθən/ vt. 变长；延长lengthen the two-ye …… 此处隐藏：2662字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……