TheFridayaftertheAmericanholidayofThanksgivingiscalledBlackFriday.It’ssaidthatit’sthedaythatstoreledgers(分类账)moveintotheblackandcompaniesbecomeprofitable. Onthatdayretailersslash(砍)pricestogetconsumerstobuy. ItisalsoatimewhenmanyAmericansstarttheirChristmasshopping.VOA’sElizabethLeetellsushowtheeconomymayaffectconsumersonthatbargainday.
Thisdayshouldbeashopper’sdream.“It’sjustthedealsthesalesandeverythingyoucangetforalesserprice”saidSandyThomasashopper.Butit’sanightmareforothers.“Ithinkit’scrazy.I’vedoneallofmyshoppingthroughouttheweeksoIdon’thavetogooutonFriday”shesaid.It’scalledBlackFridaythestartofthetraditionalChristmasshoppingseasonintheUnitedStates.Everyyearit’sthedayaftertheThanksgivingholiday.Storesopenbeforesunriseandtherearedeepdiscountseverywhereyoulook.
Lastyearacrowdofbargain-hunterskilledaWal-martworkerinaNewYorksuburb.Thisyearmanystoresareincreasingsecuritywhiletheyslashprices.“Thisisahugetimefortheretailstores”saidFredJoutzfromGeorgeWashingtonUniversity.“Thisiswhentheybeginmakingtheirprofitsfortheyear.”
EconomicsprofessorFredJoutzsayshowAmericansspendtheweekendafterThanksgivingisagoodindicationofhowconsumersfeelaboutthefuture.
Withtheunemploymentrateabove10percentJoutzsaysAmericansaresavingmoreandspendingless.SomeretailersareattractingconsumersbyopeningonThanksgivingDaywhenshopsaretraditionallyclosed. Otherstoresopentheirdoorsanywherefrommidnighttofourinthemorning.
Andshopperswillbeliningupinfrontofthedoorsinordertobeoneofthefirstonestowalkthroughandgetabigdiscount.ElectronicslikeflatscreenTVsareusuallythefirstitemstogo.SandyThomassaysit’sanannualfamilytraditionandwellworthit.“IjustsavemaybehalfofwhatIwouldhavespentonaregularyouknowshoppingtrip”shesaid.
EconomistssayU.S.consumerswillspendmoneythisBlackFridaybuttheywillspenditmorecarefully.
【小题1】Bysaying“Thisdayshouldbeashopper’sdream”thewritermeans________.
