2020考研英语：《经济学人》中英读译Day131

英语阅读能力依靠什么？必然是词汇的积累，但，仅仅是词汇的积累是不够了，更应该了解英语句式，不同句型所表达意义。如何培养自己的阅读语感呢？那么就跟着聚创考研信息网小编每天学一点英语，一起为考研筑起坚实的地基。阅读是需要积累的，就像我们需要经常和人沟通才会促进我们的表达能力一样~小伙伴跟着小编一起，每天坚持打卡，培养英语阅读能力及语感，了解文章一些经典词汇的用法。

经济学人: 改善快餐连锁店形象的25年之战 (2)

Accomplishing change is not just a matter of the company snapping its fingers.Most McDonald's restaurants are operated by franchisees and its goods are bought from a wide range of suppliers,so three or four layers may separate the McDonald's head office and the cattle-rancher who supplies the firm's beef.

译文

实现改变并不仅仅是公司打个响指的问题。麦当劳的大部分餐厅都由特许经营者经营，其商品则是从许多不同供应商处购买，所以三四层结构或许可以将麦当劳的总公司和为公司提供牛肉的牧场主分隔开。

In the late 1990s, after complaints from campaign groups about the living conditions of hens,Mr Langert visited an egg facility to find that conditions were indeed terrible.In August 2000 the firm said it would buy eggs only from suppliers that gave hens 72 square inches of space,compared with an industry average of 48 square inches. Suppliers resisted so strongly that McDonald's had to find new sources for its eggs.But those who complied found that the mortality rates of hens decreased and egg-laying rates increased, offsetting the extra costs.

译文

20世纪90年代末，活动组织对母鸡生活环境进行投诉后，兰杰特参观了一个鸡蛋设备厂并发现那里的条件确实很糟糕。2000年8月，该公司表示其将仅从为母鸡提供72平方英寸生活空间的供应商处购买鸡蛋，而业内平均面积为48平方英寸。供应商们强烈抗议，麦当劳不得不寻找新的鸡蛋源。但是那些符合要求的供应商们发现母鸡的死亡率下降了并且产蛋率上升了，额外成本得以抵消。

Mr Langert found it took a long time to get agreement within the company on a particular subject and then to persuade suppliers to comply.But once he reached that stage, he had enormous clout;McDonald's is the largest purchaser of beef and pork in America, as well as the second-largest buyer of chicken.Another victory was persuading a supplier to phase out the use of gestation stalls for sows which make it impossible for the animals to move.

译文

兰杰特发现从公司内部就某一主题达成协议到说服供应商遵循这些规定要花费很长的时间。但是一旦他达到那个阶段，就会有巨大的影响力；麦当劳是美国最大的牛肉和猪肉购买方，也是鸡肉的第二大买家。另一个胜利是说服供应商逐步淘汰使用母猪妊娠舍，在妊娠舍内的动物无法活动。

Human working conditions also caused the company trouble.One day Mr Langert got a call from a Catholic bishop who was concerned about the low wages paid to tomato-pickers.Another issue was the use of "trans fats" to cook the restaurant's fries, which were deemed to increase the risk of heart disease;it took six years for the chain to phase out the practice. But the company has also added more salads and healthy options.

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人类工作环境也引发了公司问题。一天，兰杰特接到了一名天主教主教的电话，他对摘西红柿工作者的低工资表示担忧。另一个是连锁店使用“反式脂肪”炸薯条的问题，这样被认为会增加心脏病风险；公司花了6年时间让连锁店逐步淘汰了这种做法。但是公司也增加了更多沙拉和健康选择。

Was all the effort worth it? It seems likely that many of the people who care a lot about these issues would never eat a fast-food burger in the first place.But Mr Langert did more than most to reduce environmental waste and animal cruelty. A decent career record for an obviously decent man.

译文

这些努力都值得吗？似乎可能很多非常关心这些问题的人根本不会吃快餐汉堡。但是在减少环境垃圾和动物虐待上，兰杰特做的比大部分人都多。对一位正派人士而言，这是一份体面的履历。

注释

1.franchisee 特许经营者

Presiding over a large franchisee community can pose unusual management challenges

主持大型特许经营商社区会带来不寻常的管理挑战。来源于《WSJ》

2.living condition 生活条件

Our living condition has improved these years.

我们的生活条件这些年改善了。

3.resist 抵制

The urge to create metaphors is difficult to resist.

创造隐喻的冲动是难以抗拒的。来源于《BBC》

4.mortality rate 死亡率

The nation's infant mortality rate has reached a record low.

该国的婴儿死亡率已降至历史最低水平。

It is the leading contributor to infant mortality rate in Kenya.

它是肯尼亚婴儿死亡率的主要贡献者。来源于《VOA》

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