Question

    Amid weak job and housing markets, consumers are saving more and spending less than they have in decades and industry professionals expect that trend to continue. Consumers saved 6.4 percent of their after-tax income in June. Before the recession, the rate was 1 to 2 percent for many years. In June, consumer spending and personal incomes were essentially flat compared with May, suggesting that the American economy, as dependent as it is on shoppers opening their wallets and purses, isn’t likely to rebound anytime soon.

On the bright side, the practices that consumers have adopted in response to the economic crisis ultimately could make them happier. New studies of consumption and happiness show, for instance, that people are happier when they spend money on experiences instead of material objects, when they relish what they plan to buy long before they buy it, and when they stop trying to outdo the Joneses.

If consumers end up sticking with their newfound spending habits, some tactics (策略) that retailers and marketers began using during the recession could become lasting business strategies. Among those strategies are offering goods that makes being at home more entertaining and trying to make consumers feel special by giving them access to exclusive events and more personal customer service.

While the current round of stinginess may simply be a response to the economic downturn, some analysts say consumers may also be permanently adjusting their spending based on what they’ve discovered about what truly makes them happy or fulfilled.

“This actually is a topic that hasn’t been researched very much until recently,” says Elizabeth W. Dunn, an associate professor in the psychology department at the University of British Columbia, who is at the forefront of research on consumption and happiness. There’s massive literature on income and happiness. It’s amazing how little there is on how to spend your money.

Studies over the last few decades have shown that money, up to a certain point, makes people happier because it lets them meet basic needs. The latest round of research is, for lack of a better term, all about emotional efficiency: how to reap the most happiness for your dollar.

So just where does happiness reside for consumers? Scholars and researchers haven’t determined whether Armani will put a bigger smile on your face than Dolce & Gabbana. But they have found that our types of purchases, their size and frequency, and even the timing of the spending all affect long-term happiness.

One major finding is that spending money for an experience — concert tickets, French lessons, sushi-rolling classes, a hotel room in Monaco — produces longer-lasting satisfaction than spending money on plain old stuff.

“‘It’s better to go on a vacation than buy a new couch’ is basically the idea,” says Professor Dunn.

Thomas DeLeire, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin discovered that the only category to be positively related to happiness was leisure: vacations, entertainment, sports and equipment like golf clubs and fishing poles.

1.What’s the dark side of American consumers’ saving more and spending less?

A.The job and housing markets will become even weaker.

B.There is little hope that the American economy will recover soon.

C.More and more retailers and marketers will have to go bankrupt.

D.It’s possible that the American economy will rebound sooner.

2.What will happen if customers keep their spending habits formed in the economic downturn?

A.They will get goods and services much cheaper.

B.It’s likely that they spend more time indoors.

C.Retailers will change their business strategies.

D.They will enjoy better services and experiences.

3.What surprises Elizabeth W. Dunn according to the passage?

A.There is little about how to spend money to make people happy.

B.Consumers unconsciously adjust their spending habits to be happy.

C.People started researches on consumption-happiness relationship so early.

D.Happiness is proved to have nothing to do with consumption.

4.Scholars such as Prof. Dunn and Prof. DeLeire agree that_______.

A.richer people feel happier and more satisfied

B.most consumers prefer leading brands like Armani

C.spending on vacations brings long-term happiness

D.people should curb their spending on material thing

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.A

4.C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章提出了在经济危机中美国人养成了节省更多,花费更少的习惯，这对经济发展以及个人带来了好处和坏处。专家们对此进行了科学的分析。

1.

细节理解题。根据saving more and spending less定位到第一段，根据“In June, consumer spending and personal incomes were essentially flat compared with May, suggesting that the American economy, as dependent as it is on shoppers opening their wallets and purses, isn’t likely to rebound anytime soon.”可知，在六月，消费者的消费和个人收入对比五月来说相当平滑，表明美国的经济不可能很快回弹，所以美国消费者多节省少消费的坏处在于美国经济很快恢复的希望很小，符合选项B，故选B。

2.

细节理解题。根据“keep their spending habits formed in the economic downturn”定位到第二段“the practices that consumers have adopted in response to the economic crisis”，由第二段可知，这会让他们更加快乐。第二段中举例中有“people are happier when they spend money on experiences”，表明人们花钱买体验（experiences）时更快乐，“they relish what they plan to buy long before they buy it”可知他们在购买产品很早之前就可以享受他们打算买的东西，这是服务（service），所以如果消费者继续保持在经济低迷时期形成的消费习惯，他们将会享受到更好的服务和体验。故选D。

3.

细节理解题。根据Elizabeth W. Dunn定位到第五段，根据surprising定位到“There’s massive literature on income and happiness. It’s amazing how little there is on how to spend your money.”，意为“有大量的关于收入和幸福的文献。但令人惊讶的是关于如何花钱的是多么的少。”，所以令Elizabeth W. Dunn惊讶的是关于如何花钱让人们更幸福的文献很少，故选A。

4.

推理判断题。根据Professor Dunn的话“‘It’s better to go on a vacation than buy a new couch’ is basically the idea”可知Dunn认为度假比买新沙发要更好，根据“the only category to be positively related to happiness was leisure: vacations, entertainment, sports and equipment like golf clubs and fishing poles”可知DeLeire认为与幸福相关的唯一积极类别就是休闲，例如假期、娱乐等。所以两位教授都认为在假期上花钱能给人带来长期的幸福，故选C。