Self-Esteem and Luxury Goods

According to a study, lowself-esteem is a big factor in whether a person will buy luxury goods that hemay not be able to afford.

For consumers trapped ininstitutionalized poverty or those living paycheck to paycheck, a luxury goodcan go a long way in increasing self-esteem or providing a sense of belonging.

A sense ofaccomplishment is yet another reason why some people buy luxury goods. Theywant to reward themselves for their hard work by treating themselves tosomething they typically can't afford.

institutionalized(adj) 体制化的  

poverty (n) 贫穷  

livepaycheck to paycheck 日子拮据、月光族  

go along way 大有帮助、大有好处

The Irrational Consumer

It’s well known that people don’t behave rationally, and considering the enormous consumer debt Americans have, consumers clearly don’t always act in their best financial interests.

Luxury goods are a great example of how irrational we can be; a decent and sturdy handbag can be purchased for $50, yet people will still spend thousands to buy a brand name.

It's always been this way and consumers' desire to own the finer things in life will likely never change.

rational (adj) 理性的  

enormous (adj) 巨大的  

sturdy (adj) 结实的  

brand name 品牌、名牌  

Taking on new challenges makes yo better on paper

Changing jobs at least once every four years can make your resume more attractive to employers for several reasons. For one, it says, ‘I’m willing to try new things and not get too comfortable.

But staying at the same job for a long while can make your resume look stagnant and give employers the impression that you lack drive and don’t enjoy learning new things.

Candidates who have not changed jobs in a decade or more run the risk of being considered stuck and afraid of change, and perhaps even‘wedded to the company.'

take on 承担、接受   

stagnant （adj） 停滞不前的、无发展的   

drive （n） 干劲、冲劲

run the riskof… 冒着。。。的风险    

stuck（adj） 困住   

bewedded to… 献身于。。。

Whystay?

In fact, staying for ten years or more on a job can be a positive thing, if you've gained seniority and leadership opportunities and have more say in the company.

It might say to potential employers that you're dependable and loyal.

A worker who constantly switches jobs or starts new ventures may have difficulty getting jobs in the future, because employers have to invest resources to train a worker, and that investment is lost if the worker leaves the company.

seniority (n) 资历、级别高  

say (n) 发言权  

venture (n) 冒险项目、公司

Kids Aren't So Great For Your Relationship

Many couples think that having kids will bring them closer, enhance their relationship and make it stronger, because they now get to bond over a little person that they created.

But the facts don't exactly back this line of thinking up. As Dr. Ellen Walker explained in Psychology Today, “Marital satisfaction rates actually plummet after the birth of the first child."

Accordingto a study, 70 percent of couples experience a“significant slump” in the quality of their relationship within the first three years of the birth of their first child.

This can be due to sleeplessness, unrealistic expectations, and the fact that clashing ideas about how to raise a child can sometimes drive a couple apart.

enhance(v) 提高、增进  

over (prep) 由于  

back…up 支持   

marital (adj) 婚姻的   

plummet(v) 暴跌  

slump (n) 骤降  

clashing (adj) 冲突的  

apart (adv) 分开

To Carry on the Family Name and Values

There are plenty of people out there who want to carry on the family name and the family values.

Of course, this tends to apply to the father's family name, but the point is that many prospective parents want to continue the historic family lineage.

They find joy in knowing that their child will bear their last name and keep the family going. Again, this is all based around societal customs.

prospective(adj) 可能成为的   

lineage (n) 家系、家族  

bear (v) 持有、带有

Cost of Living

The higher cost of living is the first disadvantage that people typically think of when considering moving to a city. 

Major cities always have a higher cost of living than the surrounding suburbs, and cities like San Francisco and New York routinely have the highest costs of living inthe U.S. 

Normal living expenses such as rent and utilities tend to be higher in big cities and you may have additional living expenses you wouldn’t have in the suburbs such as parking permits and laundry. 

Food, drinks, tobacco products, and gasoline are also more expensive in  major cities.

routinely (adv) 毫不意外地   

utility(n) 公共事业  

permit (n) 许可证   

laundry (n) 洗衣店、洗衣房  

tobacco(n) 烟草

Public Transportation

The public transportation system in major cities is a good alternative to driving yourself and dealing with the traffic and parking situation. 

Cities have trains or subways, buses, and plenty of taxis and ride sharing drivers so you can get where you need to go. 

Many public transportation options such as the bus and train are very affordable and free you of the hassle of driving.  It is possible to live without a car in most major cities.

alternative (n)可供选择的事物  

free someone of… 使某人摆脱。。。

Coldness and unemployment

There is no doubt that machines are much better when it comes to working efficiency but they cannot replace the human connection that makes the team. Machines cannot develop a bond with humans.

With more and more machines being designed, there will be an abrupt increase in unemployment and job insecurity. Since machines are replacing human resources, the rate of people losing their jobs will increase. Needless to say, humans will be no longer a priority for companies.

make (v) …使…变得成功    

bond (n) 情感纽带   

abrupt (adj) 突然的、意外的

needless to say不必说   

priority (n) 优先考虑

They Don’t Take Rest.

One of the top benefits of using artificial intelligence in the workplace is that machines and robots can perform lengthy and important tasks in a more effective manner.

Unlike humans, machines don’t need to rest or take a break. They don’t need to eat or sleep like us and never fall ill or take leaves.

They only need to be recharged or refueled by an energy source to reach their full potential. Ultimately, this enables the companies to boost their productivity by working 24 hours.

lengthy (adj)漫长的  

take leaves 休假 

refuel (v) 加油、续燃料

reach fullpotential 达到最大潜能

Expectations

Parents have expectations of their children with everything from grades in school and how they dress to college and career choices later on.

Parental disappointment creates conflict and problems in the relationship between them and their teenagers.

It often comes across as anger, giving teenagers the feeling of rejection from the people who were once the most important figures in their lives.

parental (adj)父母的 

come across 给人以。。。的印象   

rejection (n) 拒绝