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Building a Better Business 宜室宜家──IKEA家具

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

While the “IKEA concept” continues to spread throughout the world, its origins are remarkably humble. In fact, IKEA was founded in 1943 by seventeen-year-old Swedish farm boy Ingvar Kamprad, who started out selling everything from matches to fish to Christmas decorations. When the young man’s business got too big for him to peddle on foot, he obtained the delivery services of the local milk truck and started a makeshift mail-order catalogue.

虽然「IKEA信念」在全世界持续发烧，但它却有着相当卑微的起源。事实上，IKEA是由一个十七岁的瑞典农家男孩英瓦．坎培德于1943年所创立的。在创业之初，举凡火柴、鱼类到圣诞装饰品皆为其销售物品。当这个年轻人的生意越做越大，以致于无法再徒步沿街叫卖时，他购得当地牛奶卡车的递送服务，并且开始使用临时代用的邮购目录。

Kamprad’s big break came in 1950 when he added to his product line furniture made of wood from the local forest. Its overwhelming reception soon convinced Kamprad to drop all other products. After that, it did not take IKEA long to develop the basic ideas that continue to define it today: low-priced, well-designed, self-assembly furniture shipped inexpensively in flat packaging. As the company grew, it was better able to buy bulk raw materials from diverse markets to keep costs down.

1950年当坎培德将当地森林所产木材制造的家具加入他的生产线时，他的好运就此来临。该产品广为消费大众接受的程度很快地便促使坎培德放弃其他的产品。在那之后不久，IKEA便发展出时至今日仍能明确阐明的基本观念：以平整的包装运送低价、设计精巧的自组式家具。随着公司的成长，更能从不同的市场大量购买原料以维持成本低廉。

IKEA combines slick marketing with a solid concept to sell not just a product, but a lifestyle. A look through its catalogue gives an example of this philosophy: Rather than simply showing individual products on plain backgrounds, IKEA also displays its mix-and-match pieces together in real-life settings. Moreover, in places where its in-store Swedish meatballs and customer service are in contrast to local traditions, IKEA’s cultural vision is especially apparent.

IKEA结合了灵活的营销手法和坚固的信念，其所贩卖的不只是一种产品，更是一种生活风格。翻阅其产品型录就能得到这种哲学一个很好的例证：不只是在平面展示个人化的产品，同时也以居家实景的卖场陈设方式展示各种组合搭配。此外，和本地传统有极大差异的室内瑞典肉丸特餐和顾客服务，也让IKEA文化的构想更显注目。

Vocabulary

单词发音

peddle [ˋpɛd!] v. 叫卖，挨户兜售

makeshift [ˋmek͵ʃɪft] adj. 权宜的; 临时（代用）的

catalogue [ˋkætəlɔg] n.（图书，商品等的）目录；目录册

define [dɪˋfaɪn] v. 阐明，给……下定义

slick [slɪk] adj. 熟练的；灵巧的

Sentence of the Day

He worked hard to earn his bread and butter.

他努力工作以维持生计。

bread and butter 生计，谋生之道

课文讲解

Neil and Heidi are foreigners who have been hanging out a lot recently. This is the first time Neil has seen Heidi’s home.  奈尔和海蒂两个外国人最近很常一起出去。这是奈尔第一次参观海蒂的家。

N: Great place. Well-coordinated, nice atmosphere. Looks just like IKEA.

好棒的地方。搭配得很好，气氛也很好。看起来很像IKEA的感觉。

H: You noticed. It’s the “IKEA concept.”

你注意到啦。这就是「IKEA信念」。

N: Pass the Swedish meatballs. Did you get everything in here from IKEA?

那把瑞典肉丸也端出来吧。妳所有的东西都是在IKEA买的吗？

H: Hey, it saved a lot of hassle.

嘿，这节省了我很多跑腿工作呢。

N: What store did you buy your furniture from at home? It was IKEA, wasn’t it?

妳家里的家具都是在哪里买的？不是在IKEA吗？

H: Listen. Mr. Minimalist, your place has all the trappings of a back room in a Zen monastery. Can I help it if I like a chair or two, and a table, and a normal bed?

简约主义先生，听着，你房子的所有摆饰活像是一个禅修道院的后室。多一两张椅子、一张桌子、普通的床铺有什么不对吗？

N: And IKEA is the only place to get those things?

那IKEA是唯一可以买到这些东西的地方吗？

H: It’s the best place. It’s got everything: selection, design, reasonable prices ….

它是最好的地方。那里什么都有：选择性、设计感、合理的价格……

N: Imagine if everyone lived in “IKEA World.” Wouldn’t life be a little stale?

想象一下如果每个人都住在「IKEA的世界」，那样生活不是一点新意也没有吗？

H: Not everyone lives in “IKEA World.” And I happen to think it’s a breath of fresh air.

并不是每个人都住在「IKEA的世界」而且我刚好也认为那样很新鲜。

N: I’m just saying that you can find some good stuff elsewhere.

我只是认为妳在其他地方也可以找到一些好东西。

H: Night markets, for example? Always my first pick for variety and quality. Besides, IKEA’s more than just good furniture.

比如说夜市吗？IKEA总是我挑选多样化商品和高质量东西的第一选择。况且，IKEA并不只是代表着好家具而已。

N: Oh, right, it’s the whole Scandinavian lifestyle. What in the world do meatballs have to do with furniture anyway?

喔，对喔，那也是整个北欧国家的生活风格。到底肉丸和家具有什么关系啊？

H: Who cares? Besides, you’re looking pretty comfortable in that chair. One more crack out of you and I’ll send you back to your meditation chamber!

谁在乎那个？还有，看起来你坐在那张椅子上挺舒服的，你再开一个玩笑我就送你回你那个禅修室！

－End

Vocabulary

单词发音

hang out【非正式】闲荡; 厮混

well-coordinated 协调良好的

hassle [ˋhæs!] n.【美】麻烦；问题

minimalist [ˋmɪnəməlɪst] n. 最低限要求者; 极简主义者

trappings ['træpɪŋz] n. 装饰

monastery [ˋmɑnəs͵tɛrɪ] n. 寺院; 修道院

stale [stel] adj. 陈旧的，无新意的

crack [kræk] n. 俏皮话

meditation [͵mɛdəˋteʃən] n. 默想; 冥想; 打坐

Sentence of the Day

They argued until they were blue in the face.

他们争论得面红耳赤。

blue in the face  脸红气喘