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Businesses Get Single-minded 单身经济：一个人的精彩

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Not long ago, single people in their late twenties or thirties were stereotyped as sad loners who spent every night alone in front of the TV ___1___ the fact that they hadn’t found “the one.” Society presumed the unmarried must be weird, reclusive individuals. For them, settling down, the aspiration of almost everyone, was the stuff of fairy tales.

不久以前，20岁尾巴30几岁的单身贵族给人的刻板印象不外乎是每晚守在电视机前的孤家寡人，哀声载道怎么还是遇不到自己的真命天子（女）。社会大众假定这些没结婚的人一定是古怪、孤僻的人。一般人对「定下来」的那份渴望，在他们眼中就像童话故事一样。

Over recent decades, this stereotype has been ___2___ changing, reflected by popular TV shows like Friends and Sex and the City. Singles are often savvy, career-minded professionals who have something almost everyone else wants: money. Those in this bracket often have no children, no mortgage, and a large network of friends to ___3___ with. Because they have different priorities ___4___ their married counterparts, and a large disposable income, the “singles economy” is now booming. A quarter of Taiwan’s population can be categorized as single, and the old stereotype has changed. Fun-loving and fashionable, ___5___ cash to burn and free time in which to spend it, this sector of society is every marketer’s dream.

近几十年来，这种既定印象也慢慢在改变，由《六人行》、《欲望城市》等热门电视节目可见一斑。单身一族多为常识丰富、事业心强的专职人士，拥有羡煞众人的特征──多金。此外，这个族群的人通常没有小孩、无贷款的负担，而且交友广阔常结伴出游。由于他们人生的优先考虑与其条件相当的已婚人士有别，又拥有大笔可自由支配的收入，因此「单身经济」正蒸蒸日上。台湾有四分之一的人口可被归类为单身，单身人士早期给人的刻板印象已有所改变。喜欢玩乐、崇尚流行，有大把的钞票可花，也有闲暇时间消费，这个社群简直就是所有商家的终极梦想。

It’s easy to sell a well-off businessperson an iPhone or designer shoes. But some more unusual markets are attempting to capture the single person’s dollar. Hectic lifestyles and the hassle of cooking have led to a ___6___ in pre-prepared single-serving microwave meals. Japanese companies have dreamed up some innovative ways of ___7___ on singles’ salaries. Store shelves offer products packaged for one, travel agents offer singles’ holidays, and restaurants ___8___ solo diners, sometimes exclusively. What’s more, for the singing single, KTV provides private rooms ….. for one!

向手头阔绰的商业人士推销苹果iPhone手机或名牌鞋子并非难事。但部分非主流市场企图要拿到单身族群的钞票。忙得不可开交的生活，连做饭都嫌麻烦，于是单人份的微波电视餐销售量有上升趋势。日本公司还想出了一些抢攻单身族荷包的创意点子。商场的货架上陈列单人份包装的商品，旅行业者也推出单人度假行程，就连餐厅也推出单人套餐，有时候这些优惠还是独家的呢。不仅于此，KTV还提供单独前来唱歌的人私人包厢，而且还是单人的喔！

With high numbers of people ___9___ or postponing family life, the single community is one to be reckoned with – its spending power is undeniable and the purchases made by ___10__ urban singles often influence the buying choices of other groups. It’s no wonder smart businesses are singling out this market.

由于不愿意或想要延缓结婚成家的人口越来越多，单身族群的势力不容小觑：他们的购买力无庸置疑，且时尚都市新贵的购买选择往往还会影响其他族群的消费倾向。难怪脑筋动得快的业者都想单挑这块市场。

−by Alice David

Vocabulary

单词发音

individual [͵ɪndəˋvɪdʒʊəl] n. 个人；个体

settle down 安顿下来; 成家过安定的生活 to begin living a stable and orderly life

aspiration [͵æspəˋreʃən] n. 志向，抱负

professional [prəˋfɛʃən!] n. 专业人员

network [ˋnɛt͵wɝk] n. 人际网络; 网络

priority [praɪˋɔrətɪ] n. 优先考虑的事

counterpart [ˋkaʊntɚ͵pɑrt] n. 对应的人（或物）

categorize [ˋkætəgə͵raɪz] v. 分类, 归类

innovative [ˋɪno͵vetɪv] adj. 创新的

exclusively [ɪkˋsklusɪvlɪ] adv. 专门地; 独占地

postpone [postˋpon] v. 使延期，延迟

reckon [ˋrɛkən] v. 认为，把……看作[W][（+as/among/with）]

undeniable [͵ʌndɪˋnaɪəb!] adj. 无可否认的

purchase [ˋpɝtʃəs] n. 买，购买

single out 挑出, 挑选出 select from a group

More Information

单词发音

single-minded [ˋsɪŋg!ˋmaɪndɪd] adj.  一心一意的，专心的 having but one aim or purpose; dedicated

stereotype [ˋstɛrɪə͵taɪp] v. 对…形成刻版印象的看法

loner [ˋlonɚ] n. 喜欢独处的人; 孤独的人

presume [prɪˋzum] v. 假定，假设；推测，认为

reclusive [rɪˋklusɪv] adj. 隐遁的；孤寂的

savvy [ˋsævɪ] adj. 有见识的，懂实际知识的 well informed and perceptive; shrewd

career-minded 事业心强的

bracket [ˋbrækɪt] n. 类别，档次，等级段，阶层

mortgage [ˋmɔrgɪdʒ] n. 抵押借款

disposable [dɪˋspozəb!] adj. 可任意处理的；可自由使用的

well-off 富裕的

hectic [ˋhɛktɪk] adj. 忙乱的

hassle [ˋhæs!] n. 麻烦；困难；问题

cater to 为...服务; 迎合

cash in on 靠…赚钱 to get money or another advantage from

lament [ləˋmɛnt] v. 哀悼，悲痛；痛哭；悲叹

trendy [ˋtrɛndɪ] adj. 时髦的；流行的

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