經濟學人精讀 The Economist49

【第一遍】邊聽邊讀

READING WHILE LISTENING

經濟學人精讀The Economist [49]

選自January 13 2018 Business商業版塊

Peak season for health clubs

The squeezed middle

Low-cost gyms and luxury ones will profit most from the January rush

EVERY year, like clockwork, swathes of humanity go through the same routine. On December 26thand January 1st, as the fog of cheese, chocolate oranges and champagne lifts, remorse creeps in. Online searches for 「get fit」 and 「lose weight」 surge (see chart).

Health clubs of all shapes and sizes stand ready to respond. 「Intent typically takes seven to14 days to turn into reality,」 notes Humphrey Cobbold, chief executive of PureGym, Britain』s largest gym chain. So this week will be one of the busiest for the gym industry globally.

There will be other ripple effects, too. According to recent data from Cardlytics, which monitors spending in Britain, people spend 18% more in sports shops the week before joining a gym (compared with the week prior), and 16% more in speciality health shops. Spending on fashion items also increases around the time of joining a gym.

Many gym recruits will wear their new togs for an ordeal known as high- intensity interval training. In the basement of Another Space, a 「boutique」 club near London』sLeicester Square, music pumps and lights flash as a trainer shouts instructions to a group of mostly young women. They are pushed through bursts of burpees, handclap push-ups and various kicks and punches at boxing bags. The regime is murderous, but the club』s luxurious changing rooms and made-to-order-smoothie bar soothe some of the pain. Such high-end gyms can charge up to eight times as much as low-cost ones, based on two visits a week over a year, estimates RayAlgar, an industry analyst. Boutique venues such as SoulCycle or Pure Barre are popping up, particularly in big cities and often backed by private equity.

They are at one end of a bifurcating fitness market. At the other are budget gyms, which have accounted for the bulk of gym growth in recent years. America』s market leader, Planet Fitness, promises 「the best value on the planet」, and has over 10mmembers; its shares soared in 2017. One in seven people in Britain is a gym member, and 35% of private memberships are low-cost, up from 14% in 2013, according to Leisure DB, a data firm. Mid-range clubs, meanwhile, have fared less well. Virgin Active recently sold its less luxurious facilities in Britain to avoid being squished in the middle.

Pure Gym expects soon to reach 1m members. Part of its appeal is that, unlike traditional gyms, members are not bound by a long contract. 「We have taken a ￡500 decision and turned it into a ￡20 decision,」 says Mr Cobbold. That will be good news for some gym converts because many will soon suffer a second round of regret. Most new joiners do not plan to squander money. But gyms thrive on non-attendance.According to the IHRSA, an industry body based in Boston, fewer than half of gym members in America hit the treadmill at least twice a week—until the exercise cycle begins anew the following January.

Jan 14 511 words

【第二遍】博學審問

博學之、審問之、慎思之、明辨之、篤行之

——《禮記 · 中庸》

經濟學人精讀The Economist [49]

選自January 13 2018 Business商業版塊

#Eva導讀#

有眾多數據顯示，低端和高檔健身俱樂部在一月的收益最好，使用率也最高。其主要原因在於人們在聖誕節和新年，雖懷揣懊悔之心，但卻堅定地走著「每逢佳節胖三斤」的路線。因此，在這之後，減肥的決心最為強烈，購買運動裝，辦健身卡的需求凸顯，當然，其中很大一部分是女性。但，好景不長，這些剛剛辦健身卡的人，馬上會經歷再一次後悔。因為，在接下來的時間中，他們很有可能會在大多數時候缺席健身房。而下一個健身周期的開始就要等到明年1月了。

#以上，個人總結和理解，歡迎批評指正，歡迎留言討論

#有輸出才有進步

Peak season for health clubs[健身俱樂部的高峰期]

The squeezed middle[拮据的中端市場]

Low-cost gyms and luxury ones will profit most from the Januaryrush[低端和高檔健身俱樂部將在一月的健身高峰期中受益最多]

EVERY year,like clockwork[極為準時],swathes of[一部分]humanitygo throughthe same routine[每年，一部分人會極為準時的經歷相同的日常].On December 26thand January 1st, as the fog of cheese, chocolate oranges and champagne lifts,remorse[懊悔]creeps in[逐漸顯現][在12月26號和1月1號，隨著乳酪，巧克力橘子，和香檳的迷霧升起，懊悔之意也逐漸產生].Online searches for 「get fit」 and 「lose weight」 surge (see chart)[網上對「瘦身」和「減肥」的搜索增加（見圖表）].

Health clubs of all shapes and sizesstand readyto respond[各種形式和規模的健身俱樂部都已經做好準備接客].「Intent typically takes seven to 14 daysto turn into reality,」 notes Humphrey Cobbold, chief executive of PureGym, Britain』s largest gym chain[英國最大的健身連鎖店PureGym的首席執行官，HC聲稱「通常決心需要7-14天的時間轉化為行動」].So this week will be one of the busiest for the gym industry globally[因此，這周將是全球健身行業最忙的時期之一].

There will be otherrippleeffects[連鎖反應], too[也會有其他的連鎖反應].According to recent data from Cardlytics, which monitors spending in Britain, people spend18% more in sports shops the week before joining a gym (compared with the week prior), and 16% more in speciality health shops[根據Cardlytics監控英國開銷的最新數據，人們在加入健身房的前一周，在運動品商店的開銷增長了18%（與前一周相比），在專業健康商店的開銷增長了16%].Spending on fashion items also increases around the time of joining agym[在要加入健身房是，在時尚物品上的花費也有所增加].

Many gymrecruits[新成員]will wear their new togs for anordeal[考驗]known as high-intensity interval training[很多健身房的新成員都將穿上他們的新衣服，接受被稱為高強度間歇訓練(HIIT)的考驗].In the basement of Another Space, a 「boutique」 club near London』s Leicester Square, music pumps and lights flash as a trainer shouts instructions to a group of mostly youngwomen[在倫敦Leicester廣場附近的一個「精品」俱樂部Another Space的地下室中，放著音樂，燈光閃爍，一個教練正向以女性居多的一個團隊喊著口令].They are pushed through bursts of burpees, handclap push-ups and various kicks and punches at boxing bags[她們被訓練做一組組波比跳，拍手俯卧撐，和擊打拳擊袋].Theregime[組織方法，管理體制]ismurderous[非常難受的],but the club』s luxurious changing rooms and made-to-order-smoothie barsoothe some of the pain[訓練方法讓人難受的要命，但是俱樂部的豪華更衣室和按需特製的沙冰吧緩解了些許的疼痛].Such high-end gyms cancharge up toeight times as much as low-cost ones, based on two visits a week over a year, estimates RayAlgar, an industry analyst[行業分析員RA估計，像這樣的高端健身房是那些低端健身房收費的8倍].Boutique venues such as SoulCycle or Pure Barre arepopping up[突然出現，發生], particularly in big cities and oftenbacked[支持，資助]by private equity[像SoulCycle或是Pure Barre這樣的精品場所正在閃現，尤其在城市，通常有私人股本的資助].

They are at one end of abifurcating[分支]fitness market[它們是健身市場分支的一個極端].At the other are budget gyms, which haveaccounted forthe bulk of[一大部分]gym growth in recent years[另一個極端是中端健身房，它們在近幾年佔據了健身房增長的一大部分].America』s market leader, Planet Fitness, promises 「the best value on the planet」, and has over 10m members; its sharessoared[驟增]in 2017[Planet Fitness美國市場的領頭羊，承諾是「地球上最物有所值」的健身房，擁有超過1億的會員；它的市場份額在2017年驟增].One in seven people in Britain is a gym member, and 35% of private memberships are low-cost, up from 14% in 2013, according to Leisure DB, a data firm[根據Leisure DB一家數據公司，在英國，每7個人中就有一人是健身房會員，其中35%是低端健身房的私人會員，由2013的14%上漲至此].Mid-range clubs, meanwhile, havefared[遭遇]less well[與此同時，中端俱樂部的境況不佳].Virgin Active recently sold its less luxurious facilities in Britain to avoid being squished in the middle[英國Virgin Active最近賣掉了它的不那麼高端設施，以避免被擠到中端市場].

Pure Gym expects soon to reach 1m members[Pure Gym希望很快就能達到1億會員].Part of its appeal is that, unlike traditional gyms, members are not bound by a long contract[它的吸引力一部分在於，不像其他傳統健身房，會員沒有被捆綁長期合同].「We have taken a￡500 decision and turned it into a ￡20 decision,」 says Mr Cobbold[C先生說，我們收下了一個價值500英鎊的決定，並把它轉變為價值20英鎊的決定].That will be good news for some gymconverts[改變（習慣/生活方式）的人]because many will soon suffer a second round of regret[這對於一些剛剛加入健身房的人是一個好消息，因為他們很快會經歷第二輪後悔].Most new joiners do not plan tosquander[浪費，揮霍]money[大多數新加入者都不想浪費錢].But gyms thrive onnon-attendance[但是健身房靠缺勤致富].According to theIHRSA, an industry body based in Boston, fewer than half of gym members in America hit thetreadmill[跑步機]at least twice aweek—until the exercise cycle beginsanew[重新，再]the following January[根據位於波士頓的行業組織IHRSA的說法，美國少於一半的健身房會員在一周至少使用兩次跑步機，一直再到接下來的一月才會重新開始運動周期].

Jan 14 511 words

【第三遍】辭彙總結

VOCABULARY TAKEAWAY

【like clockwork】

veryregularly, or atexactlytheplannedtimes

非常有規律；極為準時

Since therecentimprovementsto theservice, thebusesarerunninglike clockwork.

最近，自從改進服務後，公交車運行得非常準時。

Mydaughteralwayscallsme everyFridayevening,(as)regularas clockwork.

我女兒總是每星期五晚上給我打電話，非常準時。

【remorse】

afeelingof sadness and beingsorryfor something you have done

懊悔；悔恨；自責

Hefeltno remorseforthemurdershe hadcommitted.

他對自己犯下的一樁樁謀殺罪行毫無悔意。

After theargument, she wasfilledwithremorse.

爭吵過後，她懊悔不已。

【creep in】

tograduallystartto benoticeable

逐漸顯現；逐漸引起注意

Doubtsbegantocreepinto mymindabout thelikelysuccessof theproject.

我逐漸對這項計劃成功的可能性產生了懷疑。

【ripple effect】

asituationin which oneeventproduceseffectswhichspreadand producefurthereffects

連鎖反應

Thebankcrashhashadarippleeffectonthewholecommunity.

銀行的破產在整個社區引起了連鎖反應。

【ordeal】

a veryunpleasantandpainfulordifficultexperience

磨難；苦難；嚴峻考驗；煎熬

Thehostages"ordeal came to an end whensoldiersstormedthebuilding.

士兵們突襲那棟大樓後，人質們的苦難終於結束了。

【recruit】

a newmemberof anorganization,especiallythearmy

新成員，新來的人；（尤指）新兵

Rawrecruits (=completelynewsoldiers) weretrainedfor sixmonthsand thensentto thewarfront.

剛入伍的新兵接受了6個月的訓練後就被送往戰爭前線。

【regime】

aparticularway ofoperatingororganizingabusiness, etc.

組織方法；管理體制；體系

The regime in thisofficeis hardworkand more hardwork.

這個事務所的管理方式就是，讓你工作努力再努力。

【murderous】

extremelyunpleasant

非常難受的

Thetrafficwas murderous today.

今天的交通擁堵得要命。

【soar】

toriseveryquicklyto a highlevel

猛增，驟升

Allnightlongfireworkssoared into thesky.

整個晚上焰火不斷地升入高空。

Temperatures will soar over theweekend, say theweatherforecasters.

天氣預報員說，周末氣溫會驟升至80多華氏度。

Housepricessoared afurther20percent.

房價又躥升了20％。

【fare】

tosucceedor betreatedin thestatedway

成功；遭遇

How did you fare inyourexams?

你考得怎麼樣？

Low-paidworkerswill farebadly/wellunder thisgovernment.

在這屆政府執政期間，低收入工人的境況會很糟／很好。

【squander】

towastemoneyorsupplies, or towasteopportunitiesby not using them toyouradvantage

浪費，揮霍（金錢或補給品）；糟蹋（機會）

They"llquitehappilysquander awholeyear"ssavingson twoweeksin thesun.

他們會心甘情願地把全年的積蓄花掉，度兩個星期的陽光假期。

Ireland squandered severalchances,includingapenaltythatcostthem thegame.

愛爾蘭隊錯失了幾次機會，包括導致他們輸掉比賽的一次點球。

英文原文選自《經濟學人》

單詞釋義來源：劍橋字典網頁版https://dictionary.cambridge.org

文章僅供英語學習參考，不作其他用途

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