10 生词
The Revival of Dawson’s General Store
In the small town of Millfield, there was an old mom-and-pop (家庭经营的) store named Dawson’s General Store. It had been around for decades, a staple（主食/主要成分） in the community, but the advent of large wholesale (批发) and retail (零售) chains had brought tough competition. The shop floor lighting (店铺地面照明) had grown dim (昏暗的), mirroring the store's slow decline. The once stylish (时尚的) ornaments (装饰品) in the windows were now covered in dust, a stark(鲜明的) reminder of better days gone by.
Martha Dawson, the current owner, felt that the store had hit the plateau (达到了平台期). Despite her best efforts, business remained stagnant(停滞的). She decided it was time for a thorough assessment (评估). She called in her son, Jack, who had a sharp business mind and a knack(本领) for turning around struggling ventures.
Jack spent the next few days conducting a cursory (粗略的) inspection of the store and its operations. He noticed the intricacy (复杂性) of managing inventory in such a small, illiquid (非流动的) market. He also saw the need for a revival (复兴) of the store’s brand and customer base. "We need to combat (战斗) the competition with something they can’t offer," Jack said, his mind already buzzing with ideas.
He knew that simply lowering prices wouldn’t be enough. They needed to offer something unique. "Our customers have an intrinsic (内在的) connection to this place," he explained to his mother. "We need to tap into that."
Jack decided to consolidate (合并) their offerings and focus on high-quality, locally sourced products. He introduced a new line of handcrafted goods, which were both practical and stylish. To mitigate(缓和) financial risks, he set up a system to hedge risk (对冲风险) by diversifying their suppliers and stock.
They also revamped(改造) the store's interior, replacing the old shop floor lighting with bright, energy-efficient bulbs. The new lighting made the store feel more welcoming and highlighted the beautiful ornaments （装饰）on display. Jack’s intuition told him this was the right move, and his intuition (直觉) was seldom wrong. In fact, his plans were intuitively compelling (非常直观的) and seemed plausible (貌似有理的).
Martha and Jack’s hard work started paying off. The first signs of improvement were small but noticeable. Customer traffic increased, and the store's revenue began to climb steadily. Jack kept a close eye on the numbers, using them to make duly (适时地) adjustments.
One evening, while going over the day’s transaction (交易) records, Jack received a call from a local supplier. They had to make some concessions (让步) due to supply chain issues, which would affect their delivery schedule. Jack knew they couldn’t afford any delays and had to act swiftly to evade (逃避) potential disruptions.
He decided to source backup suppliers to ensure they had enough stock. It was a bruising encounter (艰难的遭遇), negotiating terms and prices on such short notice, but Jack’s determination paid off. The supplier issues were resolved, and the store's operations continued smoothly.
As winter approached, they decided to host a festive event, aiming to attract more customers and strengthen community ties. The store was adorned(装饰) with holiday decorations, and the atmosphere was electric. The event was a success, bringing in new customers and renewing the town’s affection for Dawson’s General Store.
One of the highlights of the event was the arrival of a herd (兽群) of reindeer(驯鹿), brought in by a local farm. It was a sight to behold and captivated both children and adults alike. The reindeer, combined with the beautifully decorated store, made for a memorable evening.
Martha and Jack watched with pride as their efforts bore fruit. The store, once teetering(蹒跚) on the brink (边缘) of closure, was now thriving. They had successfully navigated the challenges and come out stronger. The intrinsic value of Dawson’s General Store had been restored, and its future looked brighter than ever.
单词及其中文释义：
- shop-floor-lighting - 店铺地面照明
- dim - 昏暗的
- plateau - 高原，稳定阶段
- hit the plateau - 达到了平台期，触底反弹
- assessment - 评估
- duly - 适时地，适时的
- inexorable - 无情的，不可阻挡的
- stylish - 时尚的
- ornament - 装饰品
- revival - 复兴
- transaction - 交易，业务
- hedge risk - 对冲风险，规避风险
- esteem - 尊重
- intuition - 直觉
- intuitively - 凭直觉地
- intuitively compelling - 直觉上引人注目的
- plausible - 貌似有理的
- cursor - 光标
- cursory - 粗略的
- cascade - 级联，小瀑布，倾斜，一连串的事情
- bruise - 挫伤，伤疤，青瘀
- bruising encounter - 艰难的遭遇
- illiquid - 非流动的
- combat - 战斗
- evade - 逃避
- concession - 让步
- wholesale - 批发
- retail - 零售
- mom-and-pop - 家庭经营的，夫妻经营的
- consolidate - 合并
- intricacy - 复杂性
- intrinsic - 内在的