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It’s a well-known and often quoted fact that consumer spending drives the US economy. But it’s also led to what could be called the Stuff Paradox. A large number of Americans have so much clutter they don’t know what to do with it. While many others don’t have anything at all. So what happens to all that stuff that people don’t want and how can it help those most in need.
We get bedding and towels.
Ok.
You can fill up as much space as you have. And you often do. And so then you have to start actually makingdecisions. And there is, you know, the rule of them that if you haven’t worn it or in a year’s time you don’t absolutely love it, then let it go. But then there’s other things your special items and your memorabilia and furniture, and things like that you don’t wanna let go of.
A recent survey says fifty-four percent of Americans feel overwhelmed by clutter and seventy-eight percenthave no idea what do to with it. Many need help to get rid of it, going online for support, hiring professionals or as Carrie is doing asking a charity to give her castoffs a new lease of life.
One of the pieces that will be donating is our family dining room table and eight chairs and then the sideboard in addition to the queen size bed.
Well, this table is beautiful. I mean, this one will last but about ten minutes in our showroom. People will want this right away. So thank you. It’s gorgeous. The chairs are beautiful, as well.
Wonderful.
And as for the bed, I mean, it’s harder to get a good bed than it is to get food or clothing.
Mark Bergel is the founder and chief executive of A Wider Circle, which furnishes four thousand homes for impoverished families every year.
Families come to us with an average income of about 12,000 dollars a year and an average family size of four. Many people live without beds, without dressers, without tables and chairs. Meanwhile, there are a whole host of people who have excess beds and tables and chairs and sheets and towels. So we go to the peoplewho have more than they need. We collect their items. We bring them here and set them up and distribute them to people who have less than they need.
The nation’s capital has one of the widest wealth gaps in the nation. The top five percent of households earn an average of almost half a million dollars a year. While, the poorest five percent make less than ten thousand.
April Johnson has just moved into a new home and hopes A Wider Circle will help her furnish it.
The last house I lived in, my landlord sold his property, so me and my children have been homeless for thepast six months.
And you’ve got five children, haven’t you?
Yes, Ma’m.
詞匯解析
distribute
難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞
英漢解釋
v.分配；散發(fā)；分布
參考例句
用作動(dòng)詞 (v.)
Clothes and blankets have been distributed among the refugees.
向難民分發(fā)了衣服和毯子。
The population is distributed in a very uneven pattern.
人口分布很不平衡。
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essential
難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞
英漢解釋
adj.本質(zhì)的；必要的；重要的
n.要素；必需品
參考例句
用作形容詞 (adj.)
This is desirable but by no means essential to the primary objective of validating mathematical models of aircraft behaviour.
對(duì)于驗(yàn)證飛機(jī)性能的數(shù)學(xué)模型這一主要目的來說，這是必須的，但決不是最本質(zhì)的.
用作名詞 (n.)
A man should never neglect these social essentials.
一個(gè)人決不該疏忽了這些社交上的必需品。
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bitterly
英漢解釋
adv.殘酷地；痛苦地
參考例句
用作副詞 (adv.)
It is bitterly cold today.
今天冷得很。
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contribute
難度：3星常用詞匯，屬常用6000詞
英漢解釋
vt.捐助；投稿
vi.投稿；貢獻(xiàn)；是原因之一
參考例句
用作及物動(dòng)詞 (vt.)
She asked him to contribute a biweekly article on European affairs.
她讓他每?jī)芍軐懸黄嘘P(guān)歐洲情況的文章。
用作不及物動(dòng)詞 (vi.)
The first is to cut back on treats and snacks. These are generally high in calories and may contribute to weight gain.
首先,就是減少小零食。這些零食一般都含有很高的熱量,很容易引起狗狗的發(fā)胖;
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favorable
難度：1星暢通詞匯，屬常用20000詞
英漢解釋
adj.有利的；順利的；良好的；贊同的
參考例句
用作形容詞 (adj.)
The conditions are favorable for opening a new business.
各種條件有利于開辦新企業(yè)。
They are favorable to the proposal.
他們贊同這項(xiàng)提議。
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ensure
難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞
英漢解釋
vt.擔(dān)保；保證；使安全；確保
參考例句
用作及物動(dòng)詞 (vt.)
The doctors were zealous in their efforts to ensure the survival of premature babies.
醫(yī)生們?cè)谂ΡＷC早產(chǎn)嬰兒成活方面熱情很高。
If you want to ensure that you catch the plane, take a taxi.
你要想確保能趕上那班飛機(jī)，就坐出租車去吧。
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various
難度：4星核心詞匯，屬常用3000詞
英漢解釋
adj.各種各樣的
參考例句
用作形容詞 (adj.)
He decided to leave school for various reasons .
由于各種各樣的原因,他決定離開學(xué)校。
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