More than Just Trading|不只是交易

More than Just Trading

by Leigh Goldberg

The social movement known as fair trade is out to make trading conditions better.

　　Seen as early as the 1940s in the US, fair trade is now an organized global movement. Its ultimate goal is to _(1)_ producers in developing countries while promoting sustainability. Fair trade focuses on getting better prices and _(2)_ fairer trade practices. Fair trade also hopes to improve working conditions and create a _(3)_ means of living for farmers and workers in poorer countries around the world. By trying to eliminate the injustices of _(4)_ trade, which discriminates against the poorest producers, fair trade enables them to have more control over their lives. This, in turn, improves their _(5)_ in society.

　　Fair trade goods include handicrafts, cocoa, sugar, tea, wine, and coffee, to name a few. How does fair trade work exactly? Simply put, it eliminates a lot of the middlemen who take a cut of the _(6)_ and puts more money back into the hands of the impoverished workers. Let's take coffee for example. If you buy an espresso from a shop that uses only fair trade coffee beans, then more money would reach the farmer _(7)_ the far end of the production line. Granted, prices are a bit higher than at a shop that doesn't stock free trade coffee. However, the _(8)_ is that the additional funds go towards establishing health care programs, scholarships, better sanitation, and improved living conditions in the impoverished communities.

　　_(9)_ all these pluses, who wouldn't want to jump on the fair trade bandwagon? Critics believe that the additional funds never actually make it back to the farmers and workers. Instead, they get pocketed by the businesses for unnecessary expenses. So, if there is little money flowing back to the producer, then there is little betterment in their lives. _(10)_ these criticisms, fair trade has taken root among many consumers, and it looks like it's here to stay.

(A) sustainable     (B) profits  (C) establishing    (D) protesting  (E) conventional

(F) upside  (G) assist  (H) With    (I) position (J) at

(K) Despite     (L) joyous 

不只是交易

这项被称为公平贸易的社会运动让买卖环境更加完善。

　　公平贸易早在 1940 年代就出现在美国，而它现在是个有组织的全球化运动。公平贸易的最终目标就是要帮助发展中国家的生产者，并推动永续发展。公平贸易着重于获得更好的价格以及建立更为公平的贸易常规。公平贸易也希望能为全世界较贫穷国家的农人和工人改善工作环境，并为他们创造能够养家活口的生活方式。藉由尝试消除传统贸易所存在的不公平，也就是对最穷困生产者的歧视，公平贸易让他们更能掌握自己的生活。接着，他们的社会地位便会因此而得到改善。

　　在此仅列举几样公平贸易的商品，如手工艺品、可可粉、糖、茶、酒以及咖啡等。公平贸易实际上到底是如何运作的呢？简而言之，它消除了许多从中剥削利润的中盘商，让更多的钱流回贫苦的工人手里。我们举咖啡为例。如果你从一家只使用公平贸易咖啡豆的商店买了 1 罐浓缩咖啡，就会有更多钱进到遥远生产在线的农夫手里。想当然尔，这罐咖啡的价钱当然会比商店里没有存放经公平贸易背书的咖啡要来得高一点。不过，好的一面却是额外的资金会用在贫困地区建立健保计划及奖学金，还有改善贫困地区的生活条件。

　　公平贸易有这么多好处，有谁不想赶上这项潮流呢？而批评者认为，这些额外的收入实际上根本不会回到农夫及工人手里。相反地，这些钱都进到了企业的口袋里而成为不必要的开支。因此，假如没什么钱流回生产商手里，他们的生活就无法得到太多改善。尽管有这些批评的言论，但公平贸易的观念已在消费者心中生根，而且看起来会继续发扬光大。

答案： 1.   G   2.   C   3.   A   4.   E   5.   I

      6.   B   7.   J    8.   F    9.   H   10. K