ordinary pairs. The only essential maintenance is to have a shower or bath for them.

　　Section_ⅠWarm­up & Lesson 1 - Pre­reading

　　Spend, Spend, Spend

　　Many of us in developed societies are trapped in① a spending circle. We work hard so that we can earn more money②. When we have more money, we spend more and because we spend more, we have to work even harder. Sometimes we try to deposit③ a little or change our money into④ different countries' currencies⑤ in the hope that⑥ we can make even more money. But strangely enough, the more money we earn, the less often we see it. Instead, we start putting our signatures⑦ on credit cards and spending money we don't even have. Besides, we're all taxpayers so the more we earn the more tax we have to pay to those who govern⑧ us. Thus, the circle goes round and round and gets more and more complicated⑨.

　　In this spending circle, on the one hand⑩， we accumulate⑪ possessions⑫ but never feel like we have enough. On the other hand, we work towards the ownership⑬ of bigger and better houses and cars and never have time to enjoy them. Instead, they feel like a burden⑭ because every month we have to hand over most of the money we earn to pay for them⑮. And the result of all this? Not increased happiness, but stress and less free time to be ourselves and enjoy being with our friends and families.

　　①be trapped in被困在......中，陷入......的困境

　　②earn money挣钱(＝make money)

　　③deposit /dI'pɒzIt/vt.&vi.存储，储蓄

　　④change ... into ...把......换成......

　　⑤currency /'kʌrənsi/n.货币

　　⑥in the hope that怀着......的希望

　　⑦signature /'sIɡnətʃə/n.签名

　　⑧govern /'gʌvən/vt.统治，管理

　　⑨complicated adj.复杂的

　　⑩on the one hand ... on the other hand ...一方面......另一方面......

⑪accumulate /ə'kjuːmjʊleIt/v.积累