本文音频及原文摘自杂志The Economist 2016年第32期，Asia版块。

Canine couture in Taiwan

What pampered pooches reveal about national security

Aug 6th 2016

LONDON or Paris? Milan or New York? Fashionistas[时尚人士/达人;潮人] differ on which city is the most stylish[时髦的;现代风格的;潇洒的]. For four-legged trendsetters[潮流开创者], however, there is a clear winner: Taipei. Dogs strut their stuff[1] on its pavements tricked out[装饰;装束] in tutus[(芭蕾舞的)短裙], hoodies[卫衣;帽衫], boots[长靴], overalls[背带裤;吊带裤;工作裤] and trousers[长裤;西裤;裤装]. A biker’s best friend can be kitted out[2] with a matching motorbike helmet. Pampered pooches[3] have been spotted in LA Dodgers[4] kits[全套衣服及装备] (adapted, naturally, to accommodate four legs). In the city’s night markets shops have sprung up[涌现;冒出;兴起] with doggie sales staff modelling the wares (your correspondent tried to dig up data on entry-level[初级用户的;入门级的] pay, but found no bones).

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A troubling trend is driving the popularity of canine couture[5]: Taiwan’s rock-bottom[最低点;最低水平] birth rate. At just 1.1 births per woman, it is far below the replacement rate[更新率;替代率;置换率] of 2.1, at which the population would stabilise. Many Taiwanese fear that the growing amount of money and attention lavished[6] on pets stems from[源自;由…造成] the decreasing willingness of young Taiwanese to start a family. Caring for a dog seems to have become a substitute[替代品/物] for having children. Dog strollers[婴儿手推车] seem at least as numerous on Taipei’s crowded streets as buggies[婴儿手推车] holding babies.

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The baby bust[婴儿出生低潮] is giving the government paws for thought. The previous president, Ma Ying-jeou, called it a “serious national-security threat”. He tried to encourage child-bearing[生育] with cash handouts[现金补贴], more breast-feeding[自己奶养(婴孩);给(婴儿)喂奶] facilities and the like. After all, if Taiwanese youth decides that dogs are less trouble than sprogs[小孩;婴儿]—and just as much fun to dress up—then who will defend the democratic island, which Beijing has long claimed as its own?

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[1]strut one's stuff：to walk proudly and show off one's best features or talents;to show your abilities 显露身手；卖弄本领

Wimbledon is the opportunity for all the world's best tennis players to strut their stuff.

温布尔顿网球公开赛是全世界顶尖网球选手大展身手的好机会。

to dance in a confident and usually sexually exciting way, especially trying to be noticed by other people （尤指为引起他人注意）卖弄地跳舞

Hey baby, why don't you get out on the floor and strut your stuff?

嘿，宝贝儿，你为什么不下舞池露上一手？

[2]kit sb/sth out：to supply someone or something with the clothes or equipment that are needed for a particular purpose （为某一目的）给…配备服装（或装备）

They went shopping to get kitted out for the trip.

他们去购买旅行所需的东西。

[3]pooch：a dog 狗

a pampered pooch

被过分呵护的狗

a big cuddly/cute little pooch

惹人喜欢的大狗／可爱的小狗

[4]LA Dodgers：洛杉矶道奇（Los Angeles Dodgers）是美国加州洛杉矶的一支职棒大联盟球队，隶属国家联盟西区。

[5]canine：of or relating to dogs 犬的，狗的

The city's canine population (= The number of dogs in the city) has grown dramatically over recent years.

近年来该市狗的数量急剧增加。

couture：the designing, making and selling of expensive fashionable clothing, or the clothes themselves 高级时装设计制作与销售；高级时装

a couture show/collection/house

高级时装展／荟萃／屋

[6]lavish：to give someone a lot, or too much, of something such as money, presents or attention 为…倾注，为…挥霍，为…提供大量的…

She lavishes money on her grandchildren.

她为孙辈们大把花钱。

The committee lavished praise on the project.

委员会对该工程大加赞赏。

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以上言论不代表本人立场。

原文摘自The economist，仅外语学习之用。

其中生词解释来源于Cambridge Dictionaries

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