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Back to: VB: The Shopping Mall
A once-bustling shopping center now lies empty and desolate, reflecting the decline of retail and the loss of a vibrant community hub.
空荡的中庭
这座购物中心的中央中庭空荡荡的,只有几盏惨白的灯照着光可鉴人的大理石地砖。我曾经最爱逛的那家百货公司已经搬走了,它的专柜全被清空,只留下几排孤零零的衣架。商场里仅剩的几家店铺也门可罗雀,连那间国际品牌的旗舰店都拉下了卷帘门,玻璃橱窗上贴着“旺铺招租”的告示。
我站在二楼扶梯旁,看着这片死寂。以前这里挤满了人,那家百货公司的化妆品专柜前总排着长队,顾客争着试用最新款的口红。隔壁的旗舰店更是人潮涌动,新款球鞋一上架就被抢光。可现在,整座购物中心像被抽走了灵魂,连电梯都停止了运转。
我走下扶梯,听见自己的脚步声在空旷的商场里回荡。那家百货公司的旧址上,只剩下一张褪色的海报,上面写着“清仓大甩卖”。旁边的专柜早已被拆光,只剩下几个歪斜的货架。我走到那间旗舰店门口,透过落灰的玻璃往里看,里面漆黑一片,只有几个模特假人歪倒在地。
这座购物中心曾经是城市的心脏,现在却成了一具空壳。我转身离开,身后是死寂的中庭,和那些再也回不去的繁华。
kōng dàng de zhōng tíng
Zhè zuò gòuwù zhōngxīn de zhōngyāng zhōngtíng kōngdàngdàng de, zhǐ yǒu jǐ zhǎn cǎnbái de dēng zhào zhe guāng kě jiàn rén de dàlǐshí dìzhuān. Wǒ céngjīng zuì ài guàng de nà jiā bǎihuò gōngsī yǐjīng bān zǒu le, tā de zhuānguī quán bèi qīngkōng, zhǐ liú xià jǐ pái gūlínglíng de yījià. Shāngchǎng lǐ jǐn shèng de jǐ jiā diànpù yě mén kě luó què, lián nà jiān guójì pǐnpái de qíjiàn diàn dōu lā xià le juǎnlián mén, bōli chúchuāng shàng tiē zhe “wàng pù zhāo zū” de gàoshì.
Wǒ zhàn zài èr lóu fútī páng, kàn zhe zhè piàn sǐjì. Yǐqián zhèlǐ jǐ mǎn le rén, nà jiā bǎihuò gōngsī de huàzhuāng pǐn zhuānguī qián zǒng pái zhe cháng duì, gùkè zhēng zhe shìyòng zuì xīn kuǎn de kǒuhóng. Gé bì de qíjiàn diàn gèng shì rén cháo yǒng dòng, xīn kuǎn qiú xié yī shàng jià jiù bèi qiǎng guāng. Kě xiànzài, zhěng zuò gòuwù zhōngxīn xiàng bèi chōu zǒu le línghún, lián diàntī dōu tíngzhǐ le yùnzhuǎn.
Wǒ zǒu xià fútī, tīng jiàn zìjǐ de jiǎobù shēng zài kōngkuàng de shāngchǎng lǐ huídàng. Nà jiā bǎihuò gōngsī de jiùzhǐ shàng, zhǐ shèng xià yī zhāng tuìsè de hǎibào, shàngmiàn xiě zhe “qīngcāng dà shuǎi mài”. Pángbiān de zhuānguī zǎo yǐ bèi chāi guāng, zhǐ shèng xià jǐ gè wāi xié de huòjià. Wǒ zǒu dào nà jiān qíjiàn diàn ménkǒu, tòu guò luò huī de bōli wǎng lǐ kàn, lǐmiàn qīhēi yī piàn, zhǐ yǒu jǐ gè mótè jiǎrén wāi dǎo zài dì.
Zhè zuò gòuwù zhōngxīn céngjīng shì chéngshì de xīnzàng, xiànzài què chéng le yī jù kōng ké. Wǒ zhuǎnshēn líkāi, shēn hòu shì sǐjì de zhōngtíng, hé nàxiē zài yě huí bù qù de fánhuá.
Empty atrium
The central atrium of this shopping center was empty, with only a few pale lights illuminating the gleaming marble floor tiles. The department store I used to love to visit had moved away, its counters all cleared out, leaving only a few lonely clothes racks. The few remaining shops in the mall were almost deserted, and even the flagship store of an international brand had pulled down its rolling shutter, with a “Shop for Rent” sign pasted on the glass window.
I stood by the escalator on the second floor, looking at this dead silence. In the past, this place was crowded with people; there was always a long line in front of the cosmetics counter of that department store, with customers vying to try the latest lipstick. The flagship store next door was even more bustling, with new sneakers snapped up as soon as they hit the shelves. But now, the entire shopping center seemed drained of its soul, and even the escalators had stopped running.
I walked down the escalator, hearing my own footsteps echo in the empty mall. At the former site of that department store, only a faded poster remained, reading “Clearance Sale. ” The counters next to it had long been dismantled, leaving only a few crooked shelves. I walked to the entrance of that flagship store and looked through the dusty glass; inside was pitch black, with only a few mannequins lying askew on the floor.
This shopping center was once the heart of the city, but now it has become an empty shell. I turned and left, behind me the silent atrium and the prosperity that would never return.
音频
Audio recording for this story will be available here.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 购物中心 | gòuwù zhōngxīn | shopping center |
| 商场 | shāngchǎng | shopping mall, department store |
| 百货公司 | bǎihuò gōngsī | department store |
| 专柜 | zhuānguī | specialty counter, boutique |
| 旗舰店 | qíjiàn diàn | flagship store |
只有……才……
This structure means ‘only if. . . then. . . ‘ or ‘only. . . can. . . ‘.
只有努力学习, 才能取得好成绩。
连……都……
This pattern means ‘even. . . all/also. . . ‘ and is used to emphasize an extreme case.
连那间旗舰店都关门了。
门可罗雀
Describes a place that is very deserted, with few visitors.
人潮涌动
Describes a place crowded with surging people.
光可鉴人
Describes a surface so shiny that it reflects like a mirror.
Shopping Culture in China
Shopping centers and department stores are major social hubs in Chinese cities, often featuring flagship stores of international brands. The decline of physical retail due to e-commerce is a common phenomenon, with many malls struggling to attract customers.
Questions
- 故事中的购物中心现在是什么样子? (答案)
- 作者以前最喜欢逛哪家店? (答案)
- 旗舰店门口贴着什么告示? (答案)
- 作者在二楼扶梯旁看到了什么? (答案)
- 百货公司旧址上有什么? (答案)
- 作者离开时的心情如何? (答案)
Multiple Choice
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True/False
- 购物中心里还有很多顾客。 (答案)
- 作者以前喜欢逛那家百货公司。 (答案)
- 旗舰店还在营业。 (答案)
- 以前化妆品专柜前总是排着长队。 (答案)
- 作者在旗舰店里看到了新款球鞋。 (答案)
- 购物中心曾经是城市的心脏。 (答案)
Retell the Story
关键词: 中庭 空荡荡 惨白 灯 大理石地砖
关键词: 百货公司 搬走 专柜 清空 衣架
关键词: 商场 门可罗雀 旗舰店 卷帘门 旺铺招租