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1Unit8EuropeansJustWanttoHaveFunBackgroundInformation1.AbouttheauthorandthetextMichaelElliotisaTIMEcolumnistwhofrequentlywritesTIME’sleadstories.HeworkedastheeditoroftheTIMECanadaeditionandnowistheTIMEAsia’seditor.Heisaregularcommentatorontelevision,especiallywithCNNandCNNInternational,andwiththeCharlieRoseShowonPBS-TV.2.WorkhoursinEuropeandinAmericaIntheearlyseventieshoursworkedperpersonwereaboutthesameintheU.S.andinWesternEurope.Todaytheyarealmost50percentlessinEuropethanintheU.S.Americansaverage25.1workinghoursperpersoninworkingage,Italians16.7,French18.0andGerman18.7.TheaverageemployedAmericanworks46.2weeksperyear;theaverageFrench40.5;theaverageSwede35.4.3.TheoverworkedAmericanInthelasttwentyyearstheamountoftimeAmericanshavespentattheirjobshasrisensteadily.Americansreportthattheyhaveonlysixteenandahalfhoursofleisureaweek,aftertheobligationsofjobandhouseholdaretakencareof.Workinghoursarealreadylongerthantheywerefortyyearsago.Theriseofworktimewasunexpected.Fornearlyahundredyears,hourshadbeendeclining.Whenthisdeclineabruptlyendedinthelate1940s,itmarkedthebeginningofanewerainworktime.U.S.manufacturingemployeescurrentlywork320morehours—theequivalentofovertwomonths—thantheircounterpartsinWestGermanyorFrance.Howdidthishappen?Inpart,theanswerliesinthedifferencebetweenthemarketsforconsumerproductsandfreetime.ThelegendaryAmerican2marketisaveritableconsumer'sparadise,offeringadazzlingarrayofproductsvaryinginstyle,design,quality,price,andcountryoforigin.Marketingexpertsandadvertisersspendvastsumsofmoneytomakethesechoicesappealingevenirresistible.Andtheyhavebeensuccessful.Incross-countrycomparisons,Americanshavebeenfoundtospendmoretimeshoppingthananyoneelse.Theyalsospendahigherfractionofthe'moneytheyearn.ItseemsthatAmericanscametobecaughtupinthecycleofwork-and-spend.Notes1.BoulevardSt.Michel,thePlacedesVosges,andtheMaraisDistrict(Para.I):ThehistoricalsitesandmajortouristattractionsnearLeftBank,thesouthbankoftheSeineRiverinParisfrequentedbyartists,writers,andstudent.2....whotoldmehewastakingupthetango.(Para.1):…whotoldmehebegantodancetangoinhissparetime.takeup:adoptsthasahobbyorpastime以某事作为爱好或消遣e.g.Ibegantotakeuppaintinglastyear.ShetookuptangowhenshewasinBrazil.3.Adrop-dead-gorgeouscrowdwastangoingawayinamakeshift,open-airamphitheater.(Para.2):Agroupoffabulouslydressed-uppeoplewagtangoinginacircularareawhichwasusedasadancefloortemporarily.makeshift:(thingthatis)usedtemporarilyuntilsthbetterisavailable临时凑合的e.g.Hehadtotakeamakeshiftmeasure.Theymadeamakeshifttablefromboxes.4.Nearbyamultiethnicgroupwasdoingthemeringue.(Para.2):Nearbypeoplefromdifferentethnicgroupsweredancingmeringuetogether5.Anestimated500,000kidsdescendedonBerlinfortheannualLoveParade.3(Para.3):About500,000youngpeoplecameunexpectedlytoBerlintotakepartintheLoveParade,amusicalfestivalheldeveryyearinthecity.annual:yearly一年一度的e.g.theannualcelebrationanannualfeeLoveParade:TheLoveParadeisapopularfestivalandparadethatoriginatedin1989inBerlin,Germany.Itwasfirstcelebrated4monthsbeforethedemolitionoftheBerlinWallasapoliticaldemonstrationforpeaceandinternationalunderstandingthroughmusic.descendon:visitsb/sthunexpectedlyorinconveniently突然到来e.g.Mysisterisdescendingonusthisweekend.Lettersofapplicationdescendedonthemlikesnowflakes.6.Europeansseemtobethrowingthemselvesintofunandfestivitywithunprecedentedzeal.(Para.3):ItseemsthattheEuropeansarebusyenjoyingthemselveswithenthusiasmsforfun-seekingwhichtheyneverhadbefore.throwoneselfinto:workverybusilyat投身于，积极地做起某事来e.g.Beiththrewhimselfenthusiasticallyintothetask.Theythrewthemselvesintothecelebrations,atemporaryreleasefromthedailyroutine,buttheproblemswouldstillbethereoncethepartywasover.unprecedented:neverhavinghappenedbefore空前的e.g.Wehadtheunprecedentedrainfalllastsummer.Chinaisundergoinganunprecedentedchange.zeal:eagerness,keenness热诚e.g.Heshowsgreatzealforknowledge.Theteachertriedeverythingtoawakenmyzeal.7.Eachweekend,centralLondonisonegreatbacchanal.(Para.3):Eachweekend,centralLondonisjustlikeabigpartywherepeopleflocktoseek4pleasureandgetdrunk.8.Citiesthatforreasonsofpoliticsorreligionwereoncegloomilyrepressive—Madrid,say,orDublin—nowrocktothesmallhours.(Para.3):Forpoliticalorreligiousreasons,citieslikeMadridorDublinusedtobeundertightcontrol,withlittleentertainmentavailable.Nowpeopleinthesecitieskeepentertainingthemselvesuntilearlyinthemorning.9.InPraguetheforeignvisitorswhogettalkedaboutarenottheearnestyoungAmericanswhoflockedthereintheearly1990s,butBritishpartygoerswhohaveflowninforthecheapbeerandprettygirls.(Para.3):InPragueintheearly1990s,whentheytalkedaboutforeignvisitorstheyreferredtotheyoungAmericanswhowentthereinlargenumbers.Nowwhenforeignvisitorsarementioned,theyrefertothestreamsofBritishyoungpeoplewhogothereforparties,cheapbeer,andprettygirls.10．TheplacethatBritishhistorianMarkMazoweroncecalledthetruedarkcontinent—andfromwhosecurdledsoulthehorrorsoffascismsprang—hasbecomeEuropaludens,communityatplay.(Para.3):TheEuropeancontinentwascalledthetruedarkcontinentBritishhistorianMarkMazower,becauseitwasfromtherethatth