Spas growing in popularity in America

甘肃甘谷县西关中学 巩云芳

听力扫障

1.spa/spɑː/n.水疗

2.sauna/'sɔːnə/n.桑拿浴

3.pamper/'pæmpə(r)/v.细心照顾；精心护理

4.meditation/,medɪ'teɪʃn/n.沉思；冥想

5.manicure/'mænɪkjʊə(r)/n.美甲

6.pedicure/'pedɪkjʊə(r)/n.足部护理

7.customization/'kʌstəmaɪzeɪʃn/n.定制化服务

扫码听测

Ⅰ.判断正误

听下面一段录音并阅读3个简短的陈述，根据录音内容判断这些陈述是否符合所听内容。考查重点是学生对意义的理解能力和信息获取能力。

In this section,you will hear a passage.After you hear the passage,decide whether each of the statement is correct(A),incorrect(B)or not mentioned(C).

1 2 3 M o r e m e n s t a r t t o v i s i t s p a s t h a n w o m e n.S p a s a r e u s i n g m o r e t e c h n o l o g y n o w.S p a s a r e c o n s i d e r e d a s a b e t t e r c u r e t h a n t a k i n g m e d i c i n e.A B C A B C A B C

Ⅱ.听力理解

听下面的文章，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。文章读三遍。

1.How much did Americans spend in spas last year?

A.16.8 billion dollars. B.18.3 billion dollars. C.190 billion dollars.

2.When did more men choose to go to spas?

A.In 2007. B.In 2011. C.In 2017.

3.What's the percentage of the men who went to spas in 2005?

A.29%. B.39%. C.49%.

4.Why are there more charging stations at manicure and pedicure areas?

A.To keep people's electronic devices charged.

B.To ensure people's going to spas regularly.

C.To provide people with more services.

文本解说

目前，水疗在美国越来越受欢迎了。2018年，美国人去水疗中心的次数创纪录地达到1.9亿次。越来越多的人认识到做水疗并非养尊处优的表现，而是一种生活方式的选择。

题材 水疗 体裁 说明文 文章词数 3 3 7 建议用时 6 m i n

Spasare becoming more popular in the United States.

A spa is a business where people go to improve their health and appearance by getting treatments,exercising or relaxing.

Spa activities include usingsaunas,getting massages and skincare and bathing.

Last year,Americans visited spas a record 190 million times.And they spent about$18.3 billion dollars.Those numbers come from the International Spa Association,or ISPA.

The industry group recently held its yearly event for the media. Garrett Mersberger is the association's board chairman.He spoke to theAssociated Press about trends in the industry.

One trend:More American men have been going to spas.“It used to always be a female-driven thing.We're now seeing 50-50,ifnotswinging more toward the males,”Mersberger said.

Hesaid thetrend started around 2017,when the association reported that 49 percent of people going to spas were men,up from 29 percent in 2005.

“They're (men are)much more aware that it's not just a thing (that)I go to getpampered.It's an actual lifestyle choice with benefits to my body,to my wellness...It's not just about going for relaxation,”Mersberger said.

Another trend:Spas are using more technology. Kohler Waters Spas, for example,recently launched a virtual reality headsetmeantto be used forguidedmeditation.

The experience offers the choice of music or the sound of a person's voice with pictures duringmanicuresandpedicures.The headsets show pictures of mountain lakes,beaches,waterfalls,clouds and the nightsky.Kohlerisconsidering more virtual reality devices to go with massages and other treatments.

Charging stationsatmanicure and pedicure areas are also on the rise.That way,people getting treatments can keep their electronic devices fully charged.

“Nothing stressesa Millennialout more than taking their phone away,”said Linda McNees,the ISPA's president.“The whole idea is to be able to relax,so it's really about thinking aboutcustomization.What's going to make you comfortable?”