Raymond Schneider politely elbowed his way through crowds of customers as he made for the candy bins at Dylan’s Candy Bar in Manhattan. Since he was laid off in December, Mr. Schneider, a 33-year-old designer, says he has become a “gummy junkie,” buying a lot of sweets every time he shops for groceries.
“Sugar is comforting,” he said. “There’s nothing more stressful than growing financial insecurity everywhere.”
The recession (经济衰退) seems to have a sweet tooth. As unemployment has risen, Americans, particularly adults, have been consuming growing amounts of candy, say candy makers, store owners and industry experts.
Theories vary on exactly why. For many, sugar lifts spirits dragged low by the economy. For others, candy also provides a reminder of better times. And not insignificantly, it is relatively cheap.
At Candyality, a store in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, business has jumped by nearly 80 percent compared with this time last year, and the owner, Terese McDonald, said she was struggling to keep up with the demand for Bit-O-Honeys, Swedish Fish and Sour Balls.
“They put candy in their actual budget,” she said.
Many big candy makers are also reporting rising sales and surprising profits.
“Candy companies are relatively recession-proof,” said Peter Liebhold, chairman of the Smithsonian Institution’s work and industry division. “During the Great Depression, candy companies stayed in business.”
小题1:Raymond Schneider was set as an example to show ________.
A．many Americans were laid off in the recession
B．lots of Americans like candies
C．many Americans in the recession like sweets which are comforting
D．Americans are suffering much in the recession.小题2: What does the underlined sentence “The recession seems to have a sweet tooth” mean?
A．Candy consuming rises while people are suffering bad effects of the recession.
B．The recession doesn’t have any bad effect on Americans.
C．Americans are optimistic even though they are out of employment.
D．Candy companies stayed in business during the Great Depression.小题3:Which is NOT the reason why people in the recession like sugar?
A．It is relatively cheap.
B．It is comforting and can make a lot of profits.
C．It raises people’s spirits up.
D．It calls up people’s good memories.小题4: The best title of the passage is ________.
A．Sugar Is Comforting
B．Candy Companies Stay In Business
C．Americans Have A Sweet Tooth
D．Sugar Sales Rise In The Recession