Gone Flat

中国是一个人口大国,当然也是一个啤酒消费大国。 世界啤酒消费前5个大国是:United States 212(million hectoliters,hectoliters百升,单位下略),China 155;Germany 110;Japan 70;South Korea 20。(注:此系1994年的年消费量)本文认为: By 2000,China is expected tO surpass America tO be the world's biggest beermarket in volume,though n will still be smaller ln terms of value. 世界的啤酒制造商看好中国市场就不无道理。自1690年以来,世界的啤酒制造商先后来华投资办厂,好不热闹！就连中国的娃娃,现在也能随口说出几句啤酒的电视广告词。 但是,其投资现状是否仍然象当初那样令人乐观?下面这段文字发人深省: Since the early 1990s,foreign brewers have piled into China with recklessabandon,signing 50 joint-venture deals worth ＄500 million by the end of last year(选译者注:指1996年).But only a few,such a Germany's Beck's,are makingmoney ln China.Many others arc losing millions. 这样一个有涉宏观的问题,作者却从微观着笔,探其原因,文章因此也就有了看头。如: the well-to-do drinkers weren’t at all loyal when choosing among the plethora ofnewcomers. “How can