Marks and Spencer is a chain ofdepartment stores which sell men's and women's clothing,home furnishing,plants and food. The compay was started in 1884 by a Russian refugee, Michael Marks, who sold goods such as pins,cotton and cloth from a box as he walked from village to village. Tom Spencer, an accountant,joined him in 1894 and six years later they had 34 "penny bazaars, market stalls where everything sold for a penny. Today there are 280 Marks and Spencers stores in Britain, and a total of 600 company-owned stores world-wide, the majority of them in Canada and the USA. Marks and Spencer sells 5% of Britain's food and 16% of its clothing. This gives the company great buying power and all its goods are produced by outside manufacturers and then sold in the stores under the brand name St.Michael,which was introduced in 1928. Marks and Spencer's clothing is traditional in design and good value for money. Its food is expensive,of high quality and great choice. The stores are famous for its hygienic and slightly oppressive atmosphere,mixed with hard business practice and great wealth. Some people call it "Marks and Spencers" or "M&S"

注释: bazaar 1.(东方国家的)集市,2.义卖(市场)

hygienic 卫生的,保健的

oppressive 1.(气氛等)沉闷的 2.(天气)压抑的、闷热的 3.不公正的、压制的、暴虐的

中文简介：Mark and Spencer 玛莎创立于1884年，是英国最大的百货零售商之一。凡有商业街处皆有玛莎门市。店内出售的百货商品全部都是自有品牌，有绝对中产阶级的风格价格，因此被成为"中产阶级的道德堡垒"。
关键字:欧美文化
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