真實生活英語Cost of Living生活費用

Unit 30 Cost of Living

生 活 費 用

Part One: Expressions

1. We need to figure out how much money we’re spending.

我們得算算我們要花多少錢。

2. I think we could be saving more.

我想我們得存一些錢。

3. That means we don’t have any receipts for $225.

就是說我們支付的225美元沒有收據(jù)。

4. Where do you think we can save more money?

你覺得我們什么地方可以省些錢?

5. We could eat in more.

我們可以多在家吃飯。

6. That sounds fair.

這樣才公平。

7. I want to move out.

我想搬出去住。

8. What kind of job did you find?

你找到了什么工作?

9. Get a job.

找個工作吧。

10. If I’m going to live on my own, I have to be independent.

如果我要自己一個人住，我必須學(xué)會獨立。

Part Two: Dialogues

1.Costs 花費

A: We need to figure out how much money we’re spending and what we’re spending it on.

B: Why?

A: Well, I think we could be saving more.

B: Really, well, o.k. Get the receipts out.

A: Let’s see. We spent $700 dollars for our home loan payment, $400 on groceries, $75 on utilities, $250 on gasoline, $100 on books, and $300 on entertainment last month.

B: That’s $1825.

A: We put $500 into the savings account, and $750 into our stock account.

B: $3075. Our paychecks our $3300, combined. That means we don’t have any receipts for $225.

A: Right

A: 我們要算算我們花了多少錢而且都花在什么地方了。

B: 為什么?

A: 哦，我想我們該多存一些錢了。

B: 真的，哦，好的。把收據(jù)拿出來。

A: 讓我看看。上個月有房屋貸款700元，食品雜貨400元，家具75元，汽油費250元，書100元和300元的娛樂消費。

B: 總共是1825元。

A: 我們存了500元到儲蓄賬戶。還存了750元到資本賬戶。

B: 那就是3075元。我們的薪水加起來是3300元，那意味著有一項225元的支出沒有收據(jù)。

A: 對。

2. Setting a Budget & Financial Plan 建一個預(yù)算和財政計劃

A: O.K. So, where do you think we can save more money?

B: Well, we could eat in more. That $300 for entertainment is mostly going to restaurants.

A: Yeah, that’s a good idea, and you like to cook. What about the books?

B: No, I need my books.

A: Come on, if we save more money we can retire earlier, and you’ll actually have time to read all those books you buy.

B: Well, what about the $50 you spent on a shirt? You could’ve gotten something for less.

A: O.K. Let’s compromise, if you agree to only spend $75 on books, I’ll agree to only spend $40 for my next shirt.

B: All right. That sounds fair.

A: 好，那么，你覺得我們可以在哪些方面省錢?

B: 哦，我們可以多在家里吃飯。300元娛樂費大都花在餐館了。

A: 是的，這個主意不錯，況且你也喜歡做飯。那么書呢?

B: 那個不行，我得買書。

A: 算了吧，如果我們多存些錢就可以早一點退休，那樣你才有時間看完你買的所有書。

B: 那么，你50元買一件襯衣呢?你可以買件更便宜的。

A: 好了，我們妥協(xié)吧。如果你同意買書只用75元的話，我同意下一件襯衣只用40元。

B: 好的，這樣才公平。

3.Living an Independent Life獨立生活

A: Mom, I want to move out.

B: Hey, sounds great to me, kid. What kind of job did you find?

A: Job?

B: Yes, job. If you’re going to live on your own, you have to pay for rent and everything else.

A: I thought I could just get you and Dad to pay for an apartment. I found a cheap one.

B: When you move out, your father and I aren’t paying your rent, young man. Get a job.

B: You’re right. If I’m going to live on my own, I have to be independent.

A: Well, the newspaper is over there. Look in the want ads, but I don’t know what you’re going to find without a college degree.

A: 媽媽，我想搬出去住。

B: 嘿，聽起來到很不錯，孩子，你找到了什么工作?

A: 什么工作?

B: 是呀，工作。如果你想一個人住，你必須自己付房租，還有所有的一切。

A: 我想讓你和爸爸來付房租，我就找間便宜點的。

B: 你搬走的話，年輕人，你爸爸和我是不會給你付房租的，找一個工作吧。

A: 沒錯。如果要一個人住的話，我要學(xué)會獨立。

B: 哦，那邊有報紙?？纯凑衅笇?，但是我不知道沒有大學(xué)文憑你可以找到什么工作。

Part Three: Substitution Drills

1. A: We need (to figure out/ calculate/ find out) how much money we’re spending.

B: Why?

我們得(算算/計算/算一下)我們花了多少錢。

為什么?

2. A: I think we could be (saving more/ spending less/ putting more money away).

B: All right. Get the receipts.

我想我們要(多存點錢/少花點錢/留點錢備用)。

好的，把收據(jù)拿來。

3. A: That means (we don’t have any/ there aren’t any/ we need) any receipts for $225.

B: Right.

這就是說(我們沒有/這兒沒有/我們需要)225美元的收據(jù)。

對。

4. A: (Where do you think we can / How can we / What can we do to) save more money?

B: We could eat in more.

你覺得我們(在哪些方面/可以怎樣/怎么做)來存多一點錢?

我們可以多在家里吃飯。

5. A: We could (eat in more/ go out for dinner less/ stop going out shopping so much).

B: That’s a good idea.

我們可以(多在家里吃飯/少出去吃飯/少出去逛街)。

這個主意不錯。

6. A: That sounds (fair/ reasonable/ like a good idea).

B: Great.

這樣才(公平/合理/是個不錯的主意)。

太好了。

7. A: I want to (move out/ get my own place/ find a new place to live).

B: Sounds great to me.

我想(搬出去/有一個自己的地方/找另外一個地方住)。

聽起來很不錯。

8. A: What kind of (job/ work/ employment) did you find?

B: Job?

你找到了什么(工作/職業(yè)/事情)做?

什么(工作/職業(yè)/事情)做?

9. A: Get a job. / Find some work. / Earn your keep.

B: But I don’t want to.

找一個工作。/找點事情做。/自食其力。

可是我不想。

10. A: If I’m going to live on my own, I have to be independent.

B: Well, (look in the newspaper/get a job/find some work).

如果我要一個人住，我必須學(xué)會獨立。

那么，(看看報紙找吧/找個工作吧/找點事情做吧)。

Part Four: Monologue

America seems like a very rich country too much of the world. In some ways this is true. However, the cost of living in America is very high. Even someone who is very careful with their money will probably end up spending at least $1500 a month just to pay their bills and eat. When you consider the fact that Americans have to save money to buy a house, a car, and pay for their kid’s college education, you realize that it costs a lot to live in America. Americans still see their country as a land of opportunity, and many believe that if they work hard and make the right decisions, they can end up rich.

對于世界上很多國家來說，美國看似非常富裕。從某些方面來說是這樣的。然而，美國的生活消費非常高。即使對于花錢非常謹(jǐn)慎的人來說，每個月可能也要花費近 1500元，而這可能就夠支付賬單以及購買食物。當(dāng)你考慮到美國人必須為買房、買車，支付小孩的大學(xué)教育費用等等這些現(xiàn)實問題的話，你也會意識到美國生活費用之高。 美國人仍然認(rèn)為在自己的國家機(jī)會良多，很多人相信只要努力工作，而且選擇正確，他們最終會富起來的。

Part Five: Vocabulary and Phrases

--budget 預(yù)算;預(yù)算費;生活費

--financial plan財務(wù)計劃

--retire 退休;退役

--saving 儲金，存款，儲蓄額

--independent 有獨立心的;自立的

--degree 學(xué)位;學(xué)銜

--cost of living生活費用

--compromise 妥協(xié)，和解