速成英语口语第六册 Lesson 20 What a Small World

Lesson 20 What a Small World

Sandra:Thanks again for coming down here today. It really means a lot to us. Any help you could give us is definitely worth it, especially these days.

Joven: What's so different these days?

Sandra: Well, since the factory decided¹ to outsource, there've been a lot of guys out of work. Plus, with the economy being what it is, many have been forced to give up even their homes, just to make ends meet.

Joven: Wow, I didn't think it was that bad. I guess the gap between the rich and poor really is widening.

Sandra: Yeah. Just the other day, I saw the owner of the factory drive by in a new fancy car that he bought with his bonus. Meanwhile, the rest of us are down on our luck and struggling just to survive.

Joven: Man, I didn't realize. It's almost like we're becoming like a Third World country or something.

Sandra: We're not quite there yet, Jovan. We still have some people who help out when there's a need. Hey, pass me that bowl there.

Joven: Sure. Here you go.

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。