VOA常速英语2013--你是土豪吗？

 

Are You Loaded?你是土豪吗？

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

现在是美国之音慢速英语词汇掌故节目。

Most people enjoy working for several reasons. Their job might be fun, or they like their employer and the other people at work. Most people I know, however, work for the money. I do not know anyone who is loaded, or extremely rich. Most of my friends work to earn enough money to live. They have to make ends meet. They have to earn enough money to pay for the things they need. Some even live from hand to mouth. They only have enough money for the most important things.

大部分人喜欢工作有以下几个原因：他们的工作可能非常有趣，或者他们喜欢老板和同事。然而我认识的大部分人工作是为了赚钱。我不认识富有的人(loaded，富有的)，我的多数朋友工作是为了赚钱养家，他们必须量入为出（make ends meet），赚钱购买自己需要的东西。有几个甚至只能糊口（from hand to mouth），只能购买生活中一些最重要的东西。

They struggle to earn enough money to bring home the bacon. It can be difficult to earn enough money for a family to survive. Sometimes, poor people even get caught short. They do not have enough money to pay for what they need.

他们努力赚钱以养家糊口（to bring home the bacon）。赚钱维持一家生计并不容易。有时，穷人甚至会手头拮据（caught short），无法支付自己想买的东西。

Or they have to spend or lay out more money than they want for something. When this happens, poor people have to tighten¹ their belts and live on less money than usual. I hate when I have to live on less money. It takes me longer to get back on my feet, or return to good financial health.

或者，他们必须为某些东西花费（lay out ）超过他们预计的钱。这时，穷人只得勒紧腰带（tighten their belts）生活。我讨厌手头拮据的时候，这会花费我很长时间才能东山再起（back on my feet），重回良好的财务状况。

However, other people are on the gravy² train. They get paid more money than their job is worth. These people make a bundle. They really rake in the cash. In fact, they make so much money that they can live high off the hog³. They own the best of everything and live in great ease. Sometimes they pay an arm and a leg for something.

然而，有些人工作清闲却薪水很高（gravy train），他们拿到的工资超出他们的工作价值。这些人赚很多钱（make a bundle），轻易赚取大笔现金（rake in the cash）。事实上，他们赚了这么多钱可以生活优越（live high off the hog），他们拥有最好的一切，过着舒适安逸的生活。有时候他们为一些东西花一大笔（pay an arm and a leg for something）。

Because money is no object to wealthy people, they will pay high prices for whatever they want. Sometimes, they even pay through the nose. They pay too much for things.

因为对富人而言，钱不是问题（money is no object）。他们会为自己想要的任何东西付出高昂的价格。有时，他们购买一些东西甚至会付大价钱（pay through the nose），超出原有价值很多。

I am not rich. I did not make a killing⁴ in the stock market when my stocks increased in value. Yet, I am not poor either. When I go out with friends, I do not want to shell out or pay a lot of money. Often, my friends and I will chip in or pay jointly⁵ for a fun night out. When we go to restaurants the meal is Dutch treat. Each person pays his or her own share.

我不富有。我并没有在我的股票升值时在股市大赚一笔（make a killing）。然而，我也并不穷。当我和朋友出去时，我不愿意付款（shell out）。通常，我们凑份子（chip in）出去乐一个晚上。当我们出去吃饭通常AA制，每个人付自己的那部分。

Once, the owner of a restaurant gave us a dinner on the house. We did not have to pay for our meals. However, I admit that we had to grease⁶ someone’s palm. We had to pay money to the employee who led us to our table. The money was for a special request. Yes, it was a buy off. The employee put us at the top of the list for a table instead of making us wait like everyone else. We had a great time that night and the meal did not set me back at all.I did not have to pay anything.

有一次，餐馆老板免费（on the house）给我们提供了一顿晚餐，我们无须掏钱。然而，我承认我们需要收买某人（grease someone’s palm）。我们必须付钱给领座的服务员。这笔钱有特殊目的，是的，它是贿赂（buy off）。服务员将我们放到了排队的首位，这样我们就不用像别人那样等座了。这个晚上非常愉快。这顿饭也没花我一分钱（set me back）。

Because of that experience, I will always remember that nice things still happen in a world that is driven by money. But, that is just my two cents worth. It is just my opinion.

由于这次经验，我会永远记得，在由金钱驱动的社会里，仍然会有美好的事情发生。但这只是我个人的意见（two cents worth）。

1 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

2 gravy   

n.肉汁；轻易得来的钱，外快

参考例句：

• You have spilled gravy on the tablecloth.你把肉汁泼到台布上了。
• The meat was swimming in gravy.肉泡在浓汁之中。

3 hog   

n.猪；馋嘴贪吃的人；vt.把…占为己有，独占

参考例句：

• He is greedy like a hog.他像猪一样贪婪。
• Drivers who hog the road leave no room for other cars.那些占着路面的驾驶员一点余地都不留给其他车辆。

4 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

5 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

6 grease   

n.动物脂，油脂，润滑脂；v.抹油，润滑

参考例句：

• He puts grease on his hair to make It'shiny.他往头发上擦油，使之发亮。
• You have a grease spot on your shirt.你的衬衣上有块油斑。