零距离美语会话[住房]Lesson 1:Do you rent an apartment or own it?

Unit 6    Housing¹     住房问题
One      Do you rent an apartment or own it?
   你租房住，还是住自己的房？

 1   Introduction  
The issue of housing is something that China and America generally have in common.  In the U.S., like here, houses and apartments are usually more expensive in the cities and the suburbs².  The places to live in rural³ America are usually much less expensive.
住房问题通常是中国和美国都所共有的问题。在美国，像这里一样，城市和郊区的房子和公寓都通常贵许多。住在美国乡村通常也要便宜得多。

2 Sample Sentences
1.  They live in the apartment above ours.
他们住在我们楼上的一套公寓房里。
2.  The kitchen sink is broken.
厨房水池坏了。
3.  Are there friends or family in the neighborhood?
附近一带有朋友或者亲戚吗？
4.  Would you like a duplex or a mobile⁴ home?
你想要双层楼公寓还是活动房屋？
4. This one is furnished, and the neighborhood looks nice.
这套配置有家具，居民区看起来也很漂亮。
6.  Does the garage apartment have a fenced yard?
车库式的公寓有篱笆围着的院子吗？
7.  The suburbs usually have their own churches, schools, and shopping centers.
郊区通常都有他们自己的教堂，学校和购物中心。
8.  Many people prefer to live near the center of cities, but because houses there are expensive, they often commute⁵ from suburbs.
许多人比较喜欢住得离市中心近一点，但是因为那儿的房子太贵，所以他们经常住郊区上下班往返。
9.   There are only two crimes this year so far in my neighborhood.
     到目前为止，今年我们居民区才发生了两起犯罪案。
10.  The place I’m living now has planes flying over day and night.  I can’t stand the noise sometimes!
     我现在住的地方日日夜夜都有飞机经过。有时候我真受不了这噪音！

3.  Conversations
1.  House and employment⁶.
A:  Susan, I am inviting⁷ you and Frank⁸ to our “house warming” party this weekend.
B: A house warming party?
A:  Yes, Deborah and I are going to buy a new home in Woodlawn.
B:  Congratulations! That’s wonderful. I bet⁹ both of you are quite happy.
A:  Well, we have always dreamed of owning our own home, but real estate1 in this area is extremely expensive.
B:  I understand. That’s why Christopher and I want to find a place in a small town, far from the city.
A:  That’s a good idea if you can find employment nearby.
B:  I agree. That’s why Christopher is already looking for a job in Maine, or Wisconsin.
【译文】
——苏珊，我邀请你和弗兰克这个周末来参加我们家的“乔迁之喜”聚会。
——“乔迁之喜”聚会？
——是啊，戴博拉和我打算在乌德洛买个新房子。
——恭喜你们！那太好了。我猜你们两个肯定都很高兴。
——是啊，我们一直都梦想着有自己的房子，但是这个地区的房产实在太贵了。
——我能理解。那就是为什么克力斯多夫和我想在一个远离城市的小镇上买个房子。
——如果你们能在附近找个工作那就好了。
——我也这么认为。那就是为什么克力斯多夫总是想在缅因州或者威斯康辛州找份工作。

2.  High rent.
A:  I can’t believe the cost of apartments in New York City.
B:  Oh, you didn’t know that apartments here are considered valuable, even if they are small and crowded?
A:  Of course I had heard about that, but now I know how expensive it is to rent a place here.
B:  I don’t mind paying high rent to live in New York.
A:  Why?  You pay so much for such a tiny2 space to live.
B:  Yeah, but so what!  I’m proud to live in the world’s most excting city. And, the salaries here are the highest in the nation, too.
【译文】
——我真难以相信纽约市的房价。
——噢，你难道不知道这里的公寓虽然很小、很挤，但还是很值钱吗？
——我当然听说过了，但是现在我知道在这里租间房都多贵了。
——能住在纽约，我不介意房租贵。
——为什么不呢？你付那么多的钱住一个这么小的地方。
——是啊，但那又怎么样？能住在世界上最繁华的城市，我很自豪。而且，这里的薪水也是全国最高的。

3.   Meeting new neighbors.
A:  Hi, my name’s Karl.  My wife and I are moving in next door.
B:  Hello, Karl.  I’m Chuck Jones.  We’re going to be neighbors.
A:  I’m happy to meet you.  It seems everyone in town is so friendly.
B:  This is a small town, and we like to be neighborly3.  We know everyone who lives around here.
A:  Well, I’m from Chicago.  There few people take the time to get to know their neighbors.
B:  So, tell me, Karl, why did you come all the way to Minnesota to live?
A:  We wanted to live in a more peaceful4 community and have more space.  Another reason is, we can afford to buy a home here, but we can’t in Chicago!
【译文】
——你好，我叫卡尔。我的妻子和我将会住在你的隔壁。
——你好，卡尔。我是查克•琼斯。我们将会是邻居。
——我很高兴见到你。看来镇上每个人都很友好。
——这是个小镇，我们喜欢和睦相处。每个住在这里的人我们都认识。
——啊，是这样，我来自芝加哥。那儿很少有人会抽空来和邻居认识一下。
——那，卡尔，你能告诉我你为什么会老远搬到明尼苏达州来住吗。
——我们想住在一个更加安宁，地方也更加宽敞的居民区。 还有一个原因是，在这里我们可以买得起房子，但是在芝加哥却不行！

 

4.  How much is the rent?
A:  Let’s move out of here.  This apartment is too small.
B:  I agree.  I’ll look in the paper.
A:  A house would be great.  I could plant a garden.  And you could use the garage for a workshop.
B:  Here’s an interesting ad:  For rent.  Two-bedroom, unfurnished5 house, fenced yard, one-car garage.  Pets6 OK.
A:  How much is the rent?
B:  The ad says $325 plus deposit7.
A:  When is the place available?
B:  It’s available now, and it’s got a very good location8.  You won’t be far from work.
【译文】
——我们搬开这个地方吧。这间公寓太小了。
——我赞同。我去看一下报纸。
——要是一个房子就好了。我可以有个花园栽种。你也可以把车库当作工作场所来用。
——这里有一个广告很有趣：供租。两个卧室，没有家具，有个篱笆围起来的小院子，能放一辆车的车库。可以养宠物。
——房租多少？
——广告上说是325美金加上押金。
——什么时候可以入住？
——现在就可以了，而且地理位置很好。你离上班的地方都不会很远。

 4   Words and Expressions
1. real estate¹⁰ 不动产
2. tiny 极小的; 微小的
3. neighborly 像邻居的; 亲切的; 和睦的
4. peaceful  平静的; 安宁的
5. unfurnished 没有家具设备的
6. pet 供玩赏的动物, 宠物
7. deposit  保证金; 押金; 定金
8. location 位置; 场所, 所在地

1 housing   

n.房屋，住宅；住房建筑；外壳，外罩

参考例句：

• Do you think our housing sales will turn around during this year?你认为今年我们的住宅销路会好转吗？
• The housing sales have been turning down since the summer.入夏以来，房屋的销售量日趋减少。

2 suburbs   

n.郊区，城郊( suburb的名词复数 )；四乡；隧；四郊

参考例句：

• The poor suburbs traditionally formed the bedrock of the party's support. 贫穷的郊区在传统上构成了支持该党的牢固基础。
• The new college will be located in the suburbs. 这所新建的学院将设在郊区。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 rural   

adj.乡下的，田园的，乡村风味的

参考例句：

• He lived a rural life.他过着田园生活。
• We left the city for a rural home.我们离开城市，去农村安家。

4 mobile   

adj.可移动的，易变的，机动的；n.运动物体

参考例句：

• The old lady sits on a mobile chair every morning.那位老妇人每天上午坐在一把可携带使用的椅子上。
• She's much more mobile now that she's bought a car.自从她买了汽车后，活动量就大多了。

5 commute   

vi.乘车上下班；vt.减(刑)；折合；n.上下班交通

参考例句：

• I spend much less time on my commute to work now.我现在工作的往返时间要节省好多。
• Most office workers commute from the suburbs.很多公司的职员都是从郊外来上班的。

6 employment   

n.雇用；使用；工作，职业

参考例句：

• A large office requires the employment of many people.一个大办事处需要雇用好多人员。
• The state of employment in this city is improving.这个城市就业状况正在改善。

7 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

8 frank   

adj.坦白的，直率的，真诚的

参考例句：

• A frank discussion can help to clear the air.坦率的谈论有助于消除隔阂。
• She is frank and outgoing.她很爽朗。

9 bet   

v.打赌，以(与)...打赌；n.赌注，赌金；打赌

参考例句：

• I bet you can't do this puzzle.我敢说，你解决不了这个难题。
• I offered to bet with him.我提出与他打赌。

10 estate   

n.所有地，地产，庄园；住宅区；财产，资产

参考例句：

• My estate lies within a mile.我的地产离那有一英里。
• The great real estate brokers do far more than this.而优秀的房地产经纪人做得可比这多得多。