-
Lesson 1
How to Bargain in the U.S.A.
跟卖家讨价还价
1. downtown
2.
deals
3. the best
deal
4. making a sale
5.
seems
a
little
high
6.
your
best
offer
7.
shop
around
8.
What
if
9.
$$50
for
both
10.
split the
difference
It
was Saturday afternoon and I was shopping in the
garment district in downtown L.A. If you want to
find good deals on clothes, shoes, and
accessories, this is the place to come. To get the
best deal, though,
you have to be ready
to bargain.
I walked by a stall and saw
a purse I liked. The owner had just finished
making a sale.
Lucy: Does this come in
any other colors?
Man: Yeah, we have
this one in white and blue. I also have this other
style in green.
Lucy: How much is the
blue one?
Man: It's $$32.
Lucy: $$32? What about the green one?
Man: That's $$30.
Lucy: That
seems a little high. Can you do better on the
price?
Man: This is a designer bag and
it's good quality. It's a bargain at that price.
Lucy: Is that your best offer?
Man: That's the best I can do.
Lucy: Well, I don't know. I think I'll
shop around.
Man: Okay, how about $$28.
Lucy: That's still more than I wanted
to spend. What if I take the blue one and the
green one?
Man: I'll give you both of
them for $$55.
Lucy: That's not much of
a break on the price. How about $$50 for both?
Man: You drive a hard bargain. The best
I can do is $$54. You won't find it cheaper
anywhere else.
Lucy: Why don't we split
the difference and make it $$52?
Man:
Okay, okay. You've got a deal.
accessories
装饰品
make a sale
做一笔交易
Lesson 2
Negotiating Price
1. get our bid
2.
come to terms on the price
3. do better on
4. trim a
little off
5. discount
that by 10 percent
6. an
attractive offer
7. driving a
hard bargain
8. labor costs
9. make
any promises
10. a revised
bid
Negotiating Price
Justin: Hello.
贾斯汀：您好。
Rachel:
Hi, Justin. It’s Rachel from McQ
Corp.
瑞秋：您好，贾斯汀。我是
MCQ
公司的瑞秋。
Justin: Oh hi, Rachel. Did you get our
bid for the job?
贾斯汀：
……
。你有没有收到我们对那个项目
的投标？
Rachel: Yes, we did. We like your
proposal, but we still need to come to terms on
the price.
瑞秋：是的，我们收到了。我们很喜欢您的建议，但我们仍需要
在价格方面再商量一下。
Justin:
We’ve already given you our
rock
-bottom price because we want to
get this job, but we always try
to be
flexible.
贾斯汀：因
为我们真心希望获得那个项目，所以那已是我们的底价了。我们应学会灵活。
Rachel: Good. Could you do better on
w
hat you’ve quoted us for labor? The
price seemed a little high.
瑞秋：好吧。你给我们的劳动力报价可以再优惠一点吗？我们觉得价格似乎有点高。
Justin: We might be able to trim a
little off of that. How about if we discount that
by 10 percent?
贾斯汀：我们也许可以再降低一点。再给您打折
10
％，怎么样？
Rachel:
That’s an
attrac
tive offer, but we were hoping
for 20 percent.
Justin:
You’re driving a hard bargain. We have
certain fixed costs, you know.
< br>贾斯汀：
……
。我们有一定的固定成本，这您是知道的。
Rachel:
I do and
that’s why I’m only asking about labor costs. Can
you meet me halfway at 15 percent?
瑞秋：我知道。所以我才只问您劳动力成本的问题。我们各让一步，
15
%
怎么样？
Justin:
I think that might be doable, if that’s
the only stumbling block to us getting the
job.
贾斯汀：嗯，如果这一问题是我们获得该项目唯一的
绊脚石的活，我觉得这个价格还是可行的。
Rachel:
I can’t make any promises, but I’ll do
my best.
瑞秋：我无法做出任何承诺，但我会尽我所能使我们达成合作。
Justin:
That’s all I can
ask. I’ll send you over a revised bid.
贾斯汀：我寄望于此。稍后，我会发给您我们修改后的标书。
Rachel: Great. I hope to have good news
for you next week.
瑞秋：很好。我希望下周有好消息通知您。
proposal
建议
come to terms
on the price
在价格方面再商量一下
rock-bottom price
底价
flexible
灵活的
quote
报
价
We
always quote our customers a fair price.
我
们总
是
给
用
户报
一个公道的价格。
fixed cost
固定成本
a revised
bid
修改后的标书
Lesson
3
1. just any new car
2. see the
looks I get
3.
green with envy
4. owning a fine machine like
this
5. There is
that
6. whip it
out like this
7. as happy for me as
8. Truer words were never
spoken
Showing
Off a New Purchase
Monica:Wow, check
you out! When did you buy a new car?
莫妮卡：哇，好羡慕啊！你这辆新车什么时候买的？
Kevin: This isn’t just any new car.
It’s a Ferrari.
凯文：这可不是一辆简单的新车。这是一辆法拉利。
Monica:I can see that. It must have set
you back a few.
莫妮卡：我看到了。肯定花了你一大笔银子吧？
Kevin:Yeah, but it was worth it. You
should see the looks I get riding around in this
baby. My brother is
green with envy.
凯文：你应该看到，当我坐在这个座驾里驰骋时，那场面何其拉风。我弟弟都要妒忌死了。<
/p>
Monica:Then you’ve been
showing it off around town.
莫妮卡：你是不是全城都炫耀遍了？
Kevin:No, I’ve just been showing it off
to a few friends and family members. There’s no
sense owning a
fine machine like this
and not bragging a little, right?
凯文：没有。
我只是将它展示给几个
朋友和家人。拥有这样好的玩意儿而不炫耀一下，
真是有点浪
费
啊，你不觉得吗？
Monica:Especially
since your brother has been gloating about his new
boat, you mean.
莫妮卡：特别是自从你弟弟经常洋洋自得于他那条新
船以来
……
对不对？
Kevin:There is that. I don’t
w
ant to toot my own horn, but I think a
new Ferrari trumps a measly new boat,
don’t you?
凯文：正是如
此。
并非是我自吹自擂，但我觉得一辆崭新的法拉利足以胜过区区一条小船了，
不是
吗？
Monica:Do you and your brother always
whip it out like this?
莫妮卡：你和你弟弟经常这样比来比去吗？
Kevin:Like what? I’m just sharing my
new toy with my brother. I’m sure he’s just as
happy for me as I
was for him when he
bought his new boat.
凯文：
比来比去
？我只是在和我弟弟分享我的欣喜而已。
我敢肯定，
他会为我买
了新车而感到高兴，
正如我为他买了新船而倍感高兴一样。
Monica:Truer words were never spoken.
莫妮卡：嗯，深表赞同，深表赞同。
check you out!
好羡慕啊！
It must
have set you back a few.
肯定花了你一大笔银子吧？
Be
green with envy
妒忌死了
brag
吹嘘，羡慕
trump
幸灾乐祸；心满意足地注视
measly
极少的，极小的
whip it out
掏出来，拿出来
Lesson 4
Watching Videos on the
Internet
在互联网上观看电影
aside from
除
.……
以外
video store
音像店
high
definition
高清晰
ethical
adj.
伦理的；道德的；凭处方出售的
n.
处方药
frustrating
adj.
令人心烦的
buffer
n.
缓冲区；缓冲器，减震器
vt.
缓冲
workaround
n.
工作区；变通方案；权变措施
grainy
adj.
粒状的；木纹状的；多粒的；有纹理的
1.
rent
a movie
2. online
3. pay for
4. Aside from
5.
in
high definition
6. my
treat
7. download it right here at home
Sheila: Where are you
going?
Rudy: I’m going to the video
store to rent a movie for tonight. Do you want to
come?
Sheila: You don’t need
to do that. We can watch nearly any movie you want
online.
Rudy: Oh, you mean
we can pay to download it?
Sheila:
Ye
ah, we can download it, but we don’t
have to pay for it.
Rudy:
What do you mean? You’re not using a
file
-sharing site, are you?
Sheila: Of course, I am.
Everybody is doing it.
Rudy: Aside from
the ethical issues, it’s so frustrating watching
videos online.
The ones that stream are
constantly pausing to buffer. The
interruptions drive me crazy!
Sheila:
Yeah, sometimes, but there’s usually a
workaround.
Rudy: Even so,
the movies are usually pirated and they’re so
grainy. I want to watch something in high
defi
nition. Come on, let’s
go to the video store. It’ll be my
treat.
Sheila: All right, if
you insist, but why can’t we just pay to download
it right here at home?
Rudy:
We could do that, but where would we get the
popcorn?
你要去哪儿？
我去音像店租个电影今晚看。你要来吗？
你不必这样做。我们在线可以观看任何你想电影。
哦，你的意思是，我们可以付费下载吗？
是的，我们可以下载，但我们并没有为它付出。
你是什么意思？你不使用文件共享网站，是吗？
我当然用文件共享网站。每个人都这样做。
不说道德问题，在线看电影很烦人。要不停地缓冲。视频中止
会让我发疯！
是啊，有时，但通常都有一个解决办法。
即便如此，电影通常都是盗版的，影片不清晰。我想看高清晰
的电影。来吧，让我们去音像店。这
次我请客。
好吧，如果你坚持，但我们为什么不能付费在家下载呢？
我们可以那么做，但我们去哪里弄爆米花呢？
Lesson 5
Avoiding Show and Movie
Spoilers
坚决不看影评
Lee: I’m reading this article about the
new season of our favorite show. It’s premiering
next week.
Kira: Don’t tell
me anything about it, especially
spoilers.
Lee: But don't you
want to know which guest stars will be making
appearances and the plot twists that are
coming up?
Kira: No, I
don’t! I don’t watch movie trailers and I don’t
read reviews. It spoils the fun when you already
know what’s going to happen. Where’s
the suspense?
Lee: The blogs
and reviews I
read all have ―spoiler
alerts‖ and I avoid reading those sections. Let me
just
tell you one thing I read...
Kira: Stop right there! I’m covering my
ears. I want to stay in the dark, completely in
the dark. Got it?
Lee:
Okay, I won’t let the cat out of the bag, but
we’re in for a wild ride this season.
Kira: I’m not listening! I’m not
listening!
我在读我们最喜爱的电视剧的最近一季的报道，下周首播。
什么也不要告诉我，尤其是有关电视剧结尾的信息。
但是你不想知道谁将客串出演吗？以及将要出现的剧情转折吗？
不，我不想。我不想看电影新闻，也不读评论。当你知道将要
发生的故事情节，这会减少看电影的
乐趣。悬念在哪里？
我看过的博客和评论都有
―
电影新闻
‖
，我尽量不去读。我告诉你我读到的
……
打住。我要把耳朵堵上。我不
想知道情节，一点都不想。明白了吗？
好吧，我不会泄露秘密，但是这季会是疯狂之旅。
premiere
[pri'mi
?
,
pr
?
'mjer] adj.
首位的；初次的；女主角的
vi.
初次公演；首次露面
vt.
初
...
spoiler
['sp
?
il
?
] n.
扰流器；掠夺者；损坏者
review
[ri'vju:]
n.
回顾；复习；评论；检讨；检阅
vt.
回顾；检查；复审
1. favorite show
2. guest stars
3. reviews
4.
spoils the fun
5. reading those sections
6.
stay in the dark
7. let the cat
out of the bag
8. for a wild ride
Lesson 6
Describing Boring and Exciting
Things
谈论有趣的电影
Ina: It was a great idea to split up to
go see different movies. I really liked The
McQuillanator!
Paco: I’m glad to hear
it. You made a better choice than I did. The
biopic I saw was mind
-numbing. I was
bored to death!
Ina: Really?
My movie was great. It was action-packed and fast-
paced. I was on the edge of my seat from
beginning to end.
Paco: I
wish I had been. My movie moved at a snail’s pace
and what was supposed to be dramatic was
just repetitive. I can’t believe I sat
through that entire thing. I’m sure I nodded off
more than once.
Ina: That’s
too bad. You should have abandoned your theater
and joined me in mine. I’m still feeling the
adrenaline rush.
Paco: Yeah,
but instead I got a good nap. What a waste of
money!
Ina: Just consider it a good
lesson learned.
Paco: What lesson?
Ina: Let me pick the movies. I know a
good bang for the buck!
分开来看不同的电影是个好主意。我非常喜欢
‖The
McQuillanator‖
。
很
高兴挺你那么说。你的选择比我好。我看的传记片无聊透顶。我真是百般无聊。
真的吗？我看的电影很棒。内容丰富而且节奏很快。从始至终我都快坐不住了。
我希望我也能像你那样。
我的电影节奏很慢，
应该有情节的部分只是重复。
我不相信看电影整个期
< br>间我能一直坐着。我确信我
打瞌睡不止一次。
那太糟糕了。你不应该去影剧院，和我一起看电影吧。我还很兴奋呢。
是啊，我得去打个盹。真是浪费钱。
把它当做教训。
什么教训？
我来挑选电影。我知道什么划算。
1. split up
2.
I was bored to death
3. fast-paced
4. on the edge
of my seat
5. at a snail's pace
6. nodded off
more than once
7. got a
good nap
8. pick the movies
split up
划分
biopic ['ba
?
op
?
k]
n.
传记片
mind-numbing
adj.
非常无聊的
bored to death
百般无聊
action-
packed
(
电影、故事、活动
等
)
内容丰富有趣的
fast-paced
adj.
快节奏的
on the edge
of my seat
坐不住了
snail’s pace
非常慢
dramatic adj.
戏剧性的
nod off
打瞌睡
repetitive adj.
反复的
abandon
vt.
抛弃，放弃
adrenaline
rush
兴奋激发
nap n.
打盹儿
bang for the
buck
合算
dramatic
[dr
?
'm?tik,-k
?
l] adj.
戏剧的；引人注目的；激动人心的
nap
[n?p] n.
小睡，打盹儿；细毛；孤注一掷
vt.
使拉毛
vi.
小睡；疏忽
pace
[peis, 'peisi] n.
一步；步速；步法
vi.
踱步；缓慢而行
vt.
踱步于；用步测
Lesson 7
Riding in a car pool
Roberto: Hey, Loreto. Got a
minute?
Lor
eto: I’m going to
a meeting off
-
site, but we
can talk if you don’t mind walking me to my
car.
Roberto: Sure, okay. I
just wanted to ask if you’re interested in
carpooling to work. We only live a few
blocks from each other.
Loreto: Thanks for asking, but
I’
m not sure carpooling would work for
me. Sometimes I run late in the
morning
and I wouldn’t want to hold you up.
Roberto: We wouldn’t have to commute
together every day, only on those days that are
convenient for
both of us. Carpooling
has its advantages, too. In addition to doing our
part for the environment, we could
use
the high-
occupancy carpool lanes.
That’ll save time, especially if there’s a lot of
traffic congestion.
Loreto:
Yeah, I guess that could cut down on our commute
time.
Roberto: We also get preferential
treatment for parking on the days we carpool.
Loreto: How would it work? Do we set up
a schedule and take turns driving?
Roberto: Why don’t I swing by and pick
you up tomorrow morning and we can talk more about
it?
Loreto: If you don’t
mind p
icking me up en route, that would
be great. By the way, how do you know
where I live?
Roberto: Oh, I
asked around. See you tomorrow.
嘿，洛雷托。能谈一会儿吗？
我准备到会议场去，但我们可以谈，如果你不介意边朝我的车
走边谈话。
当然，没关系。我只想
问，你是否有兴趣拼车上班。我们彼此住所只有几个街区。
谢谢你邀请我，但我不知道拼车是否适合我。有时候，我比预期走得晚，我不想耽误你的
时间。
我们就不必每天下班一起，
只需在我们都方便的有日子里就行。
拼车也有好处。
除了尽自己职责能
环
境，我们可以使用高乘载车道。这可以节省时间，特别是如果有很多交通挤塞的时候。
是的，我猜，可以减少我们的通勤时间。
我们拼车的日子里还能优先停车。
那怎样拼车？我们制定一个时间表，轮流驾驶？
我明天早上接你，那样我们可以多谈谈，如何？
如果你不介意途中来接我，那太好了。顺便说一下，你怎么知
道我住的地方？
哦，我四处询问才知道的。明天见。
1. walking me to my car
for me
3. run late
4. hold you up
5. doing our
part
6.
cut down
7. set up a
schedule
8.
picking me up
off-site
在不同的地点
walking me
to my car
陪某人走着去某地
carpooling
分享一辆车去一个共同的目的地
run late
做一些事情比应该的时间要晚
to
hold you up
托别人后腿
delay
sb
to commute
从家到单位，然后回来
doing
our part
贡献
帮助使某事发生
high-
occupancy carpool lanes
多人的占有率的
carpool
车道
三人以上
traffic
congestion.
交通拥挤
cut down on sht
减少对什么的使用
preferential treatment
特殊待遇
给那些
carpool
人好位置
take turns
轮流做某事
swing by
开车去某人家呆很短时间
en
route on the way,
法语
在去什么地方的路上
asked
around
问了很多人来得到信息
swing by:
相当于
pass by/stop in
，表示
―
顺道过来
‖
。例如：
I’ll swing by later.
我待会再来。
get into
the swing of things:
适应环境。
I
enjoyed my new life in America, but somehow I just
couldn’t
seem to get into the swing of
things.
我喜欢我在美国的新生活，但是，不知为什么，似乎总有
不能适应环境的感觉
。
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
上一篇：cvss
下一篇：软考系统集成项目管理工程师考试英语词汇