流行美语 (Popular American) 258

李华告诉Larry说，她想多赚点钱，买机票回中国探亲。李华今天要学两个常用语：bread和nest egg.

LH: Larry, 我想回中国看看我父母。I need to make some more bread.

LL: You need to make more bread? I know you aren't a baker 1, Li Hua, so you must have learned that bread is slang for money.

LH: 没错。那天我听一个朋友说，他要跟父母借点钱，因为he was short on bread，缺钱花了。

LL: Well, Li Hua, how about you? Can you borrow some bread from your parents for a plane ticket home?

LH: 去中国的机票可贵了，我父母可出不起机票钱。要想回家，我唯一的办法就是再出去兼一份差。

LL: Well, with the Christmas holidays coming up, there will be many opportunities for you to earn some bread.

LH: 是啊，快过节了，很多商店都需要人手，找份活儿应该不难。

LL: I wouldn't think so, but if you do have trouble, I can always loan you some bread.

LH: 谢谢你，Larry. 但是不到迫不得已，我还是希望自己想办法。

LL: Okay, I understand. So, Li Hua, have you thought about where you might want to work?

LH: 我想到百货商店去打工，虽然那里的工作没太大的意思，但是I'd really only be doing it for the bread.

LL: I think a department store is a good choice for you. Who knows? You may even be able to pay for your plane ticket to China and save a little bread.

LH: 我也是这么希望的。我教中文的工资实在是不多，总觉得钱不够花。

LL: Well, I am very lucky to have my job at the architect's office. Right now, I am bringing in a good amount of bread.

LH: 你的钱都花在什么地方呢？

LL: Well, I spend a lot on monthly expenses, but I also try to save some bread every month and, if possible, invest it.

LH: 投资？看来你还挺有经济头脑的，Larry.

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LL: Saving is important, Li Hua. I am trying to build a nest egg so that I can buy a house some day.

LH: 你要建一个窝里的蛋？(开玩笑地说)那你什么时候变成小鸟啊？

LL: (Laughs) No, no, Li Hua. A "Nest Egg" is a term for money put away in reserve for some special purpose - like getting married, buying a house, or retiring.

LH: 窝里的蛋怎么会指为结婚买房子存的钱呢？

LL: Well, as I understand it, a "nest egg" was originally a fake egg placed in a nest to attract birds to lay more eggs. By putting aside money as a nest egg, you hope it will grow and make more money.

LH: 噢，我明白了，窝里的蛋原来指的是假蛋，放在那里骗家禽多生蛋的，用来指钱，就好像是中文里说的钱生钱的意思，放在银行定期存款里就是个办法。

LL: Yes, my parents have done this. But, they have also invested some of their nest egg in the stock market.

LH: 投资股市可有风险，我就听说过很多老年人投资股市，结果赔得一干二净。

LL: It can be, but my parents aren't investing in the stock market on their own. They have an investment company that is helping 2 them manage their nest egg.

LH: 那就好，等我开始在百货商店打工了，I hope I'll have a nest egg, too.

LL: Well, I am building a nest egg to someday buy a house - What about you, Li Hua? What is your nest egg for?

LH: 我先得存点钱应急，万一哪天车坏了或是生一场大病，手里有钱心里就踏实多了。

LL: That's a good plan. My older brother wants to build a nest egg for his children.

LH: Wait a minute, Larry. 你哥哥不是没孩子吗？

LL: You are right, Li Hua, but he has recently gotten married, and he and his wife want to have children. They will need to have a big nest egg for that!

LH: 是啊，养孩子真的需要很多钱，特别是大学学费，做父母的确实需要提前做好准备。

LL: Yes, they won't just need a chicken-sized nest egg - they'll need an ostrich-sized nest egg!

今天李华学到了两个常用语。一个是bread, 指钱。另一个是nest egg, 是存下来的钱。