世博实用听力02:找个地方歇脚

 　　【Transcript】

　　Professor: Jeff is at an apartment building. He's meeting the landlord to ask about renting an apartment.
　　Professor Bowman, landlord这个词由是land─土地，和lord─主人组成的，应该就是房主的意思吧？
　　Professor: That's right, Winnie. Now listen for the word "vacancy 1," which means "open" or "available."
　　Jeff: Hello, do you have any vacancies 2?
　　Landlord: Yes, something just opened up.
　　Jeff: What kind of apartment is it?
　　Landlord: It's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment.
　　我知道，"vacancy, v-a-c-a-n-c-y, vacancy"就是指等待出租的空房。
　　Professor: Exactly. "Vacant" means "empty."
　　哦，vacant 是 vacancy 的形容词，意思是“空的”。现在Jeff 就是要找a vacant apartment. 房主说有一个一室一卫的公寓，听起来不错，可是不知道租金贵不贵。
　　Professor: Let's listen and find out.
　　Jeff: How much is the rent?
　　Landlord: The rent is $1500 per month.
　　Jeff: And how much is the deposit?
　　Landlord: The deposit is $500.
　　一个一居室的公寓每月要 1500 美元？够贵的！而且，为什么Jeff 还要交一笔deposit“押金”呢？
　　Professor: Well, if Jeff breaks something in the apartment, the landlord uses the deposit money to fix it. In addition, he may have to pay utilities too. Let's listen.
　　Jeff: Are utilities included in the rent?
　　Landlord: Gas and water are included.
　　Jeff: Do I have to pay for electricity myself?
　　Landlord: Yes, electricity is not included in the rent.
　　哦，看来Jeff 要自己负担一部分utilities, u-t-i-l-i-t-i-e-s,─“水电杂费”，因为房主说，房租里包括煤气费和水费，但是电费要单付。
　　Professor: Winnie, if the landlord says "all utilities are included," then the cost of gas, water and electricity will all be included in the rent. Remember, you don't have to say "gas utility" or "water utility." You can just say "gas" or "water."
　　Jeff: Hmmm ... This apartment seems a little expensive. Do you have any cheap studios?
　　Landlord: Actually, the one-bedroom is the only vacant apartment right now.
　　Jeff: Do you think any studios will open up soon?
　　Landlord: No, not for a few months.
　　A "studio"? 我知道 Jeff 想找个便宜点的地方，可租这种卧室、起居室合二为一的单间小公寓，把女孩子带回家多没面子！
　　Professor: I don't know. You wouldn't date a guy living in a studio?
　　找个租 studio 的男朋友？那也没什么不行，但他起码得有辆特别 cool 的车！我们还是言归正传，看看Jeff 租没租那间公寓吧。
　　Jeff: When can I see the one-bedroom apartment?
　　Landlord: There's an open house this weekend.
　　Jeff: What time does the open house start?
　　Landlord: It starts at 11AM in the morning.
　　Professor Bowman, 什么叫open house?
　　Professor: Winnie, an "open house" is when the landlord opens the apartment and anybody can just walk in and take a look.
　　Open house 这段时间里什么人都可以随便来看。那要不是open house，就得和房主约时间喽？这个房主也真懒，让人家看一眼不就得了。
　　Professor: I agree. Maybe Jeff should rent a different apartment because this landlord is not very good. Now Jeff is going to ask how long the lease is.
　　Jeff: What kind of lease is it?
　　Landlord: It's a one-year lease.
　　Jeff: Can I have a month-to-month lease? I only want to rent the apartment for five months.
　　Landlord: No, all the leases are for one year. We don't have month-to-month leases.
　　Jeff: Well then I don't think this would be a good apartment for me. Thank you anyway.
　　Landlord: You're welcome.
　　唉，看来是不行了。Jeff只想租5个月，可房主非要签一年的租约。这可怎么办？
　　Professor: Well, I guess Jeff's friend Sarah will have to help him look for another apartment. Tune 3 in next time to see what happens!
　　【Listening skills】
　　1.第一句话中出现了landlord“房东”这个词，文中说He's meeting the landlord to ask about renting an apartment. 这里，如果感到完全陌生，不可以通过本句中的后半部分renting an apartment，以及下文中谈话可以准确推测出，landlord指代的是“租房子给别人的人”，也就是“房东”的意思，我们也可以将这个词拆开，分成land─土地，和lord─主人，也可以推出“房主”的意思。
　　2.Jeff: Hello, do you have any vacancies?
　　这句话当中的vacancy是“空着的”意思，如：I see a vacancy board outside for a kitchen helper. Is it still available?
　　我在外面招工牌上看到有个厨房帮手的空缺。这空位现在还有吗？
　　如果不明白这个词的意思，我们可以先来看看答者的话Yes, something just opened up. “是的，有几间刚刚open up开张；开业”,说明说话者询问的是还有没有正在出租的房子，也就是“空房”。
　　3.Jeff: Are utilities included in the rent?
　　utility这个词在对话中出现多次，是个关键词，可以推断出是“水电费”的意思，因为下文中提到“Landlord: Gas and water are included. Yes, electricity is not included in the rent. 煤气费和水费包含在内，但是电费自己出”。