中国版合租生活难像《老友记》
It's business as usual at Central Perk 1. On the plush, brightlycolored couches, fashionable 20-somethings lounge around on their lunchbreaks, sipping 2 lattes and chatting with friends. Behind the counter,Gunther cleans the gaudy 3, oversize mugs and puts them away。
It's a scene comfortably familiar to any fan of the '90s TV showFriends. But this is not '90s Manhattan; this is Beijing, 2010. And thecouches are peopled not by hip 4 New Yorkers but by upwardly mobileChinese young professionals who come in search of the easygoing Friendslifestyle that is increasingly hard to find in Beijing's stressedhousing market。
China's Central Perk, a painstakingly 5 detailed 6 reconstruction 7 of theTV original, is tucked away in a corner of a downtown Beijing officetower. It is the brainchild of Chinese businessman Du Xin, who gavehimself the English name Gunther in honor of the show's long-sufferingbarista. "Friends is very popular among Chinese young people because itfulfills a need they have for friendship," says Du. "Beijing is such abig city, it's very easy for you to feel lonely. I think there shouldbe a place where you feel safe and comfortable and can hang out."For many of the young professionals, China's property boom istranslating into a decidedly untelegenic lifestyle. As governmentstimulus funds and eager investors 8 flock to the real estate sector,rents across the nation are soaring. In Beijing, where the averagemonthly salary is roughly 3,700 yuan ($545)， the monthly rent for atypical one-bedroom apartment was about 2,900 yuan ($427) as of June.That leaves many with no choice but to find people to share their homewith. More and more, flatmates are sharing small, cramped 9 apartmentswith several other people - a lifestyle less reminiscent of Friendsthan of another TV favorite of Chinese youth, Prison Break。
The shortage of affordable 10 housing is not exclusively a Beijingproblem. An official crackdown on real estate speculation 11 that wasstarted early this year, coupled with new regulations to promote theconstruction of more affordable housing, should lower prices and bringsome relief to Beijing's beleaguered 12 house hunters. There are signsthat the measures are already having some effect, but what changes docome will inevitably 13 come slowly. House prices in Beijing fell just0.4% in June, month on month。
For now, many of Beijing's young professionals will have to put upwith cramped accommodations and a shortage of personal space. WangXiyuan, a 27-year-old Beijing office worker sitting on Du's CentralPerk's orange couch, was unable to afford her own place until recently.Before, she and a friend were sharing a two-room flat in which the onlycommunal space was a tiny kitchen. "What attracted me most aboutFriends was the friendship between the roommates," Wang says. "But it'snot easy to live with a friend. Chinese people are sometimes too shy totell you what they really think. They just get madder and madder atyou, but don't tell you."
- His perks include a car provided by the firm.他的额外津贴包括公司提供的一辆汽车。
- And the money is,of course,a perk.当然钱是额外津贴。
- She sat in the sun, idly sipping a cool drink. 她坐在阳光下懒洋洋地抿着冷饮。
- She sat there, sipping at her tea. 她坐在那儿抿着茶。
- She was tricked out in gaudy dress.她穿得华丽而俗气。
- The gaudy butterfly is sure that the flowers owe thanks to him.浮华的蝴蝶却相信花是应该向它道谢的。
- The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
- The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。
- He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
- A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。
- The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
- In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。
- a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
- a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会
- The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
- working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作
- The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
- There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。
- Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
- There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。
- The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。
- We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
- Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。