CRI实用英语课堂 Unit 12 Renting An Apartment 租房

Part 1  Classified Ad. For Rent  招租广告 

招租广告范例1

Apartment For Rent
Quiet (near community park)
12 Renmin Rd, 10th fl
95 sq ms, 2-bed, 1-bath, 1-living; parking space
5000 yuan/month (utilities not included)
Call 5124-3698, Ms. Li

讲解：

1. 这则广告的大意是：房屋出租/安静（靠近社区公园）/人民路12号10楼/95平米，两室一厅一卫/带车位/房租每月5000元（不含水电）/请致电5124-3698找李女士

2. 招租广告听起来是完整的，其实里面包含了很多缩写，在上面的招租广告中，就出现了很多缩写形式的词语。比如：人民路，写的是Renmin Rd, 10楼，写的是10th fl，平方米，sq ms等等。

招租广告常用缩略词：

A/C Air conditioning 空调
appl appliance(refrigerator, stove, dish washer, cloth washer, dryer) 家用电器
bachelor 一个只有一间房(同时作为睡房和起居室)的套间，里面另有洗手间浴室。
BR/BDRM 睡房
Basement/BSMT 地库/地下层
cable 有线电视
furn = furnished 带家具
hrdwd = hardwood 硬木地板
p/w 每周
p/m 每月
p.p. 每人
m/f 男/女
n/s or ns 不吸烟者
Excl 除外
Incl 包括
Furn 含家具
Unfurn 不含家具
dep.and ref. 押金和推荐信
Ch 中央暖气
Gch 煤气和中央暖气
Ech 电式中央暖气
w/m or w/mach 洗衣机
K&b 厨房与卫生间
nr.BR 靠近铁路
Dg 双层窗户
o.n.o. 最低价
studio = bachelor
U/G = underground parking 地下停车场
util = utilities 水电煤气
w/o = walk out 通常指在厨房或起居室的一扇可通往阳台或花园的门

招租广告范例2

FINCE-WARDEN, lrg 2br bsmt, new reno bright, lndry, eat-in kit 1, w-o balc, close to HSR/shops. No smoke/pets, +, 1st/last. 222-2222 - leave mess.

讲解： 

1. FINCH-WARDEN，这间房是位于或邻近Finch和Warden街交界处。

2. lrg 2br bsmt lrg=large，2br=two bedrooms，bsmt=It is in a basement (below ground). 这是地下的两房套间。(注意，两房是指两个睡房，洗手间，厨房，厅肯定是有的，所以不写出来)

3. new reno bright reno=renovation，最近才装修过，很光亮。

4. lndry, eat-in kit, w-o balc lndry=laundry，指有洗衣机干衣机，eat-in kitchen指厨房大，可在厨房里放饭桌吃饭。w-o balc=walk out to a balcony，指有扇门打开可通阳台。

5. close to TTC/shops靠近公共交通，购物商场。

6. No smoke/pets不接受吸烟或养宠物的租客。

7.+，租金包括水电煤气。　　

8. 1st/last首尾两个月的租金必须先交作为定金。

9. 222-2222 - leave mess打电话222-2222留言联系房东。

Part 2 Meeting the Landlady 2 约见房东看房 

Dialogue Script  对话原文

Sam: Is this Ms. Li?
Li: Yes, are you calling about the apartment?
Sam: Yes, is it still available?
Li: How did you find out about it?
Sam: I saw your advertisement on one of the bulletin boards.
Li: Well, you're welcome to come over and see it. The address is on the ad.
Sam: Great. I'll be there in about twenty minutes.
(20 minutes later)
Li: What do you do in China?
Sam: I study Chinese and Chinese history.
Li: Sounds interesting…Do you want to share with any roommates or live alone?
Sam: I prefer to live alone. I need my peace and quiet.
Li: Good. That will make everything simpler. I like to keep things simple.
Sam: Me too. And I like my privacy.
Li: OK, now I'll show you the apartment. This is the balcony. That is the kitchen. The bedroom is over there.
Sam: This place is perfect! It's so quiet! But, the kitchen is kind of small...
Li: You won't need much space if you're cooking for one.
Sam: Well, I guess that's true. So what about the trash?
Li: You take it to the first floor. It's picked up daily around 9 p.m.
Sam: Great! If it's OK with you, I think I'll take the apartment.
Li: You seem like the ideal tenant 3. OK, let me go get the contract.

讲解：

1.在这段对话中，Sam看到了招租广告以后，打电话给Ms. Li，预定看房。首先说一下这个Ms. , 表示“女士”。在英语中，未婚女性称为“Miss”，小姐。已婚女性称为“Mrs.”，太太， 而Ms. 则是在不考虑或不知道婚姻状况的情况下使用，放在姓氏或姓名前。

2.当Ms. Li问are you calling about the apartment? 你是打电话来问公寓的事情吗？Sam回答说，Yes, is it still available? 是的，房子还没租出去吧？就是说房子还能租吗？available 这个词表示“可用到的，可利用的”。例如：I'm sorry, those overcoats are not available in your colour and size. 对不起，这种外套没有你要的颜色和尺码。它还表示“有空的”， 例如：The lawyer is not available now. 律师现在没空。

3. Ms. Li比较谨慎，问Sam，How did you find out about it? 你是怎么知道有这么个公寓出租呢？Sam回答I saw your advertisement on one of the bulletin boards. 我在一个公告栏上看到了你的广告。

4. Ms. Li比较放心了，答应Sam可以来看房子，她说you're welcome to come over and see it. 欢迎你过来看看。welcome这个词不仅可以做动词、名词，还可以做形容词，表示“受欢迎的”，例如：You are always welcome in my home. 你在我家总是受欢迎的。You are welcome to join us. 我们非常乐意邀请你加入我们。welcome做动词，表示“欢迎”，比如：My aunt welcomed me with a hug. 我姑姑用拥抱迎接了我。做名词，表示“款待，接待”，例如：They gave us an unfriendly welcome.他们对我们的接待很不友好。还有就是大家比较熟悉的Welcome to China! 欢迎到中国来！Welcome back 欢迎你回来！

5. 20分钟后，房东Ms. Li和房客Sam见面了，Ms. Li先问Sam在中国是做什么的，因为要打探清楚房客的底细，才能放心的把房子租给他。Sam回答说在中国学习汉语和中国历史。是做学生的。Ms. Li又问他是想一个人住，还是想跟别人合住，Do you want to share with any roommates or live alone? roommate是室友的意思，在口语中做称呼的时候经常被简化为 “roomie”。

6. Sam说I prefer to live alone. I need my peace and quiet. 我比较喜欢一个人住，我需要过安静、平和的生活。这里的peace and quiet表示“平和，安静”，平常我们比较熟悉的是quiet做形容词，在这里quiet变成了名词。Ms. Li表示同意，Good. That will make everything simpler. I like to keep things simple. 不错，那样的话，事情就简单多了，我喜欢简单行事。

7. Sam也说喜欢一个人独处，他说I like my privacy. privacy, “隐私，秘密；独处”。例如：We must respect other's privacy. 我们应该尊重别人的隐私。也就是说我们不该打听别人的私事。

8. 达成共识之后，Ms. Li开始给Sam介绍房间的情况了，Sam觉得整个房子都不错，就是厨房有点小，有一点，这里用的是kind of，既可以修饰形容词，也可以修饰动词，例如：She kind of hoped to be invited. 她有点希望自己能被邀请。

9. Ms. Li解释说You won't need much space if you're cooking for one. 如果你自己一个人做饭的话，你不需要太大的空间，注意这里的空间space是不可数的，用much来修饰，而不是用many。

10. Sam又问，那垃圾怎么办呢？What about the trash? What about...?这个短语很常用，表示某人或某物怎样呢？例如：What about the extra money? 那多余的钱怎么办呢？Ms. Li说可以把垃圾拿到一楼，每天晚上9点左右会被清走。

11. 赵：Sam非常满意，说If it's OK with you, I think I'll take the apartment. 如果你没有问题的话，我决定租下这个公寓了。be OK with something, 对某事没有意见，同意做某事，在口语中很常用，例如：I'm OK with the timing 4. 我对时间安排没有意见。那么something be ok with someone, 也表示同样的意义，例如：Is the timing OK with you? 你对时间安排有意见吗？

12. Ms. Li也觉得Sam不错，她说You seem like the ideal tenant. OK, let me go get the contract. 你看起来是个理想的房客，现在我去拿合约。不论男女，房客都是tenant,但是男房东和女房东可不一样了，男房东是landlord，女房东是landlady，但是两者都可以缩写成LL，记住要大写。

Part 3  Signing the Contract  签订租房协议 

Dialogue Script 1 对话原文 1

Sam: I'd like to move in right away, if possible.
Li: No problem. The deposit is two months' rent, and the rent is 5000 yuan.
Sam: Is there a maintenance fee for this building?
Li: Yes. Just pay the security guard downstairs. I think it's about 200 yuan.
Sam: OK. And when is the rent due?
Li: On the tenth of each month. You can just transfer the money to my account.
Sam: Sounds easy enough.
Li: OK, now you take a look at the contract. It states clearly what belongs to us.
Sam: Like the sofa and the television.
Li: Exactly. So you'll be responsible for any loss or damage to those items.
Sam: But what if something breaks down?
Li: We'll take care of repairs.
Sam: Great.

讲解：

1. 看来Sam对这个公寓真的很满意，他说I'd like to move in right away, if possible. 如果可能的话，我想马上就搬进来。if possible 是个固定短语，表示“如果可能的话”，大家可以直接拿过来用。

2. Ms. Li说没有问题，The deposit is two months' rent, and the rent is 5000 yuan. 押金是两个月的房租，房租每月5000元。看好房子了，就交钱吧。押金，deposit， 还是储蓄的意思。 房租，rent，这个词还是动词，表示“租借，租用或出租”。例如：Is that your own computer, or do you rent it? 这电脑是你自己的，还是租来的？We rent a room to Mrs. Smith 我们租了一间房给史密斯太太。The apartment rents at $2000 a month. 这个单元套房以每月2000美元出租。在这个句子当中有一个短语，rent at，是“以…价钱出租”的意思。The cottage rents for $200 a month. 这个小屋以每月二百美金出租，那么我们可以看出rent for 也可以表示“以…价钱出租”的意思。

3. Sam问Is there a maintenance fee for this building? 这栋大楼有管理费吗？maintenance，维护, 保持, maintenance fee 就是管理费，也就是我们日常说的“物业费”。Ms. Li说付给楼下的保安就行了，每个月大概是200元钱，看来这栋大楼的物业费业不便宜啊。

4 .And when is the rent due? 那什么时候交房租呢？due这个词在这里表示“到期的”，例如：When is the paper due? 什么时候交论文？我想这是学生们常问的一句话。还有When is my salary due? 什么时候付我工资? 跟due有关的词组还有due to，表示原因，例如：Her illness was due to bad food. 她的病是吃坏了的食物造成的。

5. 房租是每个月的十号交，直接把钱打到Ms. Li的账户中就行了。transfer 这个词可以表示“转账，转车，转学”等等。例如：You have to transfer to another bus if you want to go to the park. 如果你想去公园的话，得转乘另一辆公共汽车。

7. Sam觉得挺简单的。现在他们一起来看租房协议。协议说明了哪些东西是属于房东的，It states clearly what belongs to us. belong to这个短语表示“属于；是…的一员”。例如：That dictionary belongs to the library. 那本词典是图书馆的。Do you belong to the trade union? 你是贸易协会会员吗？

8. 协议上说沙发和电视都是房东所有。所以如果这些物品如果有遗失或损坏的话，Sam就要负责了。be responsible for something, 对某事某物负责。但是如果有东西不是Sam弄坏的呢？该怎么办？

9. Ms. Li说We'll take care of repairs. 我们会负责修理的。take care of 除了有“照顾”的意思之外呢，还表示“负责某事”。例如：I'll take care of the cleaning this week. 这周我来负责打扫。

Dialogue Script 2 对话原文 2

Li: And we'd like for you to leave the apartment just the way it is.
Sam: You mean I can't make any changes?
Li: Little changes are OK, but please don't drill too many holes in the wall.
Sam: OK, then I'm ready to sign the contract. I brought my chop.
Li: Wow, you seem to know so much about Chinese culture.
Sam: Yeah, I'm sure we'll get along perfectly 5. Please come over for dinner sometime.
Li: I'd love that.

讲解：

1.这段对话中主要是口头上的租房协议。房东的要求是we'd like for you to leave the apartment just the way it is. 我们希望你能保持公寓原来的样子。

2.Sam问，You mean I can't make any changes? 你是说我不能做任何的改变吗？make changes，做出改变。

3.房东说 Little changes are OK, but please don't drill too many holes in the wall. 小的变动还可以，但是不要在墙上钻太多洞。

4.现在如果没有问题的话，就可以签租房协议了。I'm ready to sign the contract. 我准备好要签协议了。be ready to do something, 准备好做某事。或者是be ready for something, 例如：We're ready for dinner. 我们准备好吃晚饭了。

5.Sam还带来了自己的印章，印章是chop，Ms. Li还夸他很懂中国的文化。

Part 4 Getting Along With the LL 与房东相处 

Dialogue Script 1 对话原文 1

Sam: Who is it?
Li: It's Ms. Li, your landlady. We'd appreciate it if you'd keep the noise down.
Sam: Oh! I just got out of the shower! I can't answer the door right now!
Li: And about those guests and the music...
Sam: I'm sorry. I can't hear you! I'll talk to you in half an hour, all right?
Li: You'd better.
(half an hour later)
Sam: Excuse me, you wanted to talk to me?
Li: Yes, the noise you've been making is unbearable 6. In the contract, you...
Sam: I haven't heard any noise. Maybe it was coming from below you.
Li: No, it was definitely from upstairs.
Sam: Well, maybe it's your next-door neighbors, because I haven't heard a thing.
Li: Anyway, just tame it down!

讲解：

1.对话中Ms. Li说Sam太吵了，一点也不安静，所以来找他算帐。keep the noise down. 别制造那么多的噪音，就是安静一点。

2.当Ms. Li敲Sam的房门的时候，他刚刚洗完澡，I just got out of the shower! 那I'm in a shower.就是我正在洗澡。现在还不能来开门，I can't answer the door right now! answer这个词可以是接听电话，answer the phone，也可以是answer the door ，去开门。

3.Ms. Li想跟Sam谈谈关于那些客人和音乐的事，可能是来访的客人很多，音乐声音放的很大，影响到了别人。但是Sam隔着门听不见房东说话，说半个小时后再谈。房东很生气，说Y ou'd better. 你最好过来，言外之意就是如果你不过来的话，就跟你没完。

4.房东抱怨说the noise you've been making is unbearable.你制造的噪音让人无法忍受。make noise, 制造噪音。unbearable, 让人无法忍受的。那么这句话还可以说成，I can't bear the noise you've been making.

5.但是Sam说他没有听见任何噪音，怀疑是不是从楼下传来的。可是房东坚持说是从楼上传来的。

6.Sam又说可能是从房东邻居那传来的，反正他没有听见任何噪音。房东很不耐烦，Anyway, just tame it down! 你小声一点就是了！看来房东和房客相处的不是很好啊。

Dialogue Script 2 对话原文 2

Sam: Hi, Ms Li. Come on in! How do you like it? I've redone the whole place!
Li: Oh, my goodness... It's so beautiful.
Sam: Interior design is my hobby, so...
Li: So that explains the noise and the strangers...
Sam: Yep. Putting in hardwood floors is noisy. The music was to cover up the noise.
Li: I see. So what about the rent?
Sam: Here you go. I was meaning to get it to you. I'm sorry it's late.
Li: That's OK. But why didn't you tell me before?
Sam: I couldn't stand the apartment the way it was-so bland 7.
Li: And you were afraid I wouldn't allow it, right?
Sam: Yeah, I wanted to wait. I knew that when you saw the finished product, you'd like it.
Li: Like it? Actually I'm thinking about asking if you'd switch the apartment with us!

讲解：

1.对话中Ms.Li又来找Sam，Sam很热情的欢迎了她，他说Hi, Ms Li. Come on in! Come on in! 在口语当中也很常用，比Come in! 还要热情一些。

2.Sam把房子重新装饰过了，I've redone the whole place! redone是redo的过去分词，表示“改装，重新做”。他问Ms. Li喜不喜欢，How do you like it? 大家要记住这个问法。

3.Ms. Li大吃一惊，Oh, my goodness... It's so beautiful. 啊，我的天哪，真是太漂亮了。看来她是非常喜欢改装过后的房子。my goodness, 用来表示感叹语气。

4.室内设计是Sam的嗜好，Interior design is my hobby. interior design室内设计。房东现在明白了为什么Sam会制造这么多噪音了，So that explains the noise and the strangers... it explains something，这就解释了...这就是...的原因了。例如：That explains why he was late this morning.这就是他今天早上迟到的原因了。

5.Putting in hardwood floors is noisy. The music was to cover up the noise. 铺实木地板会很吵，音乐是为了盖住噪音。put in hardwood floor, 铺实木地板。但是Sam房租还没交，So what about the rent? 那房租呢？

6.Sam很痛快的交了房租，并因为没有及时交房租而道歉。房东问为什么不早告诉她，Sam 说I couldn't stand the apartment the way it was-so bland. 我受不了公寓原先的样子，太单调了。bland，“乏味的, 单调的”。

7.因为房东开始的时候并不同意房客随意改变房间的样子，所以Sam不敢事先告诉Ms. Li。Sam知道，当房东看到成品后会非常喜欢的，the finished product，成品，最终产品，这里指被改装了的公寓。

8.Like it? Actually I'm thinking about asking if you'd switch the apartment with us! 喜欢？我正想问你愿不愿意跟我们换公寓住呢。Ms. Li不仅仅是喜欢被改装的公寓，而是疯狂地爱上了它的室内设计，还想跟Sam换呢。看来Sam的设计很成功。

Part 5  Notes for the LLs and Tenants 8 房东房客必读 

1. 招租广告

广告一定要写的简单明了。如果想出租单间，就是 single roomfor rent，如果想出租套房，就是studio apartment，如果是住家，则是apartment或者是house。关于招租广告的书写，请大家参考第一部分内容。

2. 看好了招租广告，下一步就是双方约好看房子。不用太麻烦，简单约好时间地点就可以了，因为最重要还是要面谈。

3. 介绍房子

房东尽力要把房子的优点说出来，而房客也要挑挑房子的毛病。比如说：交通方便，The apartment is conveniently located；靠近银行，near the bank；住宅区，residential area；地点安静，quiet location；新装修，newly-remodeled；新楼，new building；房子采光好，bright；房租合理，reasonable rent 等等，都是容易打动房客的因素。

这里再给大家提供几句实用的句子：

We just repaired the walls and replaced the water heater.
我们刚把所有的墙壁粉刷过了，还换了新热水器。
The apartment comes furnished with (a sofa, a television…).
公寓带家具，沙发，电视等。
The building may be a little old, but the structure is very sturdy.
房子可能旧了点，但是结构很坚固。
This is a single. Most of the other tenants are students.
这是间单间，其他大部分房客都是学生。

4. 要探探房客或房东的底，要弄清楚对方的职业 occupation、婚姻状况 marital 9 status等等。常用的句子有What do you do?你是做什么的？ Are you married? 你结婚了吗？Will anyone be living with you? 还有谁会跟你同住吗？等等。

5. 签约

签约前最重要就是房租，订金，押金的确认。尤其是价钱和支付方式得讲清楚。下面的句子很常用：

The deposit is two months' rent. 押金是两个月的房租。
The rent is due before the end of the every month.每个月底前交房租。
If you're interested, please leave a 5,000 yuan deposit. 想要租的话，请先付5000元订金。
The landlord will come to collect the rent. 房东会来取房租。
You can go and pay the landlord directly. 你可以直接付给房东。

除了钱之外，还会有其他一些口头约定，在第三部分中，我们已经提到了物业费的付法，垃圾处理等问题，这里再补充一些常见的约定：

The room is in the landlord's apartment. 跟房东同住一套公寓。
You can/can't sublet 10 the apartment.你可以或不可以把公寓分租给其他人住，sublet是分租，转租的意思。
You share a bathroom. 你们共用一间浴室。

6. 房客搬入后，还会发生一系列的问题。比如催缴房租，可以学学下面三句话：

If you don't pay the rent this month, you'll have to pay me two months' rent next month.
如果你这个月交不出房租，那下个月就一次交两个月的房租吧。
If you don't pay, I'll take it out of your deposit.
你再不交，我就要从你的押金里扣了。
You haven't paid your rent for three months. I have to ask you to move out.
你已经三个月没有交房租了，我得请你搬走了。

7. 如果房客对房子不满意，还会有各种各样的抱怨，例如：

The ceiling is leaking. 天花板漏了。
The toilet is broken.马桶故障。
The paint is peeling. 油漆剥落。
The tiles are falling off. 瓷砖松动。
The pipes have burst. 水管爆了。
The door/window is broken. 门窗坏了。

还有抱怨环境问题的：
The neighbors are too noisy.邻居太吵了。
People keep stealing my newspaper. 总有人偷报纸。
Too many people come and go. 大楼出入人员复杂。
The security guard doesn't do his job. 保安工作不尽责。

那么房东该怎样解决这些问题呢，如果你是房东的话，可以学学下面的话：

I see. I'll send someone over to fix it tomorrow.
我知道了。我找人明天去你那修一下。
Please find someone to repair it yourself. You can take the cost of the repair out of next month's rent.
你自己找人弄好吧，修理费从下个月的房租里扣除。
If you don't feel safe, I can put another lock on your door.
如果你觉得不安全，我可以帮你加个门锁。
Let's go talk to the neighbors together. If that doesn't work, we'll call the police.
我们一起去跟邻居谈谈，不行的话，我们就报警。

8. 房客住的满意，房东租的安心，所以协议到期时，自然就会谈到续约问题。协议到期是The contract/lease is up. 续约是to renew the contract/lease. 下面的句子大家可以用上：

There's only one month left in your contract. Do you want to renew it?
你的租约还有一个月就到期了，你要续租吗？
For the renewal 11, how long do you want to stay?
你续约后还想住多久？
If we renew the contract, the move-out date will be October 11th, 2003.
我们续约的话，租约期限就到2003年10月11号。

9. 如果租约到期后房客不想续租，就要谈解约的事情了。这是要注意看看当初协在租约里的东西有没有缺少，房子是有还保持原貌，或是还有哪些账单bills还未结清，因为这些都是决定能退多少押金的关键。例如：
After taking out 300 yuan for water, gas, and electricity, 1,000 yuan is what you get back from your deposit.
扣掉水电煤气费300元以后，我要退给你的押金是1000元。
After taking out the money to have the TV repaired, 500 yuan is the amount I will return from your deposit.
扣掉修电视的钱，我应该退给你500元的押金。

还有一种情况就是房东房客闹到不欢而散，不得不临时终止合约，比如说：
According to the contract, one month's rent will be taken out of the deposit for breaking the lease.
根据合同，你终止合同的话就要扣掉一个月的押金。
You haven't paid your rent for two months. I'm ending your lease. 你三个月没有交房租了，我要跟你终止合同。