和老外聊天的地道口語第136期:誰還買得起房子?
H: Monica, I heard you're trying to buy a new house, is that true?
M: yes, but seeing the ever-rising prices, I'm afraid I'll never be able to afford one.
H: oh, that's definitely a problem for most of us wage-earners.
M: houses are ridiculously expensive these days.
H: what about second-hand houses?
M: I've been looking but they're not much cheaper and I don't think it's worth all the problems of an older house.
H: do you think the government will take some steps to cool down the overheated real estate market?
M: maybe. But I don't think it will make any difference. The demand is too high.
H: so what's your budget like?
M: I'm thinking between 3,000 yuan and 7,000 yuan per square meter.
H: oh, I see. In that case, you need to wait a while.
M: but I'm afraid it will go from bad to worse. I can't help being worried.
H: take it easy. I heard there may be a "bubble" in the real estate market.
M: you mean it will burst sooner or later.
H: yes, the house prices have already gone down in Shenzhen and Shanghai.
M: that's true. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed.
莫妮卡,你聽說你打算要買房,是真的嗎?
是真的.但是眼看房價越來越高,我擔心買不起啊.
是啊,對我們工薪階層來說,這是個大問題.
近幾年,房價高得有點離譜.
那沒有看看二手房嗎?
我最近一直在看,但是也不便宜,而且舊房子有很多問題,我覺得不值啊.
你覺得政府會不會採取一些措施,控制房地產市場過熱呢?
也許吧.但是,我覺得可能不太會起什麼大作用,需求太大了.
那你的預算是多少呢?
我打算買每平米3000—7000元的.
啊,那樣子的話,你得等一陣子.
但是我覺得可能越等越貴,我就擔心這個.
彆着急,我聽說房產市場好像存在泡沫.
你是說泡沫會破裂嗎?
是啊,上海和深圳的房價已經降了.
這倒是,真希望情況會好轉.
Overheated:
hot 太熱的;過熱的
Don't sleep in an overheated room. 不要在太熱的屋子裏睡覺.
interested or excited 過於熱心的;過於興奮的;癡迷的
the figment of an overheated imagination 想入非非而虛構的事物
a country's economy 國家經濟 too active in a way that may cause problems 過熱的;增長過快的
Take steps to do sth: 採取措施做某事
We are taking steps to prevent pollution. 我們正在採取措施防止污染.
make a, no, some, etc. difference (to/in somebody/something): to have an effect/no effect on somebody/something 有(或沒有、有些等)作用,關係,影響
The rain didn't make much difference to the game. 這場雨對比賽沒多大影響.
Your age shouldn't make any difference to whether you get the job or not. 你能否得到這工作與你的年齡無關.
Changing schools made a big difference to my life. 轉學對我的一生有着重大影響.
What difference will it make if he knows or not? 他知不知道有什麼關係嗎?
I don't think it makes a lot of difference what colour it is(= it is not important). 我認爲顏色無關緊要.
'Shall we go on Friday or Saturday?' 'It makes no difference (to me).' "我們星期五還是星期六走?""我無所謂."
But I'm afraid it will go from bad to worse.
"go from bad to worse"是一個很常見的習語,意思是"每況愈下,越來越糟".
Under the new management things have gone from bad to worse. 新的管理層使情況更加惡化.
I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed.
cross your fingers: to hope that your plans will be successful (sometimes putting one finger across another as a sign of hoping for good luck) 祈求成功(有時使手指交叉爲祈求好運的手勢)
I'm crossing my fingers that my proposal will be accepted. 但願我的建議能被採納.
Keep your fingers crossed! 祈求好運吧!
