ESL Podcast 232 – Business Bookkeeping

I have a day job, but I recently started a small business on the side. I didn’t know anything about accounting¹ and my friend, Roland, said he would give me some advice.

Roland: So, the reason that you need to do your bookkeeping is so you can manage your cash flow. Even if you have a lot of orders, you may still have problems paying your bills.

Magdalena: I see what you mean. Is this the kind of ledger² I should be keeping?

Roland: Yes, definitely. You want to list your debits³ on this side and your credits on this side. This will help you figure out important things like your break- even point, your assets and liabilities, your administrative⁴ expenses, and whether you’re staying within your budget.

Magdalena: I wish I had an accounts payable⁵ department to help me with all this. I don’t even know how to create a balance sheet.

Roland: It’s not that hard if you use the right accounting program. The first thing to do is to keep track of your expenses. How do you do that now?

Magdalena: Oh, I have a system. I keep all my receipts in this bag.

Roland: Oh. Well, it’s good that you’re keeping your receipts but you’ll have to keep better track of them. What would you do if you were audited⁶ by the IRS?

Magdalena: Don’t even mention the IRS! I’ve got enough problems without worrying about them!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

2 ledger   

n.总帐，分类帐；帐簿

参考例句：

• The young man bowed his head and bent over his ledger again.那个年轻人点头应诺，然后又埋头写起分类帐。
• She is a real accountant who even keeps a detailed household ledger.她不愧是搞财务的，家庭分类账记得清楚详细。

3 debits   

n.（簿记中的）收方，借方( debit的名词复数 )；从账户中提取的款项v.记入（账户）的借方( debit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Does this item go among the credits or the debits? 这笔账应记入贷方还是借方？ 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• My bank account shows two debits of 5 each. 我的银行帐户借方记入了两笔5英镑的款项。 来自辞典例句

4 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

5 payable   

adj.可付的，应付的，有利益的

参考例句：

• This check is payable on demand.这是一张见票即付的支票。
• No tax is payable on these earnings.这些收入不须交税。

6 audited   

v.审计，查账( audit的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The accounts have to be audited by a firm of external auditors. 这些账目必须由一家外聘审计员的公司来稽查。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• E. g. few if any charities collection publishes audited accounts. 例如很少义款收集有公布经过查核的帐目。 来自互联网