2014年ESL之旅行交通购物 03 Buying and Selling Family Heirlooms

 

Buying and Selling Family Heirlooms

Anne: Where are you going with that? 

Ivan: I’m taking this clock to an antique dealer¹. Rather than having it gather dust on the mantelpiece, I thought I’d get it appraised² and maybe sell it. 

Anne: You can’t sell that! It belonged to our grandfather. It’s a family heirloom. 

Ivan: It’s not a family heirloom. It’s just a clock that Grandpa had in his house. He didn’t mean for it to be passed down from one generation to another. I don’t even know if it’s valuable or collectable. These clocks could be a dime³ a dozen. 

Anne: But it’s valuable to me. It has sentimental⁴ value. As a little girl, I remember visiting Grandpa and seeing that clock on his shelf. If I had inherited it, I know I wouldn’t be looking to sell it to make a quick buck⁵. 

Ivan: I’m not looking to make a quick buck, but what if Grandpa left it to me because he knew I would be able to put the money that it would fetch to good use? 

Anne: Well, are you? Are you going to put the proceeds to good use? 

Ivan: Sure, of course I am. 

Anne: Are you going to tell me what you’re spending it on? 

Ivan: Not on your life! 

 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse 

1 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

2 appraised   

v.估价( appraise的过去式和过去分词 )；估计；估量；评价

参考例句：

• The teacher appraised the pupil's drawing. 老师评价了那个学生的画。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He appraised the necklace at ￡1000. 据他估计，项链价值1000英镑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 dime   

n.（指美国、加拿大的钱币）一角

参考例句：

• A dime is a tenth of a dollar.一角银币是十分之一美元。
• The liberty torch is on the back of the dime.自由火炬在一角硬币的反面。

4 sentimental   

adj.多愁善感的，感伤的

参考例句：

• She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。
• We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

5 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。