英语PK台 第237期:能不能好好地租个称心如意的房

 　　Dialogue 1：

　　Landlord: After seeing the apartment, are you satisfied with everything?

　　房东：看完房子以后你还满意吗？

　　Xiao Gao: I think so. I just have a few questions if you don't mind?

　　小高：嗯，我只是想问几个问题，如果你不介意的话。

　　Landlord: Okay, shoot.

　　房东：当然，尽管问。

　　Xiao Gao: I'm on the fence about choosing the big room or the small room. They both seem really nice.

　　小高：我只是不太确定是要选大的房间还是小的房间，他们看起来都不错。

　　Landlord: If I were you,I'd pick the big room. It's closer to the bathroom and the view is facing the city. It's really the best of both worlds.

　　房东：如果我是你，我就选大的，它离洗手间更近，并且窗子冲着市区景色很好，真的是两全其美了

　　Xiao Gao: You're right. I am a sucker for beautiful scenery. Okay, I'm sold! The big room it is. What's the next step?

　　小高：你说得对，我对美景完全没有抵抗力，好吧，我就要这个了，大的房间，那下一步怎么办？

　　Landlord: If you're sure you'd like to live here, we require that all of our tenants¹ sign a one year lease agreement.

　　房东：如果你确定要住在这儿的话，我们会要求所有的租客签署一个一年的租约。

　　Xiao Gao: I'm sure.

　　小高：我确定。

　　Landlord: Okay, then I'll just need your John Hancock here, here, and… here.

　　房东：好，那我们只需要你的签名，在这里，这里和这里。

　　Xiao Gao: There you go.Are we finished?

　　小高：好的，签好了，这样就行了吗？

　　Landlord: That's it,here's your key. You're free to move in anytime. If you have any questions,please give us a call and we'll be glad to assist you.

　　房东：是的，这是你的钥匙。你随时可以搬进来，如果你有任何问题就给我们打电话，我们会非常乐意帮助你的。

　　习语短语：

　　1. shoot =尽管问

　　2. on the fence = 不太确定是要某事

　　3. the best of both worlds = 两全其美

　　4. a sucker for something = 对某事完全没有抵抗力

　　5. I'm sold! = 我要了！我买了！

　　6. tenants = 租客

　　7. lease agreement = 合同

　　8. John Hancock = 签名

　　Dialogue 2：

　　Landlord: Hello, Mr. Gao. How is the new apartment?

　　房东：嗨，高先生，新公寓住得怎么样？

　　Xiao Gao: Well… it's great, but there's a slight problem.

　　小高：嗯，挺好的，但是有一个小问题。

　　Landlord: Oh? What's thematter?

　　房东：哦？什么问题？

　　Xiao Gao: There's a huge pest problem in the kitchen. I'm worried that they might come into my room.

　　小高：厨房里虫子是个大问题，我很担心它们会进到我屋里来。

　　Landlord: What kind of pests are we talking about?

　　房东：你说的是什么样的虫子？

　　Xiao Gao: Roaches!

　　小高：蟑螂。

　　Landlord: Oh, well, I'm very sorry to hear that sir. Have you tried cleaning the kitchen thoroughly²?

　　房东：哦，先生，我很遗憾听到这个消息，嗯，你有没有尝试好好地清理厨房？

　　Xiao Gao: That's why I came here. Isn't there something that you guys can do?

　　小高：这就是我来这里的原因。你们能不能帮我做些什么？

　　Landlord: I'm afraid not.

　　房东：恐怕在这件事上我们帮不了您。

　　Xiao Gao: But you're my landlord! I thought your slogan was:“above and beyond the call of duty”!

　　小高：但是你是我的房东，我以为你们的口号就是“全心全意为顾客服务”。

　　Landlord: It is, but you must not have read the fine print in the contract. It says here on line 217(A)that we are not responsible for any bug³ infestations⁴.

　　房东：确实是，但是，你肯定没有读到合约上的那行小字体，合约217条A部分写着，我们不对任何昆虫负责。

　　Xiao Gao: Oh, I see… In that case I'll have to hire a professional to get rid of the bugs⁵.

　　小高：嗯，我明白了，这样的话我就不得不去雇一家专业的除虫机构来帮我了。

　　Landlord: I'm afraid so.Is there anything else that we can do for you today, sir?

　　房东：我恐怕是的，还有什么我能帮你的吗，先生？

　　Xiao Gao: No, ma'am.Thank you!

　　小高：没有了，女士，谢谢你。

　　习语短语：

　　1. pest = 昆虫

　　2. roaches = cockroaches⁶蟑螂

　　3. landlord = 房东

　　4. slogan = 口号

　　5. above and beyond the call of duty = 竭尽全力做某事，甚至超出职责范围

　　6. fine print = 小字

　　7. in that case = 那么; 在这种情况下

　　8. bugs = 虫子

1 tenants   

n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者

参考例句：

• A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent. 许多房客因不付房租被赶了出来。
• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。

2 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

3 bug   

n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器

参考例句：

• There is a bug in the system.系统出了故障。
• The bird caught a bug on the fly.那鸟在飞行中捉住了一只昆虫。

4 infestations   

n.（害虫、盗贼等）群袭，出没，横行( infestation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The arrival of warm weather raises the specter of disease and increased rat infestations caused by rotting garbage. 天气转暖使人们担心垃圾腐烂会引起疾病传播和鼠群猖獗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Piperazine citrate is the drug of choice in the treatment of Ascaris infestations. 枸橼酸哌嗪治疗蛔虫感染是最好的药物。 来自辞典例句

5 bugs   

adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误

参考例句：

• All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 cockroaches   

n.蟑螂( cockroach的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At night, the cockroaches filled the house with their rustlings. 夜里，屋里尽是蟑螂窸窸瑟瑟的声音。 来自辞典例句
• It loves cockroaches, and can keep a house clear of these hated insects. 它们好食蟑螂，可以使住宅免除这些讨厌昆虫的骚扰。 来自百科语句