走遍美国：A Place of Our Own ACT II

ACT II

I remember your parents' first house very well. 我还清楚记得你父母的第一栋房子。
It was on Spring Avenue¹, near the park. 那房子是在Spring Avenue 公园附近。
I grew up in that house. 我就在那栋房子里长大的。
Yes, and you were such a cute baby. 对，你当时是个很逗人喜爱的婴儿。
I've seen pictures of him. 我见过他的照片。
He had blond² hair. 他原来是金色头发。
I've been friendly with the Stewart family  我和Stewart家处得很好
for a long time, 很久了，
so it's my pleasure 所以现在我很乐意
to help you find a house now. 帮助你们找房子。
Well, we're not sure we can afford one. 嗯，我们还不知道我们是不是负担得起。
But we'd like to find out 但我们想知道
about the possibilities. 有多大的可能性。
That's a good idea. 这是个好主意。
I love your house on Linden Street. 我喜欢你们家在Linden街的房子。
I sold your father that house seventeen years ago. 十七年前是我把那栋房子卖给你父亲的。
Really? 真的？
Yes, Mom was pregnant³ with Robbie then, 是的，那时妈妈怀着Robbie,
and they needed the extra room. 他们需要多一些空间.
I hear you're expecting a baby, Mrs. Stewart. 我听说你们快有小孩了,Stewart太太.
Mmm-hmm. 嗯。
So we will be needing more room. 所以我们也将需要更大的空间.
Oh, so you don't need something immediately? 呵,所以你们不是急着马上就要买房子。
No. But in five or six months ... 不急。但是在五六个月后……
And time passes so quickly. 可是时间过得很快。
Yes, it does. 是的，确实如此。
Well, when you called, 嗯，你们打电话来，
you gave me enough information 已经给了我充分的的资料
about your salaries and your savings⁴. 关于薪资和储蓄。
So I have a good idea about your financial situation. 所以我对你们的的财务状况很了解。
Let me show you some pictures of houses. 我来给你们看看一些房子的照片。
With two bedrooms? 有两间卧室吗？
Yes, I think I can show you some. 是的，我想我有一些房子给你们看。
Of course, they won't be in Riverdale. 当然这些房子不在Riverdale。
The cost of housing's too high for you here. 这儿的房子对你们来说太贵了
I haven't thought about living anywhere else. 我还没有考虑要住到别的地方去。
We've always lived in this area. 我们一直住在这个地区。
Where should we look for a house, Mrs. Martinelli? 我们应该到什么地方找房子，Martinelli太太？
Well, we have an office in Mount⁵ Kisco. 好，我们在Mount Kisco有个办事处。
It's a lovely area, 那是个可爱的地方，
and it's only about an hour's drive from here. 而且从此地到那儿只有大约一小时的车程。
Here. 这儿。
I have a book with photos of some homes in that area. 我有一本那个地区房子的照片。
Now, let's see. Here. 来，我们看看。这儿。
This is a lovely two-bedroom house in your price range. 这一栋可爱的房子有两间卧室，在你们价格范围内。
It's pretty, 是漂亮。
but I prefer a two-story home. 但我喜欢两层楼的的房子。
I do, too. 我也一样。
I don't care for a ranch⁶ type. 我不爱平房。
OK. 好的。
Oh, this is a wonderful house. 啊，这是一栋很好的房子。
I know it well. 我非常清楚。
I sold it to the present owners. 是我把它卖给了现在的主人。
It looks wonderful. 看起来很好看。
This is a two-bedroom, two-bath house. 这是一栋有两间卧室、两间盥洗室的房子。
It has a full basement⁷, 它有一个全面地下室，
and it is on a half-acre lot. 用地半英亩。
You can probably afford this one. 你可能负担得起这栋房子。
I like this house. 我喜欢这栋房子。
So do I. 我也喜欢。
And the price is right. 而且价格也合适。
Would you like to go see it? 你们要去看看吗？
Yes. We're planning 是的。我们计划
to talk to someone at the bank next week. 下星期与银行的人谈一谈。
Perhaps we could see the house this weekend. 也许这周末我们会去看看这栋房子。
If someone doesn't buy it before then, 如果在此之前没有人买走的话，
But let's keep looking. 让我们继续看下去。
Just to get an idea of some other possibilities. 瞧瞧其他可能的选择。
This is very helpful, Mrs. Martinelli. 这样很有用，Martinelli太太。
Here. 这个。
This is a wonderful example of Spanish-style architecture⁸. 这是栋很棒的典型西班牙式建筑。
Oh, 噢，
I love the roof tiles⁹ on a Spanish-style house. 我喜欢西班牙式房屋的屋顶瓦。
It looks like the houses in Hollywood¹⁰. 看起来好像是好莱坞的房子。
It's interesting. 很有趣。
A house like this in Riverdale costs double the price. 在Riverdale像这样的房子价格要贵一倍。
Oh my! 啊！
Here's a real buy. 这个价格便宜。
It's a bargain. 真是大廉售。
This house just came on the market. 这栋房子刚刚推出要卖。
It's quite lovely. 相当好看。
Is it a two-bedroom house? 是两个卧室的吗？
No. It has three bedrooms and three baths. 不。这栋房子有三间卧室、三间盥洗室.
I know the house. 我熟悉这房子。
It has a brand new kitchen. 有一个全新的厨房。
And a living room with a twelve-foot ceiling¹¹. 有一间十二英尺高的的客厅。
And there's a two-car garage. 还有一个可放两辆车的车库。
Then why don't we go look at this house, too? 那我们何不也去看看这栋房？
It's a good investment¹². 这是一项好投资。
Thank you, Mrs. Martinelli. 谢谢，Martinelli太太。
Thanks so much. 非常感谢。
My pleasure. 不客气。
Give my best to your parents. 替我向你父母问好。
Your father's a wonderful doctor, Richard. 你父亲是个了不起的医生，Richard。
He took care of my daughter 我女儿曾受他照顾
when she was a child. 在她小时候。
He's the best pediatrician in Westchester. 他是全Westchester最好的小儿科医师。
Thanks, Mrs. Martinelli. 谢谢，Martinelli太太。
I'll give them your regards. 我会向他们转达你的问候。
We really appreciate your advice. 我们非常感谢你的建议。
I do think you should go see the houses 我确实感到你们应该去看看这些房
and talk to the bank. 且和银行谈一谈。
Here. 这儿。
Let me give you some information sheets about the houses. 我给你们一些关于这些房子的简介。
They're both very good buys. 这两栋都是性价比比较高的。
Well, thanks so much for your help and your time, 好的，感谢你的帮助和花了你的时间，
Mrs. Martinelli. Martinelli太太。
We've got a lot to talk about. 我们有很多可商量的了。
Mmm-hmm. Thanks. 嗯。谢谢。

Here, this is a lovely two-bedroom house.
The house has two bedrooms.
It's a two-bedroom house.
This is a two-bedroom, two-bath house.
Hmmm.
A two-bedroom, two-bath house.
It has two bedrooms and two baths.
What about this house?
Well, let's see.
One bedroom, two bedrooms, three bedrooms.
It has three bedrooms.
It's a three-bedroom house.
What about that house?
I like this house.
One bath, two baths, this house has two baths.
It's a two-bath house.
Oh, I also like the garage.
It holds two cars.
It's a two-car garage.
This looks like a nice house.
I've got to see the inside.
Hmmm. Let's see.
There's a big kitchen, a dining room,
a living room and one bedroom,
two bedrooms, three bedrooms
and one bath, two baths.
That's good.
It has three bedrooms and two baths.
So, what did you think?
Well, it's a three-bedroom, two-bath house.
And you know, I think we could live here.
We'll have our own home.
It's the American Dream.

 

1 avenue   

n.林荫道；大街；途径，手段

参考例句：

• This is a shady avenue.这是条林阴大道。
• He drove slowly.The avenue was crowded with people.他慢慢地开车，因为大街上挤满了人。

2 blond   

adj.金发的；n.白肤碧眼金发的人

参考例句：

• Her long blond hair spilled down over her shoulders.她那淡黄色的长发披垂在双肩。
• This blond man delivers newspaper every morning.这个白肤金发碧眼的男人每天早晨送报纸。

3 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。

4 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

5 mount   

n.山峰，乘用马，框，衬纸；vi.增长，骑上（马）；vt.提升，爬上，装备

参考例句：

• Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
• She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。

6 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

7 basement   

n.地下室，地窖；建筑物的基部

参考例句：

• It is rather damp in the basement.地下室很潮湿。
• They live in a basement flat in North London.他们住在伦敦北部的一所地下公寓里。

8 architecture   

n.建筑学，建筑术；建筑物；组织，结构

参考例句：

• I'm interested in classical architecture.我喜爱古典建筑风格。
• She studied architecture and art history at the university.她在大学里学习建筑和艺术史。

9 tiles   

n.瓦片，瓷砖( tile的名词复数 )；扁平的小棋子

参考例句：

• The wind dislodged one or two tiles from the roof. 大风从屋顶上刮下了一两片瓦来。
• On both slopes of the roof there are broken tiles. 屋顶的两面斜面都有破瓦片。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 Hollywood   

n.好莱坞；美国电影业

参考例句：

• She dreamed of becoming a Hollywood screen goddess.她梦想成为好莱坞的银幕女神。
• The film has a Hollywood happy ending.那部电影有一个好莱坞式的美满结局。

11 ceiling   

n.天花板；(规定价格、工资等的)最高限额

参考例句：

• It took more or less a whole day to paint the ceiling.粉刷天花板用了将近一整天的时间。
• A fly is on the ceiling.一只苍蝇在天花板上。

12 investment   

n.投资，投资额；(时间、精力等的)投入

参考例句：

• It took two years before I recouped my investment.我用了两年时间才收回投资。
• The success of the project pivots on investment from abroad.这个工程的成功主要依靠外来投资。