王强口语 第一册 long conversation 18.1

　　Long Conversations
1.Conversations: (Find a partner and practice these dialogues.)
A:
Reggie: I met a really cool guy at the railroad station. He's the president of the Trenton and Atlantic Railroad!
Mary: Oh! A railroad president!
Reggie: Yes, and he says his system is expanding!
Mary's Father: (He is reading a newspaper to look for some stocks to buy.) What's this? Railroad?
Reggie: (Saying to Mary) In the next two years it should be twice the size! He's buying more rolling stock, too!
Mary's Father: (Saying to himself) I have to get in on this! I've got to check this out with my stockbroker¹! (He picks up the phone.)
Broker²: (Over the phone) Trenton and Atlantic? I'll have to look it up!
Mary's Father: I'm sorry, Miss. Fisher. It's not listed! I guess they haven't gone public yet, but with such big expenditure³... they'll have to issue stock and I want in on the ground floor! And that goof⁴ Reggie is the key to meeting the railroad president! Reggie, my boy!
Reggie: (Feeling scared) Er...I was just leaving, Mr. Scare!
Mary's Father: Don't go! I'd like to spend some quality time with you!
Reggie: You would?
Mary's Father: Would you play your guitar for me?
Reggie: Really? Okay! (He starts to play.) How did you like that?
Mary's Father: What? Reggie, you know what I'd like to do?
Reggie: What?
Mary's Father: I'd like to meet your railroad president friend.
Reggie: Okay! He's invited me over on Saturday. I think he'd like to meet you, too.

1 stockbroker   

n.股票（或证券），经纪人（或机构）

参考例句：

• The main business of stockbroker is to help clients buy and sell shares.股票经纪人的主要业务是帮客户买卖股票。
• My stockbroker manages my portfolio for me.我的证券经纪人替我管理投资组合。

2 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

3 expenditure   

n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗

参考例句：

• The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。
• The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。

4 goof   

v.弄糟；闲混；n.呆瓜

参考例句：

• We goofed last week at the end of our interview with singer Annie Ross.上周我们采访歌手安妮·罗斯，结果到快结束时犯了个愚蠢的错误。
• You will never be good students so long as you goof around.如果你们成天游手好闲，就永远也成不了好学生。