CRI实用英语课堂 Unit 55:How to Use a Credit Card使用信
日期:2008-06-07 19:37

(单词翻译:单击)

Part 1 Tina's Money Woes Tina的金钱危机

Dialogue Script 1 对话原文 1

Jason: Whoa! That's a lot of bags! Let me help you.
Tina: Thanks. Macy's had a sale I couldn't miss out on.
Jason: So this is how you're spending your days now that you're unemployed. Any luck finding a new job?
Tina: None. I even went to a fortuneteller to find out what's wrong.
Jason: Let me guess...he told you to buy a new outfit?
Tina: No, he said my nose is too flat, so bosses don't think I'm trustworthy.

讲解:

1. 对话中,Tina在疯狂的购物,虽然她现在还没有找到工作,不过她好像一点也不着急。标题Tina's Money Woes当中的woe这个词,经常用它的复述形式,表示“灾难,悲痛的事”。Tina's Money Woes就可以翻译成“Tina的金钱危机”或者“Tina的金钱烦恼”。Tina正在Macy百货购物,大家都知道了,Macy,梅西百货,是美国最著名的百货公司,总店在纽约的第三十四街与第六、七大道之间。

2. Macy百货正在大减价,Tina当然不能错过这次机会了,have a sale 或者be on sale都表示“商品促销,大减价”。miss out on sth就表示“错失了…,错过了…”。也可以单用miss out,表示“失去获得利益或者获得乐趣的机会”,比如说,If I don't go to the party, I feel I'm missing out. 要是不去参加派对的话,我一定觉得损失很大。

3. 原来这就是Tina消磨失业日子的方法。unemployed就是“失业的,没有工作的”。Jason还问Tina新工作找得怎么样了。luck在这里表示“好运,幸运”,比如说,I hope this charm will bring you luck. 希望这个护身符能给你带来好运气。Any luck with the job? 找工作的事运气好吗?就是在问“ 工作的事情怎样了?”

4. Tina的新工作没有什么进展,她甚至去问过算命先生到底是哪里出了问题。fortuneteller就是指那种“会算命、会看相的人”。那我们从这个词就可以推断出tell one's fortune就是“给某人算命”的意思。比如说,At the fair a gypsy told me my fortune. 有个吉卜赛人在游乐场给我算了命。看来Tina还挺迷信的。

5. Jason开玩笑地说,难道这个算命的让你去买一身新衣服?因为他看到Tina在大肆购物。outfit指“一套衣服”,特别是那种用于特殊场合的成套衣服。比如说,She bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding. 她为女儿买了一套婚礼新装。算命的说Tina的鼻子太塌了,老板会觉得她不可靠。trustworthy,就是指“值得信任的,可靠的”。

Dialogue Script 2 对话原文 2

Jason: You actually believe in fortunetellers?
Tina: Of course. Anyway, I'm seeing my plastic surgeon, Doctor Dave, on Friday.
Jason: This is, like, your third operation in the last few months. How do you pay for it all?
Tina: Where there's a credit card, there's a way.
Jason: But credit cards still have to be paid off. And with no job...
Tina: You sound like my big sister. Once I get a job, I'll pay them off.
Jason: Credit cards are really dangerous. They offer you really low introductory interest rates.
Tina: I know. I love that! I've got one at zero percent and two at seven!
Jason: But, those will go up. Most credit card rates are around fifteen to eighteen percent.
Tina: So I'll have to pay a little more in the long run.
Jason: Try a lot more. Most of your monthly bills are paying off interest and not what you bought.
Tina: But they're so easy to use. C'mon, dinner at the mall, my treat!

讲解:

1. Jason不敢相信Tina居然会相信算命的说的话。Tina说当然了,宁可信其有,不可信其无嘛,所以她决定星期五就找整形医生,Doctor Dave,戴维医生。plastic surgeon, 就是指“整形医生”。Jason说这应该是Tina这几个月来的第三次手术,她哪来的钱付账啊?

2. Jason是这样说的,This is, like, your third operation in the last few months.这里面的like 可不是动词,而是一个语气助词,经常被现在的年轻人用来在说话的时候加强语气使用,其实并没有什么实际的意义。pay for it all表示“付清所有的帐”。

3. Tina可不担心,她说,Where there's a credit card, there's a way.大家听到这句话一定会觉得耳熟,没错,这句话就是从Where there's a will, there's a way. 有志者事竟成。这句话变化而来的。Tina在这里玩了一个文字游戏。她故意把这个英文谚语Where there's a will, there's a way.当中的will说成了credit card。她是在说,只要有信用卡,什么事情都能办到。我们用一个对话来作例子,---How did you ever manage to read the whole book in one day? ---Where there's a will, there's a way. ---在一天内看完一整本书,你是怎么做到的?---有志者事竟成。Jason说,即使可以刷卡,可是到最后还是要还清的,而且Tina现在也没有工作,该怎么办呢?

4. pay off 就是“偿还,付清”的意思。Tina觉得Jason很罗嗦,就跟她的大姐似的,总是唠叨她。只要Tina一找到工作,就会想办法付清的。Jason继续说,用信用卡还是挺危险的,一开始收的利率很低。introductory 的意思是“开始的,初步的”,比如我们可以说introductory chapter绪论篇。The dean made a few introductory remarks before the lecture. 系主任在讲课前讲了几句开场白。

5. Tina说她当然知道了,觉得这样很好,她就有一张零利率的和两张利率百分之七的。虽然信用卡的起始利率很低,但是利率后来都会变高。But, those will go up. those就是指“interest rates”。大部分信用卡的利率是百分之十五到十八之间。Tina觉得这没什么,最后大不了多付一点利息嘛。in the long run就是指“到头来,终究,结果,长期看来”。

6. Jason说,可不止一点吧。Try a lot more. 这里try...就是“我看(实际情况)是…”的意思。因为Tina说她只要多付“一点点”a little more,于是Jason顺着这句话,要Tina看清现实,其实她要支付的利息是“多很多”a lot more。所以当对方说的话有自欺欺人的倾向,你就可以用try这个单词,后面接上实际情况,告诉他面对现实吧。举个例子,---It's going to take a long time to finish this building. ---Yeah, try ten years. ---要完成这栋大楼需要很长的时间。---是呀,我看得十年吧。

7. Jason告诉Tina,你每月要付的账单几乎都是利息,而不是你买的东西。但是Tina说刷卡刷的真的很爽,很顺手。

8. 看来Jason是无法说服Tina了,最后还被她拉去吃午餐,Tina说她请客,当然又是刷卡了。my treat 的意思就是“我请客”。


Dialogue Script 3 对话原文 3

Tina: Oh, that makes me so mad! I could just scream!
Jason: I've never actually seen a salesperson cut up someone's credit card before.
Tina: Well, that's the fourth time it's happened to me this year.
Jason: Four cards? How many do you have anyway?
Tina: Just five. Oh, that dress would look great on me.
Jason: Don't you think it's time you stopped your compulsive buying?
Tina: No, I think it's time to break in my last card. Live a little!
Jason: Five cards. You must be up to your ears in debt! Can't your parents help you out?
Tina: They're taking care of the eight other cards I ran up during college.
Jason: Girl, you're going to be paying off credit cards till the day you die!
Tina: Everything will be fine. Once I get my nose done...
Jason: ...you can get a job and start paying.
Tina: And buy a new wardrobe to show off my new nose!
Jason: You're hopeless!

讲解:

1. 对话中,Tina的信用卡被店员剪掉了,因为她的卡已经刷爆了。这让Tina很生气,真想大喊大叫。Jason以前还真没有见过谁的卡被剪掉呢。

2. 不过这已经是Tina今年第四次被剪卡了。Jason很吃惊,被剪了四张卡了,那么Tina到底有几张卡呢?Tina说只有5张而已。这时她又看见了一条裙子,觉得自己穿上一定会很好看。

3. Jason劝Tina说,你不觉得应该控制一下你的购买冲动了吗?compulsive的意思是“冲动的,无法控制的”,那么compulsive buying就是“冲动购买欲望”的意思。

4. Tina觉得没有必要停止购物阿,还有最后一张卡可以刷,I think it's time to break in my last card. break in 在这里表示“开始使用某物”。

5. Tina的理由是,Live a little!就是“尽情享乐”的意思。Live a little!和Live it up!的意思一样,都是要人“及时行乐”,我们还可以潇洒一点说,“人生得意需尽欢”。当某人对于眼前的事物畏首畏尾,迟迟不敢行动的时候,你就可以用这句话来鼓励他,要他勇于尝试。我们用一个对话来作例子,---I don't think I want to go on this roller coaster ride! ---Aw, c'mon, live a little! ---我并不想去玩云霄飞车!---哦,别这样,人生苦短,及时行乐。这句话呢也可以用来劝说别人花钱买东西。比如说,---I really shouldn't buy all three dresses. They cost too much. ---Sarah, you just need to learn to live a little. ---我真的不该三件都买,太贵了。---Sarah,你就是应该学习享受人生。

6. Jason还是在为Tina担心,Five cards. You must be up to your ears in debt!五张卡,你铁定债台高筑了!be up to one's ears /elbows/eyes in sth表示“某人陷于...之中”。up to one's ears 是指某人非常忙碌,深陷于某事之中,比如说工作太忙,要事缠身;或者是债务缠身,都可以用这个短语来表示。你还可以把ears换成elbows或eyes都是指“埋头于...深陷于...”的意思。我们还是用对话来作例子,---Why don't you ever call me any more? ---I never have time. I'm up to my ears in work. ---你为什么连电话都不给我打了?---我没时间,工作太忙。还有,---Carol has been receiving many phone calls lately. ---She's up to her elbows in suitors. ---Carol最近接到了好多电话。---她的追求者太多了。

7. 难道Tina的父母不能帮她还一些债务吗?看来是不行了,因为他们正在帮Tina还大学时刷的其他八张卡呢。这里run up就表示“积累庞大的消费金额”。Jason为她担心,估计Tina这辈子得一直还信用卡的钱了!

8. 但是Tina一点都不担心,Everything will be fine. 船到桥头自然直。只要把鼻子整好就好了。get one's nose done 是指“某人去做鼻子整形手术”,也可以说have one's nose done。如果要表示其他部位的整形手术,就把nose换成相应部位的就行了。这里还有一个更简单的说法,就是整形的器官加上job这个词,比如“鼻子整形手术”我们就可以说nose job。

9. 等Tina把鼻子整好了,就可以找到工作赚钱还债,还要买一整柜的新衣服来秀她的新鼻子。这里的a new wardrobe是指“一柜的新衣服”,而不是“一个新的衣橱”,大家要注意了。

10. show off 就是“炫耀,展示”的意思,带点贬义在里面。Jason不知道说什么好了,她说Tina已经无药可救了。You're hopeless!

Dialogue Script 4 对话原文 4

Clerk: How did you want to pay?
Tina: Here's my card.
Clerk: I'll just run this through. (after a minute) Um, do you have another card? You've exceeded your limit on this one.
Tina: No, that's my last one. Oh my gosh, what can I do? I can't pay you.
Clerk: No cash? We'll give you a time extension to pay. Have you thought of asking the bank for a loan?
Tina: A loan? That's a great idea. I'll go to the bank right away.
(An hour later)
Rep: So, Ms. Lee. You'd like to apply for one of our loans.
Tina: I'd even take two if you could swing that.
Rep: Um, I'm afraid not. You listed here that you're unemployed.
Tina: Yes. But I'm looking.
Rep: Hmm, your current credit cards are all at their limits. I'm afraid we can't approve your loan.
Tina: But, if I had a job...
Rep: We would certainly reconsider your application. Good day.

讲解:

1. 对话中,Tina做完了鼻子的整形手术,在柜台用信用卡付帐。run the card through 就是指“刷卡”。但是Tina的这张卡已经超出额度了,exceed the limit。limit就是指“信用卡的额度”。

2. 可是这是Tina的最后一张卡了,她没办法付钱了,身上又没有带现金。这时她可是真的发慌了。店员只好说我们会给你一段时间延期付款。extension 就是指“延期,延长时间”。

3. 店员还提醒Tina可以考虑向银行贷款,这下可是一语惊醒梦中人,Tina觉得这是一个好主意,马上就去银行贷款。银行职员问她是不是要申请一份贷款,Tina还开玩笑地说,I'd even take two if you could swing that. 如果你能通融的话,我还想申请两份呢。

4. swing这个词在这里表示“获得或者实现某事物”,特别指通过不正当的手段达到目的。比如说,Can you swing it for me so that I get the job? 你能走后门替我谋到那份工作吗?She managed to swing an interview with the President. 她设法采访到了总统。

5. 这当然是不可能的了。银行职员注意到Tina在申请单上写的是目前失业,而且目前所有信用卡的额度都满了,恐怕无法核准Tina的贷款。如果Tina重新找到工作的话,他们还可能考虑重新审核Tina的申请。

Part 2 Tina's New Job Tina的新工作

Dialogue Script 1 对话原文 1

Jason: Hello, I'm looking for Tina Lee. She's just started working here.
Tina: Jason, it's me!
Jason: Tina? I came to take you out to lunch to celebrate your new job, but...
Tina: (Takes off bear head) Hey, I get free meals.
Jason: But you've got an MBA. You can do so much better than this.
Tina: No one wanted me. I put out twenty resumes and had ten interviews. This was my last resort. It's kinda fun, don't you think?
Jason: I guess so, but a dancing bear?
Tina: Hey, they hired me. They didn't care about my looks since I wear the costume.
Jason: You've gotten your nose, eyes, and mouth done. What's wrong with your looks?
Tina: The fortuneteller says my ears stick out too far. People think I'm nosey.
Jason: I have a staple gun. I can staple them to your head.
Tina: You're not making this any easier.

讲解:

1. 对话中,Tina终于在游乐场找到了一份工作,这天Jason来Tina新的工作地点找她吃午饭。他问一只会跳舞的熊有没有看见Tina,谁知这只会跳舞的熊就是Tina扮的。这很让Jason吃惊。

2. Tina在这里工作午餐是免费的。但是Jason不明白,Tina有MBA学位,她完全可以找到更好的工作,为什么会来扮演一只会跳舞的熊呢?You can do so much better than this. 你完全可以做得更好。这句话是用来鼓励别人,让人对自己更有信心,明白自己的能力其实比所表现的更好,千万不要妄自菲薄,如果对方表现实在太差,你也可以用这句话来表示对他的失望。比如说,---I'm really disappointed, Tom. You can do so much better than this. ---Who cares! School sucks! ---Tom,我真的很失望,你在学校的表现不应该这么差。---管他呢!学校烂透了!

3. 为什么Tina会到游乐场来工作呢,因为没有人要用她,她递了20份简历出去,面试了10次,这是最后一条路了,不过这还是挺好玩的。但是Jason总觉得Tina干这份工作太屈才了。但是Tina觉得没什么,不管怎么说,因为穿着跳舞熊的服装,所以没有人会在意她的容貌了。

4. Jason就不明白了,Tina的鼻子,眼睛和嘴巴都已经整过形了,外表还会有什么不好吗?原来算命的告诉Tina有一对招风耳,别人会觉得她好管闲事。nosey的意思就是“好管闲事的,过分好奇的”,通常是作贬义词,比如说,I've always found her unbearably nosey. 我发觉她总爱管闲事让人受不了。

5. Jason开玩笑说,他有订书机,可以帮Tina把那一对招风耳订在头上,就不会支出来了。staple gun就是“订书机”,还可以说stapler。Tina说,You're not making this any easier. 你说这些也没有用,也于事无补。当别人的建议或协助无法解决任何问题,你也可以用这句话来回应,告诉他不但于事无补,反而可能越帮越忙。我们来举例子,---Is our project finished yet? ---Nope. And you're not making it any easier by sitting there on your butt. ---我们的案子好了没?---没有,你光坐在那里也帮不上什么忙。

Dialogue Script 2 对话原文 2

Tina: Besides, this job is just temporary.
Jason: Until you get out of debt hill?
Tina: Nope! Until I fly home to China for the holidays! My friends will be shocked when they see the new me!
Jason: Hold on, where's the money for the flight going to come from?
Tina: I don't have to pay. I've got mileage for like four free flights.
Jason: Does your mom work for the airlines?
Tina: Nope. I racked up all the miles by buying things with my credit card.
Jason: I pity the guy who marries you and get your financial problems. You really are hopeless.

讲解:

1. Tina说这份工作只是暂时的,不是长久之计。Jason问是不是要做到还清全部债款为止呢?当然不是了,Tina要做到能飞回中国过节为止。她在中国的朋友看见一个焕然一新的Tina,一定会下一跳的。

2. 当然了,她整张脸已经整形了,肯定认不出来了。Jason说,等等,先别得意,飞回中国的机票钱从哪里来呢。原来Tina根本不用付钱,因为她所积攒的里程数大概可以免费飞四趟吧。

3. mileage 就是指“里程,里数”,比如我们可以说a used car with a low/high mileage,意思是“行驶里数少/多的旧车”。Jason不明白,难道Tina的妈妈在航空公司工作,所以她能够得到这样的优惠?其实不是,实际上这些里程数都是Tina用信用卡消费累积的。

4. 这时的Jason已经无话可说了,他说很同情那个会娶你,还要解决你财物问题的男人,Tina真的是没救了。pity 在这里作动词,表示“同情某人,怜悯某人”。比如说,Pity the poor sailors at the sea in this storm! 可怜可怜在这场暴风雨中还在海上航行的那些水手吧。看来信用卡这个东西使用不当还是很危险的,会让你背上沉重的债务包袱,所以还是小心使用为好。

Part 3 Some Words about Credit Card 信用卡小词典

信用卡相关用语:

issuing bank 发卡银行
annual fee 年费
credit line/limit信用额度
interest rate 利率
monthly statement 月结单
balance transfer 信用卡余额代偿
available credit line /limit 可用信用额度
APR=annual percentage rate 年利率
activate a card 开卡
reward program 积点回馈
point 红利积点
cash advance 预借现金

信用卡的种类:

credit card 信用卡
affinity card 认同卡
platinum card白金卡
student card 学生卡
preferred card/gold card 金卡
value card 储值卡
classic card 普卡
co-branded card 联名卡
supplementary card 附属卡
debit card 转账卡
ATM card 金融卡
charge card 签帐卡
cash advance card 现金卡
corporate card 商务卡、公司卡

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重点单词
  • loann. 贷款,借出,债权人 v. 借,供应货款,借给
  • creditn. 信用,荣誉,贷款,学分,赞扬,赊欠,贷方 (复)c
  • extensionn. 伸展,延长,扩充,电话分机
  • wardroben. 衣柜,衣橱 n. 全部服装
  • temporaryadj. 暂时的,临时的 n. 临时工
  • exceedvt. 超过,胜过,超出界限 vi. 领先
  • classicn. 古典作品,杰作,第一流艺术家 adj. 第一流的,
  • scriptn. 手稿,脚本,手迹 vt. 为...准备手稿
  • flightn. 飞行,航班 n. 奇思妙想,一段楼梯 n.
  • availableadj. 可用的,可得到的,有用的,有效的