对话文本


D: what do you do when you see a homeless person on the streets begging for money?

E: I never really give them money because I don't want to contribute to their addictions.

D: homeless youth can easily become involved with drugs and prostitution. Do you do anything to help them?

E:I usually ask them if they want some food and then give them something to eat. I figure that if they're homeless, they're probably hungry.

D: that's a good idea. Do they usually accept the food?

E: almost always. However, sometimes they get mad at me for not giving them any cash.

D: it's sad how more and more young people are sleeping on the streets in London now.

E: the cost of living in London is just too high for most people.

D: it's true. The economy is in a bit of mess at the moment.

E: did you know that few people can pay the rent on minimum wage, let alone pay for food and other living costs?

D: there just isn't enough affordable housing to go around. If only the housing cost would drop, fewer people would be in financial trouble.

E: added to that is the high unemployment rate right now.

D: something's got to change---and it's got to happen soon.

E: politicians like to ignore the problems of the working class. They like to focus on making life easier for the upper class.

D: I can only hope that one day they will change.

参考翻译


如果在街上看见一个无家可归的人在乞讨,你会怎么做?
我从来没给过他们钱,以为我并不赞成他们以此为生.
无家可归的年轻人往往是很容易卷入毒品和卖淫活动中的.你做过些什么来帮助他们吗?
通常我都是问他们是不是需要吃的,然后给他们点食物.我觉得如果他们无家可归的话一般都会很饿.
好主意.他们会接受吃的吗?
通常都会接受.不过,有时候他们会因为我一分钱都没给而气得要死.
现在越来越多的年轻人露宿伦敦街头,这真让人痛心.
伦敦的生活费用对很多人来说实在是太昂贵了.
没错,现在的经济有点儿不景气.
你知道吗,现在仅仅是靠最低工资已经很难维持支付房租,就更别提饮食和其他花销了.
附近已经没有什么能买得起的房子了.如果房价能降降,生活拮据的人就能少些.
另外,现在的失业率也居高不下.
有些现状要改变,而且要尽快.
政客们总是忽略工人阶级的问题,他们更倾向与关注如何能令富人和名流生活得更好.
我只能寄希望与未来这种情况会有所改善.

核心词汇词组
Contribute to sth: to be one of the causes of something 是...的原因之一

Medical negligence was said to have contributed to her death. 据说医务人员的玩忽职守是她死亡的原因之一.

Minimum: the smallest that is possible or allowed; extremely small 最低的;最小的;最低限度的

a minimum charge/price 最低收费╱价格
the minimum age for retirement 退休的最低年龄
The work was done with the minimum amount of effort. 做这项工作没费什么劲.

Go around: 足够分配

There are not enough chairs to go round. 椅子不够分配.

added to this...; add to this...

used to introduce another fact that helps to emphasize a point you have already made 此外(还...)
Add to this the excellent service and you can see why it's the most popular hotel on the island. 这再加上优质服务,你就能明白为何这家旅馆在岛上最受欢迎.