生活英语口语 第 30 课：Cost of Living 生活费用- 2 A: O.K. So, where do you think we can save more money?好，那么，你觉得我们可以在哪些方面省钱？
B: Well, we could eat in more. That $300 for entertainment is mostly going to restaurants.哦，我们可以多在家里吃饭。300元娱乐费大都花在餐馆了。
A: Yeah, that’s a good idea, and you like to cook. What about the books?是的，这个主意不错，况且你也喜欢做饭。那么书呢？
B: No, I need my books.那个不行，我得买书。
A: Come on, if we save more money we can retire earlier, and you’ll actually have time to read all those books you buy.算了吧，如果我们多存些钱就可以早一点退休，那样你才有时间看完你买的所有书。
B: Well, what about the $50 you spent on a shirt? You could’ve gotten something for less.那么，你50元买一件衬衣呢？你可以买件更便宜的。
A: O.K. Let’s compromise, if you agree to only spend $75 on books, I’ll agree to only spend $40 for my next shirt.好了，我们妥协吧。如果你同意买书只用75元的话，我同意下一件衬衣只用40元。
B: All right. That sounds fair.好的，这样才公平。
A: Mom, I want to move out.妈妈，我想搬出去住。
B: Hey, sounds great to me, kid. What kind of job did you find? 嘿，听起来到很不错，孩子，你找到了什么工作？
A: Job? 什么工作？
B: Yes, job. If you’re going to live on your own, you have to pay for rent and everything else. 是呀，工作。如果你想一个人住，你必须自己付房租，还有所有的一切。
A: I thought I could just get you and Dad to pay for an apartment. I found a cheap one.我想让你和爸爸来付房租，我就找间便宜点的。
B: When you move out, your father and I aren’t paying your rent, young man. Get a job.你搬走的话，年轻人，你爸爸和我是不会给你付房租的，找一个工作吧。
B: You’re right. If I’m going to live on my own, I have to be independent.没错。如果要一个人住的话，我要学会独立。
A: Well, the newspaper is over there. Look in the want ads, but I don’t know what you’re going to find without a college degree.哦，那边有报纸。看看招聘专栏，但是我不知道没有大学文凭你可以找到什么工作。
America seems like a very rich country too much of the world. In some ways this is true. However, the cost of living in America is very high. 对于世界上很多国家来说，美国看似非常富裕。从某些方面来说是这样的。然而，美国的生活消费非常高。
Even someone who is very careful with their money will probably end up spending at least $1500 a month just to pay their bills and eat.即使对于花钱非常谨慎的人来说，每个月可能也要花费近1500元，而这可能就够支付账单以及购买食物。
When you consider the fact that Americans have to save money to buy a house, a car, and pay for their kid’s college education, you realize that it costs a lot to live in America. 当你考虑到美国人必须为买房、买车，支付小孩的大学教育费用等等这些现实问题的话，你也会意识到美国生活费用之高。
Americans still see their country as a land of opportunity, and many believe that if they work hard and make the right decisions, they can end up rich. 美国人仍然认为在自己的国家机会良多，很多人相信只要努力工作，而且选择正确，他们最终会富起来的。
