洋話美眉在紐約

異國省錢有辦法

Amber decides to do some more shopping. Since her budget is limited， she asks Ethabella where she can stretch her dollars to the limit. How do you save money in America?

Amber:Good morning， Ethabella. Have a good sleep?

Ethabella:Sure did. You?

Amber:Me too. Where's the best deal in town?

Ethabella:Probably at Saver's Mart. It's like a huge warehouse. You can find just about anything there.

Amber:Sounds like the right place to start. Where's the nearest flea market?

Ethabella: Just 3 blocks north of here.

Amber:OK， see you later (she goes to Saver's Mart and gets into a discussion with a vendor) How long will this be on sale?

Vendor:3 days.

Amber:Is there a limit to how many I can purchase?

Vendor:Yes， there is a limit of 5 per customer.

Amber:Do I get a better price if I buy in bulk?

Vendor： Sorry. No discounts on sales items， not even if you have any coupons.

Amber:Of course. Well， I'll take two， please (she concludes the purchase， then heads for the flea market. Maybe she can bargain a little more there?)

Amber決定再去買些東西。由于自己的經濟預算有限，她問 Ethabella 哪兒的東西比較便宜。在美國怎樣省錢呢？

Amber：早上好，Ethabella。昨晚睡得好嗎？

Ethabella：很好，你呢？

Amber：我也睡得很好。城里哪兒賣東西最便宜啊?

Ethabella：可能要數舊貨市場了。那兒就像一個大倉庫，你能找到任何你想要的東西。

Amber：聽起來是個不錯的地方，可以從那兒開始。最近的跳蚤市場在哪里？

Ethabella：往北過三條街就是。

Amber：那好，待會兒見。(她獨自一人去了舊貨市場，很快就和一位攤主談了起來) 這個打折會打多長時間？

Vendor：三天。

Amber：對我買的數量有限制嗎？

Vendor：是的，每位顧客最多只能買五件。

Amber：如果我一次買很多能再便宜點嗎？

Vendor：對不起。這些東西一直都不打折，即使你有優惠卡也不行。

Amber：好吧。那么，請給我兩件。（她買完東西，就去跳蚤市場了。也許她能在那兒討價還價？）

瘋子一樣忙工作

At the end of the next day in the office， Amber runs into Ethabella and comments on how she hasn't seen here for a few days. Ethabella tells Amber how busy she's been. How busy can you get?

Amber:Hey， Ethabella! Wait up.

Ethabella: Hi， Amber. How's everything?

Amber:Real good. I've been really busy all day. How about you? I haven't seen you for a while.

Ethabella:Yeah， today has just been crazy for me too. I've been working like a madman all day.

Amber:I know what you mean. I haven't had a minute to relax all day.

Ethabella:There just isn't enough time. I haven't even made a dent in my paperwork.

Amber:It's no joke， is it? I've still got a ton of paperwork to do， too.

Ethabella:I had a million things to do today， and only managed to finish a few.

第二天快下班的時候，Amber跑到Ethabella那兒告訴她好些日子沒見了，Ethabella解釋說最近特別的忙。你最忙的時候是什么樣

Amber：嘿，Ethabella！等一下。

Ethabella：嗨，Amber。一切都好嘛？

Amber：很好。我成天都很忙，你呢？我有一段時間沒見你了。

Ethabella：哦，今天我都快要瘋了。我整日像瘋子一樣拼命工作。

Amber：我明白。我沒有一刻能夠停下來休息的。

Ethabella：時間總是不夠用。我還有一大堆文件要處理。

Amber:這可不好玩兒。我也有成堆的文件要看。

Ethabella：我今天有很多事情要干， 但是只能完成一小部分。

健健康康是關鍵

Amber encounters Carl one morning and remarks that he seems to have lost some weight recently. Carl replies that he hasn't been feeling up to par recently. Amber suggests that Carl should perhaps see a doctor， and Carl agrees. What could be wrong with him?

Amber:Carl. How are you this morning?

Carl: Not too bad， I guess. I haven't been feeling up to par recently.

Amber:You're much thinner since the last time I saw you. That business trip must have been hard.

Carl:No， that was no problem.

Amber:(trying to joke) Well， you know， extreme dieting is not an advisable way to lose weight.

Carl:Oh， I've been eating OK.

Amber:(still trying a joke) If this keeps up， your girlfriend may have to tell everyone that her boyfriend is skin-and-bones.

Carl:(smiling) Well， maybe that's better than saying I'm as fat as a pig.

Amber:Seriously， is there something wrong?

Carl:I don't know. Perhaps it's the job， the stress.

Amber:Maybe you should go see a doctor， to be safe.

Carl:I think I'll do that. Well， have a good day， Amber.

Amber:You too， Carl. Take it easy!

一天早上，Amber 碰見了Carl 發現他最近瘦了。Carl 解釋說他最近一直感覺不好。Amber 建議Carl 去看醫生，Carl 接受了。他會有什么問題呢？

Amber：Carl。今早怎么樣？

Carl：我覺得還行吧。近來我一直覺得身體不太好。

Amber：你比我上次見你時苗條多了。那次出差一定挺累的吧。

Carl：不，沒問題。

Amber：(想開玩笑) 呃，你知道，高度節食并不是減肥最好的辦法。

Carl：哦，我一直吃得還行。

Amber：(又開了個玩笑) 要是你一直瘦下去，你女朋友可能會對大家說她的男友都皮包骨頭了。

Carl：(笑了) 哎，可能那比說我像豬一樣胖要好吧。

Amber：認真點兒，出什么問題了嗎？

Carl：我不知道。可能是工作壓力太大了吧。

Amber：安全起見，可能你應該去看醫生。

Carl：我想我會去的。就這樣吧，祝你今天過得愉快，Amber。

Amber：你也是， Carl，別擔心！