【新唐人2013年05月29日訊】 (美国之音電)
- 禮節美語-251 Investing 1
Steve找到同事Bob, 向他請教投資的問題。
Steve: Hey, Bob! You’re a financial expert, aren’t you? I hear you know a lot about investing.
Bob: Well, I don’t like to toot my own horn…but I did go to school for a few years to study stuff like that.
S: Excellent. Do you mind if I pick your brain for a second?
B: For you, my friend, anything. What’s on your mind?
S: My wife and I recently inherited some money. It’s not a huge amount, but it’s enough to make us consider investing. The problem is that neither of us has any experience in this field.
原來，Steve夫婦倆繼承了一筆財產，想拿去做投資。他知道Bob在投資方面比較在行，所以想pick his brain跟他諮詢一下。to pick someone’s brain意思是諮詢某人的意見，跟某人討主意。Bob說，I don’t like to toot my own horn. 我不想自吹自擂。To toot one’s own horn意思是自吹自擂，類似中文裡說的老王賣瓜自賣自誇。Bob聽說Steve打算投資後說，
B: I see. Well, that’s a nice problem to have, isn’t it?
S: Yes, I guess it is. My wife’s great uncle passed away last month and we unexpectedly got a call from a lawyer telling us he left us something close to $20,000 in his will.
B: Well, that’s the kind of windfall that only comes around every blue moon so I agree that you and your wife really should think about investing. The problem is that there are so many options…Some offer stability but the money grows very slowly. Other options are more risky, but have more earning potential.
原來是Steve妻子從伯祖父那裏很意外地繼承了將近兩萬美元。Bob說，that’s the kind of windfall that only comes around every blue moon. windfall is spelled w-i-n-d-f-a-l-l, windfall意外收穫，飛來橫財。every blue moon意思是非常罕見。投資有很多選項，有些相對穩固，但是增長速度慢，有些收益潛力大，但是風險也大。
S: The stock market is one choice, but it really seems quite risky to me.
B: Stocks are risky. Most people who invest in the stock market end up losing money. The people who do make money – such as Warren Buffet – are in it for the long haul, and they have enough money to ride out the low points. I’m not sure I’d recommend you put your money into the stock market.
S: Okay…how about property? Lots of people have told us we should buy an apartment. They say land or real estate will always appreciate in value.
Steve覺得，投資stock market股票市場風險大，Bob表示贊同，說凡是在股市賺錢的人，they are all in it for the long haul. 都是把錢放在股市裡走長線，這些人都有足夠的財力，能ride out the low points挺得過股市的低落點。To ride out something是經受得住，安然渡過的意思。投資房地產也是選項之一，Bob的意見如何？我們下次繼續。
