SECTION 1

WOMAN: Good morning. How can I help you?

女：早上好。有什么可以帮您？

MAN: Hello. I'm interested in renting a house somewhere in the town.

男：你好。我想在城里租间房。

WOMAN: Right. Could I have your name please?

女：好的。请问您叫什么名字？

MAN: Yes, it's Steven Godfrey.

男：我叫史蒂夫·戈弗雷。

WOMAN: And tell me how many bedrooms you're looking for.

女：您想租几间卧室的呢？

MAN: Well, we'd need four, because I'm going to share the house with three friends.

男：我们需要四间卧室，因为我打算和我三个朋友合租。

WOMAN: Okay, there are several of that size on our books.

女：好的，我们这里有一些这样的房源。

They mostly belong to families who are working abroad at the moment. What about the location?

户主基本都是在国外工作的。地点有什么要求吗？

MAN: It'd be nice to be central.

男：在市中心最好了。

WOMAN: That might be difficult, as most houses of that size are in the suburbs.

女：这可能有点困难，这么大的房子基本都在郊区。

Still, there are a few.

但我们还是有一些这样的房子。

What's your upper limit for the rent?

你们的租房预算上限是多少？

MAN: We'd like something around ￡500 a month, but we could go up to ￡600 if we have to.

男：我们希望月租在500英镑左右，但看情况也可以到600。

But we can't go beyond that.

不能超过这个数了。

WOMAN: Do you know how long you want to rent the house for?

女：你打算租多长时间呢？

The minimum let is six months, as you probably realise.

我们这儿最少租期是6个月，这个您应该了解。

MAN: We're at college here for two years, and we don't want to have to move during that time if we can avoid it.

男：我们要在这儿上两年大学，而且不到迫不得已我们也不想搬来搬去的。

WOMAN: Right. And how soon do you want to move in?

女：好的。你们想多快住进去呢？

All our lets start on the first of the month.

我们这儿都是每个月第一天开始算租期的。

MAN: Well, as soon as possible, really, so that means September 1st.

男：当然越快越好了。所以那就是9月1号了。

WOMAN: Okay, let me have a look at what we've got ....

女：好的，我来看看我们这儿有什么……

We have photographs of all the houses on our books, so you can get an idea of what they're like.

我们的册子上有房子的照片，你可以看看它们的样子。

There's this one in Oakington Avenue, at ￡550 a month.

在奥金顿大道上有一栋房子，月租是550英镑。

Combined living room and dining room, with a separate kitchen.

包括客厅饭厅，有单独的厨房。

It doesn't have a garage, though you can park in the road.

不带车库，不过路边就可以停车。

MAN: Ah, we'd prefer to have one, if possible.

男：呃，最好是有车库的。

WOMAN: Right. Then have a look at this house, in Mead Street.

女：好的。那看看这栋房子吧，在米德大街上。

It's got a very large living room and kitchen, bathroom, cloakroom ...

客厅很大，有厨房、浴室、衣帽间……

MAN: How much is it?

男：这个多少钱？

WOMAN: That one's 580. It's very well furnished and equipped.

女：这个是580。这套是精装修的，设施也齐全。

It also has plenty of space for parking, and it's available for a minimum of a year.

这里也有足够的空间停车。这套房至少可以租一年。

Oh, and there's a big garden.

对了，它还带一个大花园。

MAN: I don't think we could cope with that, to be honest.

男：老实说，这个我们估计应付不了。

We'll be too busy to look after it.

我们都很忙，没时间照看花园。

WOMAN: Okay. Then there's this older house in Hamilton Road: living room, kitchen-diner, and it has a study.550 a month.

女：好的。在汉密尔顿路上有一套旧一点的，有客厅，厨房和餐厅在一起，然后有一个书房。月租550。

MAN: That looks rather nice. But whereabouts in Hamilton Road?

男：这套看上去还行。是在汉密尔顿路什么位置啊？

WOMAN: Towards the western end.

女：在西头。

MAN: Oh, that'll be very noisy. I know the area.

男：哦，那边好吵啊。我知道那块儿。

WOMAN: Yes, it's pretty lively. Some people like it, though.

女：是的，很有生活气息。有些人就喜欢这样的。

Well, what about this house in Devon Close?

好吧，这套德文巷的房子怎么样？

MAN: That looks lovely.

男：看上去不错啊。

WOMAN: There's a big demand for houses in that area, so prices tend to be quite high.

女：那一带租房的人多，所以租金会偏高一些。

But this one hasn't been decorated for a few years, which has kept the rent down a bit.

但这套房好几年没有翻修了，所以租金会低一些。

It's got a living room, dining room and small kitchen, and it's 595 a month.

房子里有客厅、饭厅和一个小厨房，月租是595.

I think it would suit you, from what you've said.

我觉得这套挺适合你的。

MAN: It sounds fine.

男：听上去不错。

MAN: Why's that part of town so popular?

男：这一片为什么这么抢手呀？

WOMAN : Well, there's a big scheme to improve the district, and it'll soon have the best facilities for miles around.

女：那一片要进行大规模的改造，不久之后那边就会配备方圆数英里内最好的设施了。

MAN: What sort of thing?

男：都有些什么呀？

WOMAN: There's a big sports centre under construction, which will be very impressive when it's finished.

女：那边正在建一个大型体育中心，建成后会非常壮观。

In fact the swimming pool's already opened, ahead of schedule, and it's attracting a lot of people.

实际上游泳馆已经提前开放了，好多人都往那儿去。

MAN: What about cinemas: are there any in the area?

男：那电影院呢？那附近有吗？

WOMAN: The only one closed down last year, and it's now in the process of being converted into a film museum.

女：唯一的一个电影院去年关门了，那里现在正在被改建成一个电影博物馆。

The local people are trying to get a new cinema added to the scheme.

当地居民正在争取将建造新电影院列入改造工程。

MAN: I think I heard something about a plan to replace the existing concert hall with a larger one.

男：我好像听说会建一个更大的音乐厅来取代现在的这个。

WOMAN: Ah, that’s due to start next year.

女：啊，这个项目明年就要启动了。

MAN: Well it sounds an interesting area to live in.

男：这块地方听起来还挺不错的。

Could I go and see the house, please?

我能去看看房子吗？

WOMAN: Yes, of course.

女：当然可以。