VOA慢速英語(yǔ):Jackpot! Winning the Lottery

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

現(xiàn)在是美國(guó)之音慢速英語(yǔ)詞匯掌故節(jié)目。

I think people everywhere dream about having lots of money. I know I do. I would give anything to make money hand over fist. I would like to earn large amounts of money. You could win a large amount of money in the United States through lotteries. People pay money for tickets with numbers. If your combination of numbers is chosen, you win a huge amount of money – often in the millions. Winning the lottery is a windfall.

我認(rèn)為世界各地的人們都?jí)粝胗泻芏噱X，我也是如此。為了賺大錢(make money hand over fist)我會(huì)傾盡全力。在美國(guó)你可以通過彩票投注(lotteries)贏大錢。人們購(gòu)買彩票，如果你購(gòu)買的數(shù)字組合中了，你將贏一大筆錢--通常是數(shù)百萬(wàn)。中彩票是一筆橫財(cái)(windfall)。

A few years ago, my friend Al won the lottery. It changed his life. He did not have a rich family. He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Instead, my friend was always hard up for cash. He did not have much money. And the money he did earn was chicken feed – very little.

幾年前，我朋友阿爾(Al)中了彩票，這改變了他的生活。他并非出生豪門(born with a silver spoon in his mouth)。相反，他常常手頭拮據(jù)(hard up for cash)。而他掙的錢又是杯水車薪(chicken feed)。

Sometimes Al even had to accept hand-outs, gifts from his family and friends.But do not get me wrong. My friend was not a deadbeat. He was not the kind of person who never paid the money he owed. He simply pinched pennies. He was always very careful with the money he spent. In fact, he was often a cheapskate. He did not like to spend money. The worst times were when he was flat broke and had no money at all.

有時(shí)阿爾甚至不得不接受家人和朋友的援手(hand-outs)。但不要誤解，我的朋友不是賴賬的人(deadbeat)。他只是精打細(xì)算(pinched pennies)。實(shí)際上，他是個(gè)小氣鬼(cheapskate)。最糟糕的時(shí)期他身無(wú)分文(flat broke)。

One day, Al scraped together a few dollars for a lottery ticket. He thought he would never strike it rich or gain lots of money unexpectedly. But his combination of numbers was chosen and he won the lottery. He hit the jackpot. He won a great deal of money.

有一天，阿爾湊足了(scraped together)幾塊錢買了張彩票。他以為他永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)發(fā)橫財(cái)(strike it rich)。但他的彩票中了，他中了頭彩(hit the jackpot)贏得很多錢。

Al was so excited. The first thing he did was buy a costly new car. He splurged on the one thing that he normally would not buy. Then he started spending money on unnecessary things. He started to waste it. It was like he had money to burn. He had more money than he needed and it was burning a hole in his pocket so he spent it quickly.

阿爾非常興奮。他首先買了輛昂貴的新車，他揮霍(splurged)著購(gòu)買他平時(shí)不會(huì)問津的東西，然后他開始在一些不必要的事情上花錢，開始浪費(fèi)。就像他錢多得用不完(money to burn)。他得到了比他所需更多的錢，開始花錢如流水(burning a hole in his pocket )。

When we got together for a meal at a restaurant, Al paid every time. He would always foot the bill, and pick up the tab. He told me the money made him feel like a million dollars. He was very happy.

當(dāng)我們一起去餐廳吃飯，每次都是阿爾買單(foot the bill或者pick up the tab)。他告訴我，錢讓他感覺非?？鞓?feel like a million dollars)。

But, Al spent too much money. Soon my friend was down and out again. He had no money left. He was back to being strapped for cash. He had spent his bottom dollar, his very last amount. He did not even build up a nest egg. He had not saved any of the money.

但是，阿爾花錢太多了。很快，他就再次窮困潦倒(down and out)。他錢花光了，再次手頭拮據(jù)(strapped for cash)。他花光了最后一分錢(bottom dollar)。他甚至沒攢點(diǎn)積蓄(nest egg)。

I admit I do feel sorry for my friend. He had enough money to live like a king. Instead, he is back to living on a shoestring -- a very low budget. Some might say he is penny wise and pound foolish. He was wise about small things, but not about important things.

我承認(rèn)我也覺得對(duì)不起我的朋友。他曾有足夠生活得很好的錢，然而卻再次回到拮據(jù)(on a shoestring)的生活。有人可能會(huì)說(shuō)他小事精明，大事糊涂( penny wise and pound foolish)。