《應用英文》老美怎樣表達節儉(一)

                                  《應用英文》老美怎樣表達節儉(一)
   老美遇到經濟衰退，生活困難需要節儉時，其表達方式，也常帶些口語式的字眼，有些用字很簡潔，也很道地，這是咱們學習英語者可以「模擬」之處。
   這裡我分經濟衰退、節儉生活和金錢忠告三方面，舉例說明平時老美常用表達方式，供讀者參考。
   例句中的主詞，單複數和動詞時態，都可改變。
   (1)經濟衰退(economic downturn):
   例如：
   The government has been in the red and the deficit has swelled to a record high.
   政府負債累累，逆差達到最高紀錄。
   (in the red赤字，虧欠；deficit逆差，虧損；swell膨脹)
   Most economists are of the opinion that we are currently in the stages of a recession.
   多半經濟學家認為我們目前處於經濟蕭條階段。
   (recession經濟衰退；to be of the opinion that.... 持....看法，相信；在stages前面可加early或late，表示早期或後期階段)
   In the financial and economic crises, we have watched jobs disappear, nest eggs shrink, home values plunge, foreclosures zoom upward and banks lay low.
   在這經濟財政危機之際，我們目睹工作消失、存款減少、房價猛跌、拍賣房子猛增以及銀行相繼倒閉。
   (nest egg積蓄；shrink收縮，動詞時態是shrank，shrunk或shrunken, shrinking；plunge猛跌；zoom猛增，上升；to lay low擊倒，動詞時態: lay, laid, laid, laying)
   We get to worry about first inflation and now, deflation at the same time.
   我們首先擔心通貨膨脹，現在同時又為通貨緊縮發愁。
   (inflation是物價高升；deflation是物價低落，兩者是反義字)
   Our economy is like a roller-coaster of mostly highs with a few lows, some record-breaking and others just unsettling.
   我們的經濟像坐過山車，起多落少；有些破記錄，有些動盪不穩。
   (roller coaster遊樂場的環滑車，急轉突變行為；high和low這裡當名詞用，可用複數；unsettle不穩定)
   The economy is rough locally and nationally；everyone seems to be bounced around like a ping-pong ball.
   經濟困境瀰漫地區和全國，每個人像乒乓球前後顛跳不定。
   (bounce反彈，跳躍；rough粗糙，艱難)
   Because of a looming budget shortfall, more layoffs are likely to happen.
   由於出現預算不足，可能發生更多裁員。
   (loom出現=appear；shortfall缺少= not enough；layoff這裡是名詞，可用複數)
   The consumers will hunker down further and pull back spending, sending the economy into a tailspin.
   消費者將要進一步減少開支，使經濟進入失控狀態。
   (hunker down停滯；tailspin混亂，失控)
   We are living in record-setting times: record-high gasoline prices and energy bills, along with record-low consumer confidence and buying power.
   我們生活在創紀錄的時期：最高紀錄的油價和電費，連同最低紀錄的消費信心和購買力。　
   As national red ink rises higher each year, everyone is in financially hot water.
   由於國家赤字每年上漲，每個人的經濟陷入困境。
   (red ink虧損赤字；in hot water在困境)
   With the economy growing weaker and joblessness rising, we expect no miracle soon.
   經濟日漸衰弱，失業率節節升高；我們預料不會很快有奇蹟出現。 
   Some people feel (that) the current economic problem is partly because Americans waste more than the people of most other countries even have.
   有些人認為，目前經濟的難題，部分是因為老美的浪費，超過大部分其他國家人民所擁有的。
   Economic turmoil often sends the stock market reeling.
   經濟混亂常使股市搖晃不定。
   (turmoil騷動混亂；reel震撼，搖晃)
   In a time when money is tight and folks are pinching pennies, many consumers are in a wait-and-see mode.
   一旦銀根吃緊，人們精打細算，許多消費者也就採取觀望態度。
   (to pinch pennies = to pinch a penny精打細算；mode模式；wait-and-see等著瞧)
   A lot of companies no longer can afford to provide their employees with all-expenses-paid trips.
   許多公司不能再負擔員工的全部旅行費用。
   In the difficult economic environment we are experiencing, many companies are taking a hard look at their expenses and scaling back.
   在經濟困境中，許多公司緊盯開支並進行縮減。
   (to take a hard look狠盯著； to scale back縮減)