第131课：穆丽尔和弗兰克去拍卖

Lesson 131: Muriel and Frank go to an Auction

Auctions are a popular way of selling property (= houses, shops, offices etc) in Australia. 拍卖是在澳大利亚出售房产（=房屋、商店、办公室等）的流行方式。

They are particularly popular in Melbourne. Compared with a written tendering process, auctions may get the seller a better price because of emotional competition at a face-to-face auction. 它们在墨尔本特别受欢迎。 与书面招标程序相比，由于面对面拍卖中的情感竞争，拍卖可能会为卖方争取到更好的价格。

Auctions are also popular because they are free entertainment! The number of onlookers far exceeds the number of bidders. 拍卖也很受欢迎，因为它们是免费的娱乐活动！ 围观的人数远远超过了竞拍者的人数。

Neighbours especially attend to "check out" the house and gardens, and to see what level of price is achieved. 邻居们特别注意“检查”房子和花园，看看价格达到了什么水平。

Idioms and other phrases used in this lesson are: 本课中使用的习语和其他短语是：

"to sticky-beak" = to be nosey, sticking your beak (= nose) into a situation. “to sticky-beak” = 多管闲事，将您的喙（= 鼻子）伸入某种情况。 "to stroll along" = to walk somewhere slowly. “漫步”=缓慢地走在某个地方。 "junk mail" = unwanted mail. “垃圾邮件”= 不需要的邮件。 "to be taken with something" = to be very interested in that thing. “被某物带走”=对那件事非常感兴趣。 "harrumph" = an exclamation that usually means the speaker is not interested in what's been said! "harrumph" = 感叹号，通常表示说话者对所说的内容不感兴趣！

"poor buggers" = unfortunate people. “可怜的家伙”=不幸的人。 "flash car" = expensive car. “闪存车”=昂贵的汽车。 "to lounge" = to stand casually, perhaps leaning against something. “休息” = 随意站立，也许靠在某物上。 "to look well-heeled" = to appear to be prosperous. “看起来很富有”=看起来很富裕。 "a hard row to hoe" = a difficult task. “艰难的一排锄头”=一项艰巨的任务。

"Bank of Mum and Dad" = financial help from parents. “爸爸妈妈银行”=父母的经济帮助。 "fat cat" = a person who appears to be very wealthy and well-fed. “肥猫” = 一个看起来很富有而且吃得饱的人。 "buyer's advocate" = a person who attends auctions on behalf of a buyer. “买方代言人” = 代表买方参加拍卖的人。 "overlay" = a restriction on the property placed by the local council or other official organisation. An overlay can be "historical" (= the house has some features that can't be altered) or "vegetation" (= some plants cannot be removed). “覆盖” = 地方议会或其他官方组织对财产的限制。 覆盖层可以是“历史性的”（= 房子有一些无法改变的特征）或“植被”（= 一些植物不能被移除）。

"quoted price range" = the minimum and maximum selling prices expected for the property. Auctioneers are required by law to not under-quote (= advertising a too-low price range to get more interest from buyers). It can be difficult to set a maximum, because property prices are rising quickly. “报价范围”= 房产预期的最低和最高售价。 法律要求拍卖商不得过低报价（= 宣传过低的价格范围以引起买家的更多兴趣）。 设定最大值可能很困难，因为房地产价格正在迅速上涨。

"passed-in" = not sold at auction. “传入” = 未在拍卖会上出售。 "whooah! = an exclamation of surprise. “哇哦！=惊讶的惊叹。 "I'm out" = I am leaving this contest. “我出去了” = 我要离开这场比赛。 "knockout bid" = a bid that knocks all other bidders out of the auction. “淘汰出价”= 将所有其他竞标者排除在拍卖之外的出价。 "to get your foot on the property ladder" = to buy your first home. “踏上房产阶梯” = 购买您的第一套房子。

Here's the dialogue. John reads everything. 这是对话。 约翰阅读一切。

[A house in Muriel and Frank's street is being auctioned today. The couple decide to stroll along and sticky-beak.] [今天穆里尔和弗兰克街的一所房子正在拍卖。 这对夫妇决定漫步并粘嘴。]

[They would like to see inside the house, but for that you have to provide your name and phone number to the selling agent, and sign up to their "junk" mailing list. So they content themselves with a walk outside and looking in the windows.] [他们想看看房子内部，但为此您必须向销售代理提供您的姓名和电话号码，并在他们的“垃圾”邮件列表中注册。 所以他们满足于在外面散步，看看窗户。]

[Muriel is taken with the back garden, which has a waterfall and fishpond. It's a sunny day and many people are sticky-beaking.] [Muriel 与后花园合影，后花园有瀑布和鱼塘。 这是一个阳光明媚的日子，很多人都粘着喙。]

Muriel: "That's a beautiful garden feature! Could you build me one of those?" 穆里尔：“这是一个美丽的花园特色！ 你能给我造一个吗？”

Frank: "Harrumph!" 弗兰克：“哈伦夫！”

Muriel: "What a big crowd!" 穆丽尔：“好大的一群人啊！”

Frank: "Yes, it's a lovely place. Did you notice those flash cars in the street? I bet most of them belong to property developers." 弗兰克：“是的，这是一个可爱的地方。 你注意到街上那些闪光的汽车了吗？ 我敢打赌，其中大部分都属于房地产开发商。”

[The Auctioneer calls for interested people to gather out the front, where the auction will take place. Muriel and Frank lounge against the front fence to watch the action.] [拍卖师呼吁有兴趣的人聚集在拍卖会的前面。 穆里尔和弗兰克靠在前围栏上休息，观看比赛。]

Muriel: "Some of these people look well-heeled. They'll probably leave poor young buyers in their dust". 穆丽尔：“其中一些人看起来很富有。 他们可能会把可怜的年轻买家抛在一边”。

Frank: Yeah, poor buggers have a hard row to hoe, bidding for property against developers these days. Unless they can borrow from the Bank of Mum and Dad!" 弗兰克：“是的，这些日子里，可怜的混蛋们很难与开发商竞争房产。 除非他们能从爸爸妈妈的银行借到钱！”

Muriel: "I think I can see at least two couples who brought Mum and Dad with them. See the two family groups by the tree?" 穆丽尔：“我想我可以看到至少有两对夫妇带着爸爸妈妈一起来。 看到树旁的两个家族了吗？”

Frank: And there's one fat cat who might be a buyer's advocate". 弗兰克：还有一只肥猫可能是买家的代言人”。

[The Auctioneer begins describing the house's features, its date of construction, and local schools and other amenities. In many cities, being "in the acceptance zone" of a well-performing local school is a big consideration for people buying a house]. [拍卖师开始描述房子的特征、建造日期、当地学校和其他设施。 在许多城市，被当地表现良好的学校“录取”是人们买房的一个重要考虑因素]。

[There are no overlays. Terms of sale are: 10% deposit, the balance in 90 days. The quoted price range is $ 950,000 to $ 1.1 million. If passed-in, the highest bidder has the sole right to negotiate with the vendor.] [没有覆盖。销售条款是：10% 定金，90 天内余额。 报价范围为 95 万美元至 110 万美元。 如果通过，出价最高的人拥有与供应商谈判的唯一权利。]

Auctioneer: "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have an opening bid please?" 拍卖师：“女士们，先生们，请问可以开标吗？”

Well-heeled Bidder Number 1: "1 point 1 million!" 1 号富有的投标人：“1 分 100 万！”

Crowd: "Whooah!" 众人：“哇！”

Muriel: "First bid, top of the range!" 穆里尔：“第一次出价，范围内的顶级！”

Auctioneer: "Any advance on 1.1?" 拍卖师：“1.1 有任何预付款吗？”

Well-heeled Bidder Number 2: "1.2!" 富有的投标人 2 号：“1.2！”

Crowd: "Whooah!" 众人：“哇！”

Father of one young couple: "1.25!" 一对年轻夫妇的父亲：“1.25！”

Well-heeled Bidder Number 1, quickly: "1.3!" 1号出价者，连忙道：“1.3！”

[The father looks defeated.] [父亲看起来很失败。]

Muriel: "Dad looks sad, I guess that's their maximum." 穆里尔：“爸爸看起来很伤心，我想这是他们的最大压力。”

Auctioneer: "Can I have 1.4?" 拍卖师：“我可以有 1.4 吗？”

Well-heeled Bidder Number 2: "1.4!" 富有的投标人 2 号：“1.4！”

Well-heeled Bidder Number 1, quickly: "1.45!" 富有的1号投标人，连忙道：“1.45！”

Auctioneer: "Any advance on 1.45?" 拍卖师：“1.45有预付款吗？”

Well-heeled Bidder Number 2: "1.46!" 富有的投标人 2 号：“1.46！”

Well-heeled Bidder Number 1: "I'm out." 富有的投标人 1 号：“我出去了。”

[The Buyer's Advocate raises his hand for the first time]. [买方律师第一次举手]。

Buyer's Advocate: "1.5!" 买家代言人：“1.5！”

Crowd: "Whooah!" 众人：“哇！”

Frank: "A knockout bid, I think!" 弗兰克：“我认为是淘汰赛！”

[The Auctioneer looks at Well-heeled Bidder Number 2, who shakes his head]. [拍卖师看着 2 号富有的投标人，他摇了摇头]。

Auctioneer: "Going once, going twice..." 拍卖师：“去一次，去两次……”

[He waits a couple of seconds in case there's a late bid]. [他等了几秒钟，以防有迟到的出价]。

Auctioneer (striking his hand with a rolled-up paper): "Gone!! Congratulations, sir! Please come inside and deal with the paperwork. Thank you to everyone who attended." 拍卖师（用卷起的纸敲他的手）：“没了！！ 恭喜你，先生！ 请进来处理文书工作。 感谢所有出席的人。”

[The young woman whose father bid 1.25 starts to cry]. [父亲出价1.25的年轻女子哭了]。

Muriel: "It's sad to see a young couple miss out". 穆丽尔：“很遗憾看到一对年轻夫妇错过了”。

Frank: "But if the winner is actually a Buyer's Advocate, his client might be a young couple." 弗兰克：“但如果获胜者实际上是买方的代言人，那么他的客户可能是一对年轻夫妇。”

Muriel: "They'd have to be a well-heeled couple!" 穆丽尔：“他们必须是一对富有的夫妇！”

[Walking home, the pair talk about how lucky they were to buy their house at a reasonable price, 40 years ago. It's much harder these days to get a foot on the property ladder]. [步行回家，这对夫妇谈论40年前，他们以合理的价格购买了自己的房子是多么幸运。 如今，踏上财产阶梯要困难得多]。

<< 上一个 Back

Index 指数

Next 下一步>>