Chris告诉同事Jason, 筹备买辆新车。
Jason: Hey there Chris, what are you up to?
Chris: Im just poring over some brochures about various car models.
J: Oh, so youre thinking about buying a new car?
C: Yeah, it looks that way. My wife has been bugging2 me about it. I thought we could probably survive without one, but with a baby on the way, maybe it is time to get a car.
J: So this would be your first automobile3?
C: Thats right. For quite a few years, I rode a bicycle to work. Then I got a motorbike.
Chris太太怀孕，所以不能不考虑买车。Chris说，my wife has been bugging me about it. 意思是我太太一直在软磨硬泡要说服我，to bug1 someone是没完没了烦某人的意思，譬如说，STOP bugging me. 意思就是别烦我了。这是Chris的第一辆车，他以前都是骑自行车或是骑摩托车上班，但目前 with a baby on the way 眼看就要有孩子了，所以只好考虑买车。Jason表示理解。
J: Yeah, I think I can understand your wifes position. Asking her to ride on a motorcycle when shes pregnant is a tall order.
C: Oh...I dont let her ride with me. Its just too dangerous. She takes the bus to work, but it is sometimes difficult to get a seat and its crowded and hot.
J: So its time to buy your very first car! Wow, thats exciting!
C: Yes, but its also a pretty big financial responsibility.
J: Yeah. I still remember my first car. It was an old clunker that my dad gave me when I turned 17. I drove it around for a couple of years until I scraped together enough money to buy a better secondhand car.
Jason说，让太太挺着大肚子坐Chris的摩托车确实有点强人所难，Its a tall order. tall order 意思是非常难完成的任务或需要。Chris讲解说，其实太太不坐他的摩托车上班，但挤公交车也非常辛苦，所以才需要买车。Jason说，他的第一辆车是17岁生日时父亲送的，It was an old clunker. clunker是老破车的意思，开了几年后，攒够了钱才自己买了辆稍微像点儿样的secondhand car二手车。Chris说，
C: Im having a hard time deciding which model is best for us.
J: Yeah, it is a tough call. Each one has its pros4 and cons5. Are you looking for a sedan?
C: Yes, Id like a Jeep, but my wife says we have to get a comfortable sedan for long drives home to see her relatives.
J: Id advise you to listen to your wife. She will be sitting in the back taking care of the kids so whatever she prefers is probably the best choice.
Chris说，拿不定主意应该买什么型号的车。Jason承认，Its a tough call. tough call意思是非常难做的决定。他还说，不同型号的车有各自的优势和弊端，pros and cons是指一件事情的正反面，pros 是优点，正面的，cons是缺点，负面的。Chris想买吉普车Jeep，但他太太坚持要买轿车sedan, 由于sedan开长途坐着更舒服些。
C: What do you think about this one? Here...take a look.
J: I like it. Its quite stylish6. But...its also pretty small.
C: Thats OK. We are only a family of three.
J: This model has a 1.3 liter engine. With a small engine, youll save a lot of money on gas.
C: Thats one of the reasons Im considering this one. It gets good gas mileage7 and overall has good value.
J: When I was young, having a car was all about power, prestige and fashion. But today, everything is about economy, value and savings8.
C: The world has changed.
Chris看中了一款车，征求Jason的意思。Jason说，车外观还是挺有型的，但就是有点小。Chris感觉，小点没关系，由于他们就三口人，a family of three, 小点也够用了。Jason说，这款车引擎是1.3公升的，省油，是优点。Chris承认，这也是他看中这款车是什么原因之一，It gets good gas mileage and overall has good value. 意思是说这辆车油耗低，大体上说非常合算。Jason大发感慨，说自己年轻那会儿买车就是为了马力、时髦，现在大伙考虑的却都是实用和省钱。
J: Have you considered getting a secondhand car?
C: My wife rejected that idea. She says that you never know if the car dealer9 is unscrupulous. The car could be water damaged or could have been involved in an accident.
J: She makes some good points. Anyway, having a new car is a great experience.
C: Im also trying to decide if I should take the three or fiveyear payment option.
J: If I can make a suggestion: go with a threeyear plan. The fiveyear might look easier, but in the end, the interest payments are not worth it.
Chris不筹备购买二手车，由于他太太担忧碰上个缺德的二手车车行老板，把出过车祸的车买回家，上面所说的unscrupulous意思是没道德操守的。Jason感觉，she makes some good points. 她说的非常有道理。在贷款方面，Chris不了解应该三年还清还是五年还清，Jason建议他做三年的贷款，由于五年贷款每一个月付的钱看起来虽然少些，但其实把交的利息都算进来，就不值了。
C: Ill go home and do the math, but youre probably right.
J: How about the color?
C: Blue is my lucky color, so Ill pick blue if possible. My wife says we should consider black because it doesnt look dirty so quickly.
J: Cool! Well, let me know when you decide. Id love to check out your new car!
C: Sure, Jason. Thanks for the input10.
Chris说，我回家算算Ill go home and do the math. Do the math是口语里非常常见的一种说法，意思是算算了解，尤其是指明摆着的事情，譬如：We cannot afford that house with our salaries. You do the math. 咱们的薪资买不起那栋房，你一个人算算吧。在颜色选择上，Chris说，蓝色是我们的幸运色，而太太感觉黑色经脏。Jason最后说，Id love to check out your new car! 买了新车别忘了给我看看。
