2016年公共英語四級備考雙語閲讀
雙語閲讀
(一)
Expensive Things That Are Totally Worth the Money
There’s nothing wrong with being frugal, but the smart man buys once, the fool buys twice. Meaning, if you buy cheap, that product will fail on you and you’ll just have to buy it again. The smart guy buys quality products once and they last forever. In short, there are things in this life that you don’t want to cheap out on. In the long run, paying what seems like a bargain price for some of the following items will only end up costing you more.
節儉沒錯，但是聰明人只買一次，傻蛋買兩次。意思是説，如果你貪了便宜，東西會壞，之後你又得再去買。聰明人買一次高質量的，就可以一直用。簡短説，生活中有的東西是你不想要圖便宜的。長遠來看，在買下述有些東西時省錢，只會讓你未來花得更多。
1. Tattoos
1.紋身
If you’re gonna get something permanently etched on your person… if you’re going to bleed for your commitment to say, the visualization of your favorite Foreigner album cover, then don’t you think you should pay for a quality artist? Until laser tattoo removal is perfected, that ink is forever. Put in the time for exhaustive research on best artists in your area and then pay them the money they deserve.
如果你想要把什麼東西永遠地刻在自己身上…如果你要為自己的承諾流血，比如要刻你最愛的外國專輯封面，那麼你不覺得自己該為高水準的藝術家多付錢麼?在激光紋身去除技術完善之前，紋身墨水可是會永留的。花時間潛心研究下你所在地區最棒的紋身藝術家，然後付給他們應得的錢。
Long-term cost if you go with the “bargain” option:
如果圖了便宜，未來要付出的代價：
Permanent shame, and uncomfortable looks from your parents around the dinner table during major holidays.
永遠的恥辱，還有重要節假日時在晚餐桌前收到父母異樣的眼神。
2. Mattresses
2.牀墊
As they say, never skimp on what separates you from the ground—that includes tires, shoes, and mattresses—especially mattresses. A great mattress can and probably will cost you well into the thousands, but they’ll last longer and you’ll know where that money went when you wake up after an unfettered night’s sleep.
人們説，永遠別在將你和大地分開的東西上省錢——這包括輪胎，鞋子和牀墊——尤其是牀墊。優質的牀墊可以可能花你數千塊,但可以用更久。而且當你從一晚無憂無慮的睡眠中醒來時，你就知道自己的錢去哪兒了。
Long-term cost if you go with the “bargain” option:
如果圖了便宜，未來要付出的代價：
Countless nights of restless sleep, grouchiness (due to restless sleep), and back pain like you couldn’t believe. Poor sleeping habits are actually incredibly bad for your health.
無數焦躁不安的夜晚，牢騷滿腹(因為睡不好)，還有你難以置信的背痛。不好的睡眠習慣其實對健康特別不好。
3. Toilet Paper
3.廁紙
Have you ever had to make an emergency pit stop at a gas station to use the bathroom? How about a bathroom at a fast food restaurant? School restroom? What do these places have in common? Coarse, one-ply toilet paper with the grit of an ultra-fine sandpaper. Life’s too short–spend the extra 25 cents per roll on the three-ply cushy stuff.
你是否曾緊急停車在加油站去上廁所?快餐店的衞生間怎麼樣呢?學校的廁所呢?這些地方的共同點是什麼呢?粗糙的單層廁紙，還有超細砂紙上的顆粒。人生很短——每卷多花25美分去買用起來很舒服的三層廁紙。
Long-term cost if you go with the “bargain” option:
如果圖了便宜，未來要付出的代價：
A rash with the scorching intensity of a thousand burning suns.
皮疹，還有一千個烈日般的`強度炙傷。
4. Cuts of Meat
4.切塊的肉
Having people over for dinner? Get thee to a butcher. Save the cube steak for Monday night and serve your guests a cut that’s good enough to hide any culinary errors you might make. Ask the butcher a bunch of questions—he’ll suggest the perfect cut to match your occasion and grilling ability.
請了人來吃晚餐?去屠夫那兒吧。把切成方塊的牛排留到週一晚吧，給客人奉上一塊刀工好到可以隱藏你可能的烹飪失誤的牛排吧。向屠夫提一堆問題——他會給你完美的切法，來匹配你的場合和烤肉技術。
(二)
1、 TUC：(Trades Union Congress)——英國勞工聯合會。
2、 This should remind Britain’s employers just how much they depend on the good-will and voluntary extra work of their staff, the TUC says.
注意的詞語：just ：起強調語氣的作用--(是否)可以翻譯成”正是”，
翻譯為：這會提醒英國的僱主們自己是怎樣依賴於懷着善意且自願加班工作的員工。英國勞工聯合會説到。
3、 And if it mades people and employers think a bit harder about organizing a better work-life balance, so much the better.
注意的詞語：organizing：在這裏我將它翻譯成營造。
翻譯為：如果它能夠讓職員與僱主充分考慮一下營造一個更好的工作、生活平衡點，那是最好不過了。
4、 It is often said that more business is done during social events than at the office.
注意的詞語：is done 這裏是被動語態。 生意當然是被做的咯。
翻譯為：經常有人説在社交場合做成的生意比在辦公室裏做成的多。
5、 One person out of eight in labor force is said to be employed by a government unit on the state or local level. is that the case?
翻譯為：據説，八分之一的勞動力被政府部們或地方國有企業錄用。 是那麼回事嗎?
