词汇掌故：钱 1

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
现在是美国之音慢速英语词汇掌故节目。
 
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.
我认为世界各地的人们都梦想有很多钱，我也是如此。为了赚大钱(make money hand over fist)我会倾尽全力。在美国你可以通过彩票投注（lotteries）赢大钱。人们购买彩票，如果你购买的数字组合中了，你将赢一大笔钱--通常是数百万。中彩票是一笔横财（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.
几年前，我朋友阿尔（Al）中了彩票，这改变了他的生活。他并非出生豪门（born with a silver spoon in his mouth）。相反，他常常手头拮据（hard up for cash）。而他挣的钱又是杯水车薪（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.
有时阿尔甚至不得不接受家人和朋友的援手（hand-outs）。但不要误解，我的朋友不是赖账的人（deadbeat）。他只是精打细算（pinched pennies）。实际上，他是个小气鬼（cheapskate）。最糟糕的时期他身无分文（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，阿尔凑足了（scraped together）几块钱买了张彩票。他以为他永远不会发横财（strike it rich）。但他的彩票中了，他中了头彩（hit the jackpot）赢得很多钱。
 
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.
阿尔非常兴奋。他首先买了辆昂贵的新车，他挥霍（splurged）着购买他平时不会问津的东西，然后他开始在一些不必要的事情上花钱，开始浪费。就像他钱多得用不完（money to burn）。他得到了比他所需更多的钱，开始花钱如流水（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.
当我们一起去餐厅吃饭，每次都是阿尔买单（foot the bill或者pick up the tab）。他告诉我，钱让他感觉非常快乐（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，阿尔花钱太多了。很快，他就再次穷困潦倒（down and out）。他钱花光了，再次手头拮据（strapped for cash）。他花光了最后一分钱(bottom dollar)。他甚至没攒点积蓄（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.
我承认我也觉得对不起我的朋友。他曾有足够生活得很好的钱，然而却再次回到拮据（on a shoestring）的生活。有人可能会说他小事精明，大事糊涂（ penny wise and pound foolish）。