内容简介

当我们在异国他乡学习、工作或旅游时，往往首先需要解决 “renting a place（租房）” 相关的问题。比如，是选择更小更便宜的 “studio（单间公寓）” 还是更贵更舒适的 “flat（公寓）”；“deposit（押金，保证金）” 何时退还。听节目，跟主持人 Beth 和步理学习在英语国家租房时常用的词汇。

文字稿

（关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）

Beth
Hello and welcome to Question and Answer of the Week. I'm Beth.

Buli
And I'm Buli. 本期“你问我答”节目中，我们来回答下面这个问题。

Question
在英国租房时，“en-suite”、“studio”、“deposit”、“rent” 这些词平时很少见到，总是弄不清楚它们的意思，求讲解。

Beth
Thanks for your question. Let's start by listening to someone talking about renting somewhere in the UK.

Example
I want to rent somewhere in the UK. I'm happy with a house or a flat. I don't want a studio because I want the living area to be separate from the bedroom. Ideally the bedroom will have an en-suite attached. I'll have to pay a deposit and then rent every month of course. The landlord will decide how much that all costs. Wish me luck!

Buli
Right. I think it's time to start looking at the language. 在上面这段话中出现了不少在英语国家租房时经常会使用到的单词，特别是在英国。接下来，我们就以在英国租房为例学习一下它们的含义和用法。比如，“rent（租，租赁）”。

Beth
Yes. This can be a verb – 'to rent somewhere' means pay a monthly fee in exchange for a place to live, like a flat, house or studio.

Buli
让我们再听一遍例句。

Example
I want to rent somewhere in the UK.
（我想在英国租房。）

Beth
Now, you could rent a house or a flat. A 'house' usually has more than one floor and often comes with outdoor space, like a garden. It may be attached to another house next door to it.

Buli
是的。“House” 和 “flat” 分别代表了 “房屋” 和 “公寓” 两种房型。“House” 通常指的是 “不止一层的，并且可能附带花园等室外空间的房屋”；而 “flat” 通常指的是 “一整栋楼房当中的其中一户包含厨房、卧室、起居室和卫生间等不同房间的公寓”。有时人们也会把这种公寓称为 “apartment”，它和 “flat” 的意思是完全一样的。在英国，人们更常用 “flat” 来表示 “公寓”。

Example
I'm happy with a house or a flat.
（我能接受租一整栋房子或一套公寓。）

Buli
接下来我们再来看看 “flat” 和 “studio” 的区别。它们通常都是一整栋楼房中的一户，但具体又有哪些不同呢？

Beth
Well, a 'studio' has just one space and all the rooms are in that one space, apart from the bathroom. That means your bed is in the same room as your kitchen and living room, for example.

Buli
也就是说，“studio（单间公寓）” 虽然也通常具备 “flat（公寓）” 中所有房间的功能，但 “studio” 通常除了卫生间以外只有一个房间，厨房、卧室等房间的功能都被集中在了这一个空间内。所以，“studio” 的面积通常也比较小。我们再听一遍例句。

Example
I don't want a studio because I want the living area to be separate from the bedroom.
（我不想租单间公寓，因为我想让日常生活的空间和卧室分隔开。）

Beth
She also said she wants an 'en-suite'. This is a bathroom that you can only get to through a bedroom, because it is accessed through a door inside the bedroom.

Buli
是的。“En-suite” 的意思是 “卧室中附带的独立卫生间”。在英国，具有多个卧室的房屋或公寓中通常主卧会包含一个 “en-suite”，并且还会有另一个供客人或日常使用的卫生间。再听一遍例句。

Example
Ideally the bedroom will have an en-suite attached.
（卧室里最好带一个独立卫生间。）

Beth
We also heard words related to money. 'A deposit' is money you pay before you start living somewhere. If you keep the place you're renting in good condition, this money will be returned to you at the end of your tenancy – your stay.

Buli
没错。除了也可以作名词的 “rent（房租）” 之外，另一个名词 “deposit” 也和钱有关，它的意思是 “押金，保证金”。如果房子在 “tenancy（租期）” 结束时保持状态良好，那么 “landlord（房东，房主）” 就需要退还租房时缴纳的 “deposit”。来听刚才的例句。

Example
I'll have to pay a deposit and then rent every month of course. The landlord will decide how much that all costs. Wish me luck!
（当然，我需要付押金并每月交房租。我的房东会决定这些分别收多少钱。祝我好运吧！）

Buli
现在，你是否对在英国或其它说英语的国家租房有了更多了解呢？

Beth
Remember, if you have a question about the English language you'd like to ask us, please send us an email. Our email address is: questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk

Buli
你也可以通过微博向我们提问。我们的微博账号是 “BBC英语教学”。Bye!

Beth
Bye!