預算與共同分擔英語對話

對話原文與翻譯

每句先給英文原句，下面一行是中文翻譯。想練口說時把譯文遮住，跟著音訊一句句複述。

1. Emma 0:00

   Our flat bills are causing tension because one roommate wants equal splits and another wants everything by usage.

   我們合租的帳單最近很緊繃，因為一個室友要均分，另一個要全按使用量算。

   Line 1
2. Tom 0:07

   Which expenses vary enough to track fairly, and which would cost more to measure than they'd save?

   哪些費用的差異大到值得追蹤？哪些就算量了也省不到追蹤成本？

   Line 2
3. Emma 0:13

   Electricity varies a lot because Ben runs a heater all evening, but water and internet are harder to separate cleanly.

   電費差很多，因為 Ben 每晚都開暖氣；但水費和網路要精準拆分就很困難。

   Line 3
4. Tom 0:22

   Then one single rule for all bills might look tidy while failing where the differences are most obvious.

   那把所有帳單套同一規則，看起來整齊，卻可能在最明顯不平衡處失效。

   Line 4
5. Emma 0:28

   Exactly, since equal shares protect privacy but also hide obvious imbalance when one habit is extreme.

   沒錯，均分保護隱私，但當某個習慣太極端時，也會掩蓋明顯失衡。

   Line 5
6. Tom 0:36

   And pure usage accounting can turn home life into surveillance, which brings a different kind of cost.

   但完全按使用量記帳，又會讓家裡像被監控，這是另一種成本。

   Line 6
7. Emma 0:42

   That's my fear, because nobody wants shower timing or kitchen minutes becoming evidence in debates.

   我就怕變那樣，沒人想把洗澡時間或廚房分鐘數拿來當辯論證據。

   Line 7
8. Tom 0:49

   Could you split fixed costs evenly and create one separate adjustment only for the most visible variable?

   你們可否固定成本均分，只對最明顯的可變項做一個獨立調整？

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9. Emma 0:56

   Electricity seems like the best candidate, especially in winter when the heater drives the bill up.

   電費最適合，尤其冬天暖氣把帳單拉高得很明顯。

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10. Tom 1:02

    How would you estimate that fairly without installing meters on every appliance in the flat?

    但不在每個家電裝錶的前提下，你們要怎麼相對公平地估算？

    Line 10
11. Emma 1:07

    Maybe we set a capped contribution for personal heaters based on approximate hours rather than exact monitoring.

    也許可按大致時數，給個人暖氣設定上限分擔，而不是精密監控。

    Line 11
12. Tom 1:15

    That sounds imperfect, but it may be good enough if everyone agrees the goal is rough fairness rather than precision.

    這不完美，但若大家同意目標是「大致公平」而非精準到點，可能就夠用了。

    Line 12
13. Emma 1:21

    If Ben dislikes estimates, we could test a single plug meter on the heater for one month only.

    如果 Ben 不接受估算，我們可以只測暖氣插頭一個月做測試。

    Line 13
14. Tom 1:28

    That works because it is targeted and temporary instead of becoming a permanent intrusion into ordinary life.

    這樣很好，因為它有針對性又是暫時措施，不會變成日常生活的長期侵入。

    Line 14
15. Emma 1:34

    Then we preserve trust while still admitting that some costs are clearly driven by individual behavior.

    這樣既能保住信任，也能承認某些成本確實由個人行為驅動。

    Line 15
16. Tom 1:41

    Exactly, because the best system is often the one people will actually follow without resenting each other.

    沒錯，最好的制度通常是大家真的做得到，且不會彼此越做越怨。

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本篇的真人發音、逐句跟讀錄音與發音評分都在 EngTalk App 內。

本課重點單字

從本篇對話中挑出的實義詞，依它們在全部 500 篇對話裡出現的等級排序（越靠後等級出現的越優先）。已排除虛詞、專有名詞與數詞。

• splits /splɪts/ plural noun; verb

  分裂；分開

• varies /ˈvɛriz/ verb

  變化；各不相同

• accounting /əˈkaʊntɪŋ/ noun

  會計；會計學；記帳

• surveillance /sərˈveɪləns/ noun

  監視；監控

• brings /brɪŋz/ verb

  bring的第三人稱單數；帶來；產生

• evenly /ˈivənli/ adverb

  均勻地；平均地

• candidate /ˈkændəˌdeɪt/ noun

  候選人；應聘者

• drives /draɪvz/ verb (third-person singular)

  駕駛

• meters /ˈmitərz/ plural noun

  計量器；公尺

• appliance /əˈplaɪəns/ noun

  家用電器；器具

• capped /kæpt/ adjective

  設有上限的；封頂的；加蓋的

• contribution /ˌkɑntrəˈbjuʃən/ noun

  貢獻，捐獻；投稿

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