大学英语自学教程 上册 un13

[08:35.11]易货是一种非常不便的贸易手段,
[08:37.59]because it requires the double coincidence of wants.
[08:40.08]因为它要求买卖双方的要求完全吻合.
[08:42.58]A seller with a good or service to offer
[08:44.94]一个卖都有某商品出售或服务提供,
[08:47.31]must search for a buyerwho has exactly what the seller desires.
[08:50.55]必须寻找恰好有他希望要的东西方的买者.
[08:53.79]For example, if a baker wants meat,
[08:56.07]例如,面包师想要肉,
[08:58.36]he must search for a person
[09:00.42]就要在以货易货制度下
[09:02.48]who sells meatand wants bread under a barter system.
[09:05.28]找一个卖肉眼并且需要面包的人.
[09:08.08]Because money is generally accepted as payment for any purchase,
[09:10.80]因为货币被广泛接受为任何买卖的支付手段,
[09:13.53]a baker who sells bread for money
[09:15.42]卖面包挣钱的面包师傅可以
[09:17.30]can use the money to buy meator anything else he wants.
[09:20.22]拿钱买肉或别的他想要的任何东西.
[09:23.15]A Standard of Value.
[09:24.88]价值的标准.
[09:26.62]Money provides a unit of account
[09:28.66]货币作为衡量价值的标准,
[09:30.70]that serves as a standard to measure value
[09:32.97]可作为记帐的单位.
[09:35.24]The value of an item is a measure of what a person will sacrifice to obtain it.
[09:38.57]某一物品的价值可用一个人为获得该物品需要支付货币的多少不衡量.
[09:41.90]How much is a two week vacation in Hawaii worth to you?
[09:44.39]到夏威夷度假两个星期你要花费多少?
[09:46.87]If you're like most people,
[09:48.50]如果你和大多数人一样,
[09:50.13]you'll probably respond to such a question
[09:52.10]就可能这样回答问题,
[09:54.08]by valuing the vacation in dollars--
[09:56.36]即以货币计算这个度假的开销----
[09:58.65]say $2,000--rather than in terms of other things (like your car).
[10:02.28]比如说2000美元,而不是用别的东西,如你的汽车作为计算单位.
[10:05.91]Whether or not you're conscious of it,
[10:08.04]不管你意识到与否,
[10:10.17]you're constantly valuing items in dollars.
[10:12.44]你经常有货币确定物品的价值.
[10:14.71]As a standard of value,
[10:16.40]作为价值的标准
[10:18.08]money allows the addition of values of many different itemsas automobiles, repairs,
[10:22.16]货币使我们可以累加许多不同物品,如汽车,修理,
[10:26.23]and all other goods and services.
[10:28.31]和所有别的物品以及服务等的价值.
[10:30.39]The concept of GNP is useless
[10:32.57]没有如美元这样的货币单位作为价值的标准,
[10:34.75]without a standard of valuesuch as the dollar.
[10:37.13]国民生产总值的概念是毫无用处的.
[10:39.50]A Standard of Deferred Payment.
[10:41.88]延期付款的标准.
[10:44.26]Many contracts involve promises to pay sums of money in the future.
[10:47.38]很多合同涉及到将来付款的承诺.
[10:50.50]The unit of account for deferred payment of debts is also money.
[10:53.28]延期偿清债务的结算单位也是货币.
[10:56.07]If you borrow money to buy a car,
[10:58.00]如果你借钱买车,
[10:59.93]the loan contract specifies how much you must pay back every month
[11:02.80]贷款协议明确规定每月你必须偿还的钱数
[11:05.68]and the number of months required to satisfy your obligation.
[11:08.32]以及要求你履行债务的月数.
[11:10.95]However, money serves its function as a standard of deferred paymerit
[11:14.04]但是,只有某货币的购买力在整个一段时间内保持相对稳定,
[11:17.12]only if its purchasing power remains fairly constant over time.
[11:20.40]该货币才能起到延期付款的功能.
[11:23.68]If the price level rises,
[11:25.41]如果物价上涨,
[11:27.15]the future purchasing power of moneyover time will go down.
[11:29.93]货币的购买力在将来一段时间后就会下降.
[11:32.72]Similarly,a decrease in the price level will increase the futurepurchasing power of money,
[11:36.49]同样,物价下跌,未来的货币购买力就要增加.
[11:40.26]A Store of Value.
[11:41.84]价值的储存手段.
[11:43.43]Money can also serve as a store of value
[11:45.71]货币还可以作为一种价值的储存手段,
[11:48.00]that can he quickly converted to goods and services.
[11:50.33]它能迅速转换成商品及服务.
[11:52.67]Money as the actual medium of exchange is completely liquid,
[11:55.55]货币作为实际的交换媒介完全是可变的,
[11:58.42]meaning it can immediately be converted to goodsand services
[12:01.06]意思是它可以马上被转换为商品和服务,
[12:03.70]without any inconvenience or cost.
[12:05.67]没有任何不便也无须花费.
[12:07.64]Other assets that serve as stores of value must first be sold
[12:10.72]别的作为价值储存的资产必须先出售
[12:13.81]to be converted into a generally accepted medium of exchange.
[12:16.64]转换成一种能广泛接受 的交换媒体.
[12:19.47]There are often costs and inconvenience associatedwith liquidating other assets.
[12:23.05]这些资产变现时总须花费,也不方便.
[12:26.63]Holding money as a store of value
[12:28.51]因此,持币作为价值储存手段
[12:30.39]thus can reduce the transaction costsinvolved in everyday business.
[12:33.62]可以减少日常商务活动中的交易成本.