购物英语对话 第1讲:装潢住房

CARL: I think we should do the floors before we work on the curtains and walls.
SUE: Why? It doesn't make sense.
If we do the floors first, and then paint the walls,
we will get paint all over our new floor.
CARL: Hmm. Maybe you're right. But I can't stand all this green carpet in here.
And besides, I know how to paint. I will just cover everything with drop cloth.
I won't get anything on the floor.
SUE: Are you sure?
CARL: Yes, I'm sure. I've done a lot of house painting in my life.
And my mother was very picky.
If I got even a tiny drop of paint on her furniture, she would get furious.
So I learned to be very careful.
SUE: Alright. Then maybe we can do the floor first.
These wood floors under this carpet are beautiful.
And me too--I can't wait to get all this old carpet out of here.
But how can we get it out? Do we have to hire someone?
CARL: Absolutely not. We can remove the carpet ourselves.
Carpet is held down with carpet nails. You just need to pull it hard and it comes up.
SUE: Great.
Then, after we remove the carpet, we need to restain all the wood floors. Right?
CARL: Yes. But we should hire someone for that.
That will probably be expensive. And it has to be done right.
SUE: And then, after the floors are done, we can start to move our furniture in.
CARL: Sure. If we can get an appointment with someone to do the floors,
we should probably be able to have the furniture in here after a week or so.
I can get all the carpet out this weekend.
SUE: So, after the floors are done, and after the furniture is in,
we need to redo the curtains and paint all the walls and ceilings.
CARL: I'm the painter.
You can be in charge of going to curtain shops to choose curtains.
That will probably be pretty expensive too. Having good curtains made isn't cheap.
SUE: You mean we can't just buy curtains already made?
CARL: Absolutely not.
The windows must be measured, and then the curtains need to be made professionally.
So that will take awhile. Maybe a month or so.
SUE: While the curtains are being made, I can start having people look at the kitchen.
I can't stand that old kitchen. I won't be able to cook in there.
I don't want to use that electric stove.
CARL: We will need to find an interior decorating company do redo the kitchen.
I believe in Portland there are shops that specialize in kitchen renovation.
I will look in the Yellow Pages. I'd like a kitchen mostly in ivory and light green.
SUE: I agree. The colors must be soft and pleasant.
You should feel comfortable when you cook our dinners.
CARL: Me? Cook our dinners? Hah! You will be cooking, dear. You will cook.
SUE: No, I don't think so. I'll be too busy having tea in our new tea room.
CARL: Well, I suppose we'll have to hire a cook then.
So you won't be able to afford any clothes next year.
SUE: And you'll have to sell your motorcycle. And your cameras. Right?
CARL: Maybe I'll cook once or twice a week. How is that?
SUE: Four times might be enough. Not once or twice.