Part 3 Free and Clear

Danielle 和Anthony都因為適度理財而平安地度過大學四年，然而他們可憐的同學Jane卻因為自己的鋪張浪費而成為了名副其實的“窮光蛋”。

（Two friends are talking soon after graduating from university.）

Danielle： Well done， Ant！

Anthony： Well done， Dani！ We survived！ Phew！ We did it！We made it through four years of university unharmed！

Danielle： Well not totally unharmed. I have a small loan to pay off but nothing too 1）drastic.

Anthony： ①Same here！ ②But we are pretty much out of the woods and in the clear！

Danielle： Yeah， and what tough years those have been！

Anthony： University is supposed to be the time of your life！

Danielle： Certainly wasnt like that.

Anthony： Yeah， whod have thought！

Danielle： Everyone who hasnt been yet I guess！

Anthony： I never knew university was going to be so much like real life！

Danielle： Well I felt pretty grown up， like I had a job and real responsibilities to take care of.

Anthony： Yeah its not the big party that everyone claims it is！

Danielle： It could be， but at your 2）peril！

Anthony： It worked out having a mature attitude.

Danielle： ③Yeah some of our peers got themselves into a right pickle！

Anthony： Yeah， do you remember Jane？！

Danielle： Oh God， she was a nightmare！

Anthony： She didnt budget at all.

Danielle： I think she thought she was on holiday！

Anthony： I hardly saw her in class， but I always saw her out partying.

Danielle： I bet she didnt have much freedom whilst she was living at home！

Anthony： ④I guess if your parents had you on a 3）leash that can happen.

Danielle： ⑤She was let loose at university.

Anthony： Yeah， she went crazy with her credit card though.

Danielle： ⑥She really splashed out and lived for the moment.

Anthony： I heard that she spent most of her loan on a trip round Europe.

Danielle： Loads of students go on a trip somewhere， but many dont actually have the money！

Anthony： There is nothing wrong with having fun！

Danielle： Of course not！ It is a time for doing silly things！

Anthony： But that fun doesnt have to haunt you for the rest of your life！

Danielle： Usually the best things in life are for free！

Anthony： Jane will be paying the price of her 4）extravagance for years to come！

Danielle： I think she ended up finally getting a job in the last few months.

Anthony： But it was too late.

Danielle： Yeah it was； she had spent way above her means.

Anthony： I was really harsh on myself. I had two jobs.

Danielle： I didnt know you had another one apart from the bookstore on campus. Where else did you work at？

Anthony： You know the 5）deli that you always went to each Monday？

Danielle： Yeah.

Anthony： Who do you think made your sandwich？！

Danielle： No way！ It was you！

Anthony： Yeah！ I also worked at that deli part time！

Danielle： I never knew！

Anthony： ⑦Those jobs really helped keep any debt at bay. I didnt go out partying nearly half as much as my friends！

Danielle： Yeah but how did you feel about that at the time？

Anthony： I dont think I missed out on that much at all. I just kept thinking about the future！

Danielle： I guess no debt means no burden.

Anthony： Exactly！

Smart Sentences

① Same here！ 我也是！

same here： used to suggest you feel the same way about sth.（用以表示你與對方有同樣的感受）。例如：

——I hate going shopping with my girlfriend.

我討厭與女朋友一起去購物。

——Same here.

我也是。

② But we are pretty much out of the woods and in the clear！ 但是我們完全脫離了困境！

out of the woods： get out of difficulties or problems（脫離困境）。例如：

Greece is not out of the woods yet in regard to its economical problems.

希臘還沒有擺脫經濟困境。

③ Yeah some of our peers got themselves into a right pickle！ 對，然而我們的一些同學讓自己身處困境。

in a right pickle： in a difficult and awkward situation（處境困難）。例如：

The child abuse scandal has put the BBC into a right pickle.

BBC的兒童性侵丑聞讓其陷入困境。

④ I guess if your parents had you on a leash that can happen. 我想如果你父母要管束你的話也會是那樣的。

on a leash： under control or restraint（束縛， 控制）。例如：

As long as your wife has your wallet， you are on a leash.

只要你妻子管著你的錢包，你就受她控制。

⑤ She was let loose at university. 上大學后她便放任自由了。

let loose： give sb. complete freedom（放任）。例如：

Only when I went to university was I let loose on what I could read.

我只有在上了大學后，才能自由地看自己想看的書。

⑥ She really splashed out and lived for the moment. 她真的亂花錢，得過且過。

splash out： spend money on sth. even though its costly or unnecessary（亂花錢）。例如：

I used to splash out on everything， food， entertainment， clothes， travel…

我以前什么事情花錢都很大手大腳，吃的，玩的，穿的，還有旅行……

live for the moment： live only for the pleasure of the present time without planning for the future（得過且過，過一天算一天）。例如：

You need to make plans for your future. You cannot just live for the moment！

你得為自己的未來好好打算，不能得過且過。

⑦ Those jobs really helped keep any debt at bay. 那些工作真的能讓我避免欠債。

keep sb./sth. at bay： prevent sb./sth. from happening（阻止，防止，控制）。例如：

Its believed that the new technology can keep shoplifting at bay.

人們相信，新的技術可以防止商店失竊。