5MessageEveryday life2 min
Buy or Rent?
Two friends weigh the parents’ offer of a deposit against the freedom to leave.
A chat between friends about a big decision. Look at how 万一 introduces an unlikely but serious possibility, and how 不管……都…… closes the conversation.
跟你说件事。我爸爸妈妈想帮我付首付，让我在公司附近买一套小房子。你觉得呢？
好事啊！不过你想好了吗？有了房子，每个月都要还贷款，至少二十年。
我就是因为这个犹豫。现在房租每个月四千，有了房子以后月供大概六千，差不多是我工资的一半。
一半有点儿多。万一哪天你想换工作，或者去别的城市，就没那么自由了。
可是我爸爸妈妈说，租房就等于帮房东还房贷，钱都白花了。
这也不全对。租房的钱换来的是自由和灵活，不算白花。关键是你自己打算在这个城市待多久。
说实话，我也不确定。我挺喜欢现在的工作，可是总是觉得三十岁以前还想出去看看。
那我的建议是，先别急着决定。你可以再租两年，同时存一点儿钱，等你想清楚了再买也不晚。
有道理。我今天晚上跟爸爸妈妈好好谈谈。
加油！不管你怎么选，我都支持你。
我爸爸妈妈想帮我付首付，让我买一套小房子。你觉得呢？
好事啊！可是买了房子，你每个月都要还贷款。
对。有了房子以后，每个月要付六千，差不多是我工资的一半。
有点儿多。你以后想换工作，或者去别的城市，就不方便了。
可是我爸爸妈妈说，租房的钱都白花了。
不对。租房的钱换来了自由。你打算在这个城市住多久？
我也不知道。三十岁以前，我还想出去看看。
那你可以再租两年，也存一点儿钱。以后再买也不晚。
有道理。我今天晚上跟爸爸妈妈谈谈。
加油！我支持你。
Click a word to look it up in this site’s vocabulary.
- Words
- 216
- Sentences
- 22
- Words per sentence
- 9.8
- in the vocabulary
- 100 %
- measured level
- 4
- Reading time
- 2 min
Grammar in this text
These forms appear in the text in real use. Switch on “Show grammar” above the text to highlight them.
万一哪天你想换工作
万一: “if by any chance …” — an unlikely case that would matter a lot. In case and once: wànyī and yídàn →
不管你怎么选，我都支持你
不管……都……: whatever she chooses, the friend will support her. No matter: wúlùn and bùguǎn … dōu →
换来的是自由和灵活
……的是…… puts the important part at the end: 换来的是自由和灵活. Emphasis: shì and question words →
The word lists for this text
The words in this text appear in 39 lists on this site; the number after each says how many come from that list. Having read the text, you have just needed these very words — and can practise exactly them.
Comprehension questions
5 questions on the text. With each answer the sentence it comes from appears — a question whose answer you cannot find in the text tests nothing.
1. What have Mengmeng’s parents offered?
Look at Mengmeng’s first message.
Look for 首付.
我爸爸妈妈想帮我付首付
2. Why is Mengmeng hesitating?
Look at her second message.
Look for 一半.
差不多是我工资的一半
3. What does rent buy, according to Jiahui?
Jiahui answers the parents’ argument.
Look for 换来.
租房的钱换来的是自由和灵活
4. What is Mengmeng unsure about?
Jiahui names the key question, then Mengmeng answers it.
Look for 多久.
关键是你自己打算在这个城市待多久
5. What does Jiahui suggest?
Look at Jiahui’s second-to-last message.
Look for 建议.
你可以再租两年，同时存一点儿钱