新标准大学英语四综合教程Unit-课文及翻译.docx

If you ask me1 If you ask me, real life is not all its crack?ed up to be. Twelv?e years? at schoo?l and three? years? at unive?rsity?, teach?ers bangi?ng on about? oppor?tunit?ies in the big wide world? beyon?d our shelt?ered life as stude?nts, and what do I find?2 Try as I might? to stay cheer?ful, all I ever get is hassl?e, somet?imes with peopl?e (espec?ially? boys, god, when will they grow up?), but mostl?y with money?. Its just so expen?sive out here! Every?one wants? a slice? off you. The Inlan?d Reven?ue wants? to deduc?t incom?e tax, the bank manag?er wants? repay?ments? on my stude?nt loan, the landl?ord wants? the rent, gas, water?, elect?ricit?y and my mobil?e bills? keep comin?g in, and all thats befor?e Ive had anyth?ing to eat. And then some brigh?t spark? calls? me out of the blue, askin?g if Im inter?ested? in buyin?g a pensi?on. At this rate, I wont even last till the end of the year, let alone? till Im 60. 3 I didnt reall?y want to go out to work just yet. I mean, I wasnt a dropo?ut and I knew Id have to some day. Accor?ding to any numbe?r of peopl?e lifes not a picni?c, there?s no such thing? as a free lunch?. But given? that Id got a good degre?e, I thoug?ht Id like to go on to get my maste?rs. Actua?lly, I had my eye on the cours?e at the Londo?n Schoo?l of Econo?mics (LSE) . Top schoo?l, very good for my CV. But I talke?d to my mum about? it, and she said she could?nt affor?d to suppo?rt me any more. I kind of under?stand? it, and not just becau?se my degre?e is in econo?mics. Shed worke?d hard for 15 years? to give me an educa?tion. My dad wasnt aroun?d most of the time, and when he was, he didnt have any money?. Hed spent? it gambl?ing on the dogs or down the pub. So it came to the point? when I just agree?d with Mum, and bowed? mysel?f towar?ds the inevi?table?. 4 If you ask me, and despi?te every?thing? you hear, fortu?natel?y there? are some reall?y nice peopl?e out there?. Take Mike, for examp?le. When I left unive?rsity?, wh