【新唐人2011年11月20日訊】【看新聞學英語】

Home Prices Falling in China’s Top Cities

中國主要城市房價下跌

By Daniel Chen, David Lee

【新聞關鍵字】

1. Lending [ˋlɛndɪŋ] n. 借貸

2. Circumstantial evidence ph. 旁證；間接證據

3. Slash [slæʃ] v. 大幅削減

4. Outlet [ˋaʊt͵lɛt] n. 商店

5. Lay off ph. 解雇

6. As a whole ph. 整體看來

7. Average person ph. 一般人

The Chinese regime has restricted bank lending and has put limits on the number of homes people can buy. It’s an effort to cool what many believe is a property bubble. But there are fears prices could fall too fast, hitting economic growth.

中國政權已開始限制銀行貸款，以及人民可以購買的住宅數量。這麼做是為了冷卻許多人認為的樓市泡沫。但也有人擔心價格可能因此下跌過快，衝擊經濟成長。

Weekly data released on Monday showed house prices were flat, or falling, in China’s most popular cities. It adds to circumstantial evidence that developers are slashing prices to clear their stock.

週一公佈的每週數據，顯示中國主要城市的房價持平或下降。這從旁證明了開發商正大幅降價以出清空屋。

State media reported broker Centaline Property Agency Limited said last week it would close 60 outlets and lay off 1000 workers, while Century21 Real Estate closed 34 outlets in the first two quarters of the year.

官方媒體報導，經紀公司中原地產代理有限公司上週表示，將關閉60間門市、裁撤1000名員工，而二十一世紀房地產已在今年前兩季關閉了34間門市。

Property sales volumes on a sales website fell 17 percent between September and October, state media reported.

官方媒體報導表示，九月和十月間，地產銷售網站上的銷售量下降了17％。

[Mr. He, Shanghai Real Estate Broker]:

“In Shanghai’s Jiading district, only a month after buying an apartment, the price could fall [about 50 to 60-thousand dollars]. Recently in the market as a whole, buyers may be slowing down to see which way the wind blows.”

上海房產經紀人何先生說：「在上海嘉定區，購買公寓一個月後，價格可能就會下降（約 5至6萬元）。最近市場在整體來看，買家可能會放慢腳步，先觀望風向。」

Experts said housing had become too expensive for most people to afford.

專家表示，房屋已變得過於昂貴，讓大多數人買不起。

[Liu Kaiming, Head of The Institute of Contemporary Observation]:

“The income of many people in Shenzhen is only about [300 dollars] a month. If they don’t eat or drink, it will take them a year’s income to buy [10 square feet] of an apartment. It will take them 100 years to buy a set of rooms. The average person can’t afford to buy an apartment even after working for a lifetime.”

當代社會觀察研究所所長劉開明說：「在深圳很多人的月收入只有約300元。如果他們不吃不喝，一年的收入才能買到10平方尺的公寓。而這得要100年才能買一套房間。就算工作一輩子，一般人也買不起公寓。」

Chinese leader Wen Jiabao said on Sunday the policies directed at the property market would remain until prices fell to a reasonable level.

中國領導人溫家寶說，上週日針對樓市的政策將繼續，直到價格降至合理的水平。

本則影音新聞出處：新唐人電視台英語新聞

http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_business/2011-11-09/home-prices-falling-in-china-s-top-cities.html

本專欄由前衛英語李德良老師主編 www.davidlee.url.tw

【佳句精選】

Buyers may be slowing down to see which way the wind blows.

買家可能會放慢腳步，先觀望風向。

【每日一句】

Developers are slashing prices.

開發商正大幅降價。