英语听力文摘 English Digest 107、当铺

　　Lack of money can cause big financial problems for people. While the banks are closing down branches in city centres, we’ve seen a growth of pawnbrokers² in the high streets.Paul Atkin, the director of online pawnbroker¹ Borro. Here he explains the history behind this industry.
"Pawnbroking⁴ is the oldest form of lending, it’s been around for a few thousand years, its roots are actually in ancient China. Queen Isabella of Spain, for example, pawned⁵ all of her jewellery to enable Christopher Columbus to go and discover the new world.Basically someone will come to us with something of value, and they’ll basically use that as security to get a loan, we will do an valuation on the valuable they bring to us and we will lend them anywhere between 50 to 60 percent of the value, and they come back six months later and pay off the loan. "
Paul thinks the rapid growth of pawnbrokers in this country is because more British people are having cash flow problems.
"Most of us have cash flow issues at certain points in the year. Run up to Christmas, going on holiday, lumpy bills to pay. We are as a society in the UK, people who typically spend at least as much as we earn."
Kalina Kamara is a care worker and she tells us why she prefers prawn⁶ brokers³ to banks.
"The bank takes too long. The loan sharks, you always get horrible stories, bullying⁷ or whatever. At least when you come here, they’re polite and they’re kind and they give you a choice. I’m a single mum raising four children on my own, it works really well for me. Maybe not for everyone, but my bills get paid and my children get fed. "
pawnbroker:当铺老板
lumpy bill: 很多账单
shark:鲨鱼，诈骗者

1 pawnbroker   

n.典当商，当铺老板

参考例句：

• He redeemed his watch from the pawnbroker's.他从当铺赎回手表。
• She could get fifty dollars for those if she went to the pawnbroker's.要是她去当铺当了这些东西，她是可以筹出50块钱的。

2 pawnbrokers   

n.当铺老板( pawnbroker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• To exploit this demand, pawnbrokers are shedding their dingy, Dickensian image. 为了开拓市场，典当商人正在试图摆脱他们过去阴暗的狄更斯时代的形象。 来自互联网
• Each state and territory has legislation that requires pawnbrokers to be licensed. 各个州和地区的法律都规定当铺老板必须取得特许执照。 来自互联网

3 brokers   

n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• The firm in question was Alsbery & Co., whiskey brokers. 那家公司叫阿尔斯伯里公司，经销威士忌。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• From time to time a telephone would ring in the brokers' offices. 那两排经纪人房间里不时响着叮令的电话。 来自子夜部分

4 pawnbroking   

n.典当业

参考例句：

5 pawned   

v.典当，抵押( pawn的过去式和过去分词 )；以（某事物）担保

参考例句：

• He pawned his gold watch to pay the rent. 他抵当了金表用以交租。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has redeemed her pawned jewellery. 她赎回了当掉的珠宝。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 prawn   

n.对虾，明虾

参考例句：

• I'm not very keen on fish, but prawn.我不是特别爱吃鱼，但爱吃对虾。
• Yesterday we ate prawn dish for lunch.昨天午餐我们吃了一盘对虾。

7 bullying   

v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈

参考例句：

• Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。
• All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》