終結一分硬幣：英語精讀講義

The story of the penny starts in the first US Mint,

一美分硬幣的故事始於第一家美國鑄幣局，

founded in 1792,

該局成立於1792年，

which produced these 1 cent pieces

它製造了這些1美分硬幣，

along with other coins including

以及其他硬幣，包括

the quarter, dime, half dime,

25美分、10美分、5美分，

and a mystery coin that we'll get back to later. 片語動詞

還有一種我們稍後會提到的神秘硬幣。

These pennies of the new republic were born 慣用語

新共和國的這些一美分硬幣

of 100% pure copper,

由100%純銅製成，

but two forces conspired 慣用語

但兩股力量交織，

to ensure this wouldn't remain the case for long. 片語搭配

使得這種情況沒能持續多久。

The value of copper went up, 片語動詞

銅的價值上漲，

and because of inflation,

而且由於通貨膨脹，

the buying power of the penny went down.

一美分的購買力下降了。

This caused the Mint to reduce the amount of copper in pennies, 文法

這使得鑄幣局不得不減少一美分中的含銅量，

first from 100% to 95%

首先從100%降至95%，

and then to only 5% copper and 95% zinc.

然後降至僅含5%的銅和95%的鋅。

Despite this debasement in 2006,

儘管成色下降，但在2006年，

the value of the metal in older pennies rose above 1 cent,

舊一美分硬幣中的金屬價值漲到了1美分以上，

and suddenly they were worth more dead than alive, 慣用語

突然之間，它們毀掉後比原本更值錢了，

so people melted them to sell the raw copper for profit.

於是人們將其熔化，出售未加工的銅來牟利。

In a rational, efficient world,

在一個理性、高效的世界裡，

the story of the penny would have ended here

一美分硬幣的故事本該在這裡結束，

with the government realizing that they weren't worth minting

政府意識到它們不值得被鑄造，

and happy that its citizens were removing them from circulation. 片語搭配

並樂見公民將它們從流通中移除。

But instead, 表達脈絡

但相反，

the government made melting US coins illegal

政府規定熔化美國硬幣是違法的，

and continues to manufacture 4 million pennies each year,

並繼續每年製造400萬枚一美分硬幣，

which is idiotic as it costs the US Mint 文法

這種行為十分愚蠢，因為美國鑄幣局

about 1.8 cents to make each 1 cent penny.

製造一枚1美分的硬幣大約要花1.8美分。

But even if pennies were minted from something 文法

但即使一美分是用某種

more representative of their true value,

更能代表其真實價值的東西來鑄造，

like plastic or lint,

比如塑膠或線頭，

it wouldn't fix the fundamental problem

也無法解決這個根本問題：

that pennies are bad for people and the economy.

一美分對人們和經濟都不利。

Here's why. 表達脈絡

理由如下。

The purpose of physical cash money

實體現金存在的目的

is to make it easy to transact 文法

是為了方便交易

the everyday business of buying stuff.

日常的購物活動。

A shopkeeper has stuff

店主有商品，

and you want that stuff.

而你想要那件商品。

Rather than bartering like savages for it, 文法

你們不需像野蠻人那樣以物易物，

you use cash as a medium of exchange. 用詞

而是使用現金作為交換媒介。

To get the price just right,

為了使價格恰到好處，

the cash must be divisible into pieces

現金必須能被分割成小額，

so that you don't overpay. 文法

這樣你才不會多付錢。

But it isn't divided forever

但它不能無限分割下去，

because at some point the value it represents

因為到了某個程度，它代表的價值

is too small to buy anything or the bother with,

會小到買不到任何東西，甚至不值得麻煩，

which brings us back to the penny. 表達脈絡

這就讓我們回到了關於一美分的話題。

In the olden days,

在過去，

pennies could actually buy stuff,

一美分確實能買到東西，

but no more.

但現在不行了。

Now,

現在，

if you want to spend pennies,

如果你想花掉一美分，

you're going to have to put in some effort. 片語搭配

你必須要費一番功夫。

For example,

例如，

try to pay for 20 bucks worth of groceries

試著用一美分硬幣去付20美元的雜貨錢，

with 2,000 pennies weighing 11 pounds

也就是用重達11磅的2000枚一美分硬幣，

and see how that works out. 語氣意圖

看看結果如何。

So you have to get rid of them using exact change. 片語動詞

所以你只能靠剛好湊足零錢來擺脫它們。

But because the United States doesn't include sales tax in prices, 文化背景

但是由於美國不像其他更文明的國家那樣，

unlike more civilized countries, 語氣意圖

價格是不含消費稅的，

and you can't multiply by 8.875% in your head,

而且你無法在腦子裡迅速乘以8.875%，

you can't get your change ready before you reach the register

所以你無法在走到收銀台前就把零錢準備好，

like a good Samaritan would. 文化背景

像個好心人那樣。

The pennies you inevitably fiddle with 用詞

當你得知商品真實價格後，

after discovering the true cost of your goods

你不可避免地翻找一美分硬幣的動作，

add 2 seconds to each cash transaction on average,

會使每筆現金交易平均增加2秒鐘，

which is less than the value of your time

這個時間是不值得的，

and the time of everyone behind you,

也是對排在你後面的人時間的浪費，

which is why most normal people don't bother messing with change 文法

這就是為什麼大多數正常人懶得去理會零錢，

and the usual penny-counting culprits

而那些平常數著一美分的罪魁禍首

are those with nothing better to occupy their day.

通常是那些一整天無所事事的人。

If you want to spend pennies

如果你想花掉一美分，

without being an inconsiderate jerk

又不想成為一個浪費別人時間的

who wastes other people's time,

不顧及他人的混蛋，

perhaps you can find a machine that will accept them.

也許你可以找台能接收它們的機器。

Good luck with that. 語氣意圖

祝你好運。

Vending machines won't take pennies,

自動販賣機不收一美分，

neither laundry machines nor toll booths

洗衣機不收，收費站不收，

or parking meters or anything else,

停車計時器或其他任何機器也都不收，

because pennies aren't worth the time and effort to count, 文法

因為一美分不值得花時間和精力去清點、

store, and transport them.

儲存和運輸。

In fact,

事實上，

there's only one machine that takes pennies,

只有一種機器收一美分，

Coinstar,

那就是 Coinstar。

a leech on the economy that eats 10% of your money 慣用語

這個經濟上的水蛭會吞掉你10%的錢，

while providing nothing in return

並且什麼回報都不提供，

except the ability to spend cash that was already yours.

除了讓你能夠花掉本就屬於你的現金。

The difficulty of spending pennies

花掉一美分的難度

is why they end up in jars, 片語動詞

解釋了為什麼它們最終被閒置在罐子裡，

dead to the economy after a short, useless life 慣用語

經歷短暫無用的生命後對經濟「死」去，

where they failed at their only job,

在這段生命中它們未能完成自己唯一的工作，

to facilitate exchange,

即促進交易，

and instead did the exact opposite

反而起了完全相反的作用，

by being a literal dead weight on every cash transaction.

在每一筆現金交易中成為了十足的「累贅」。

They must be eliminated.

它們必須被消滅。

But, you might think, 表達脈絡

但是，你可能會想，

won't prices rise and charities lose money without the penny?

如果沒有了一美分，物價不會上漲，慈善機構不會損失金錢嗎？

No.

不會。

New Zealand got rid of their 1 cent coin,

紐西蘭廢除了他們的1分硬幣，

as did Oz, 文法

澳洲也是，

Finland and the Netherlands ditched the 1 euro cent coin as well, 用詞

芬蘭和荷蘭同樣拋棄了1歐分硬幣，

though that might have been because of how absurdly small 文法

雖然那可能是因為1歐分硬幣小得離譜，

and frustrating the 1 euro cent is.

用起來令人煩躁。

These countries round to the nearest 5 cents

這些國家在現金交易時

for cash transactions,

捨入到最接近的5分，

and none of them saw prices rise 文法

他們中沒有哪個國家出現物價上漲

or charitable donations drop.

或者慈善捐款下降的情況。

And anyway,

無論如何，

the United States has already gone through this process before 片語動詞

美國以前也經歷過這個過程，

without trouble.

並且沒有遇到任何麻煩。

Remember the mystery coin from the beginning?

還記得開頭的那個神秘硬幣嗎？

That was the half cent.

那是半美分。

Seen one lately? 語氣意圖

最近見過嗎？

Of course, you haven't.

當然，你沒見過。

It was discontinued in 1857

它在1857年停產了，

for being worth too little. 文法

因為面值太小了。

But when the half-cent coin met its fate, 慣用語

但當半美分硬幣走向終結時，

it had more buying power than today's dime. 用詞

它的購買力比今天的10美分還要強。

So perhaps the list of modern coins to kill

所以也許需要廢除的現代硬幣清單

could be even larger.

可能還要更長。

There is one last irrational problem

在廢除一美分硬幣的問題上，還有一個

with getting rid of the penny.

非理性的問題。

Everybody loves Lincoln.

人人都愛林肯。

Well, almost everybody.

好吧，幾乎是人人。

After booting off Lady Liberty and the Chief, 文化背景

在把自由女神和酋長踢出局之後，

the US sure has Lincolnified the penny 用詞

美國確實把一美分硬幣「林肯化」得

within an inch of its life. 慣用語

無以復加。

But ditching the penny won't erase him from history.

但拋棄一美分硬幣不會把他從歷史中抹去。

Lincoln and his monument are still on the $5 bill,

林肯和林肯紀念堂仍然在5美元紙幣上，

which isn't going away.

它可不會消失。

And even if you think it's unpatriotic

即使你認為淘汰帶有總統頭像的硬幣

or disrespectful to retire presidential coinage,

是不愛國或不尊重的表現，

allow me to direct you to a little organization 語氣意圖

請允許我向你介紹一個小小組織，

known as the United States military,

叫做美國軍隊，

where in overseas bases,

在他們的海外基地，

they've already abolished the penny

他們早就廢除了一美分，

by automatically rounding to the nearest 5 cents. 文法

採用自動捨入到最接近的5美分的做法。

Sooner or later,

遲早，

even the most ardent Lincoln lovers

即使是最狂熱的林肯粉絲

will have to give up the penny.

也將不得不放棄一美分。

They cost more to make than they're worth, 文法

它們的製造成本高於其面值，

they waste people's time,

它們浪費人們的時間，

they don't work as money,

它們起不到錢的作用，

and because of inflation,

而且由於通貨膨脹，

they're less valuable every year,

它們每年都在貶值，

making all the other problems worse. 文法

讓所有其他問題變得更糟。

Sorry, Abe,

抱歉，亞伯（林肯），

but it's time to kill the penny. 文法

是時候終結一美分了。