第1546期:The pros and cons of flatsharing

Grimy coffee cups, dirty clothes all over the floor and uninvited guests – and they're not even yours! These are the joys of flatsharing. So why do we do it? Well, for many, buying a house or flat is just too expensive. In fact, according to the Guardian, the total amount of rent paid by tenants in Britain in 2017 rose to more than £50 billion – more than double the level of ten years prior. And for those who do, many choose to share the place with strangers to save money. You rent a room and share the kitchen, living room and bathroom, for example. But apart from the financial saving, what are the pros and cons of flatsharing?肮脏的咖啡杯、满地的脏衣服和不速之客——他们甚至都不是你的！这些就是合租的乐趣。那么我们为什么要这样做呢？嗯，对许多人来说，买房子或公寓太贵了。事实上，据《卫报》报道，2017 年英国租户支付的租金总额上升至超过 500 亿英镑，是十年前水平的两倍多。对于那些这样做的人来说，许多人选择与陌生人分享这个地方以省钱。例如，您租一个房间并共享厨房、客厅和浴室。但是除了经济上的节省之外，合租的利弊是什么？The pros? Well, living with others means that you can pool your resources. You may not even need to ask; just leave an IOU. Then there's the fact that you gain access to their social networks. Living with people means meeting their friends, who may then become your friends. And don't forget the networking opportunity. Lastly, there's the emotional support. Due to the nature of communal living, you're not just dealing with your own life events, but other people's too. Most likely, there'll always be a shoulder to cry on when you need one. But don't forget to reciprocate when they need it.优点？好吧，与他人生活意味着您可以集中资源。你甚至可能不需要问；只留下一张借条。然后是您可以访问他们的社交网络的事实。与人一起生活意味着结识他们的朋友，他们可能会成为你的朋友。并且不要忘记网络机会。最后是情感支持。由于公共生活的性质，您不仅要处理自己的生活事件，还要处理其他人的生活事件。最有可能的是，当您需要一个肩膀时，总会有一个可以哭泣的肩膀。但别忘了在他们需要的时候给予回报。Now the cons. There's limited storage space, for a start. In most cases, the kitchen, for example, will be divvied up into designated shelves and areas. Worse, many people may not respect these boundaries. You might well come home to find someone's pilfered your milk or shower gel, and no one owns up to it. Furthermore, despite the rota showing that cleaning is everyone's responsibility, some people don't like to pull their weight. And then there are the unexpected guests. If a flatmate forgets to keep you in the loop about a party they're throwing and all you want is a quiet night, it can be challenging.现在的缺点。首先，存储空间有限。例如，在大多数情况下，厨房将被划分为指定的架子和区域。更糟糕的是，许多人可能不尊重这些界限。你很可能回家后发现有人偷了你的牛奶或沐浴露，但没有人承认。此外，尽管轮班表显示清洁是每个人的责任，但有些人不喜欢自力更生。然后是不速之客。如果室友忘记让你了解他们正在举办的派对，而你想要的只是一个安静的夜晚，那可能会很有挑战性。Whether the pros outweigh the cons is something everyone must decide for themselves. Some people prefer their own space, while others thrive in a social environment. Regardless, for many who lack the means to buy their own property, a flatshare is, and will continue to be, a necessity.利大于弊是每个人都必须自己决定的事情。有些人更喜欢自己的空间，而另一些人则在社交环境中茁壮成长。无论如何，对于许多缺乏购买自己房产的手段的人来说，合租是并将继续是必要的。词汇表house 房子，住宅flat 公寓，单元房rent 房租tenant 租户，租房客IOU 欠条 （I owe you 的缩写）social network （某人的）社交网络networking 建立人脉emotional support 精神支持communal 共享的，公共的a shoulder to cry on 可以倾诉的对象reciprocate 回报storage space 存储空间divvy up 分享designated 指定的pilfer 小偷小摸own up 承认，坦白pull your weight 献上自己的力量flatmate 合住一套公寓的人keep you in the loop 给你及时提供消息property 房产