金融英语泛读:分期付款购物

Buying on the Installment Plan分期付款购物

In Western countries people have been using the installment plan since the first half of the twentieth century. Today, a large proportion of all the families in Great Britain buy furniture, household goods and cars by installment.In the U.S.A.，the proportion is much higher than in Great Britain, and people there spend over 10 percent of their income on the installment plan.

The goods bought on the installment plan are, in almost every case, goods that will last-radios, television sets, washing machines, refrigerators, motorcars, motorcycles, and furniture.

The price of an article bought in this way is always higher than the price that would be paid by cash. There is a charge for interest.The buyer pays a proportion, perhaps one-quarter or one-third, of the price as a down payment when the goods are delivered to him.He then makes regular payments, weekly or monthly, until the full price is paid up.The legal ownership of the goods remains with the seller until the final payment has been made.

Installment buying has advantages and disadvantages. In the past, it was easy to find couples who had been saving for years in order to furnish their homes.Now, they don't have to do that.Installment buying can help couples with small incomes to furnish their homes and start housekeeping.It increases the demand for goods, and in this way helps business and employment.

There is, however, the danger that when business is bad, installment buying may end suddenly, making business much worse. This may result in a great increase in unemployment.If the people on the installment plan lost their jobs, they would probably not be able to make their payments.If great numbers of people are not able to pay their installment debts, there is a possibility that businessmen cannot collect their debts and will therefore lose money.If businessmen lose money or fail to make a satisfactory profit, the possibilities of having a depression are increased.This is why, in some countries, the government controls the installment plan by fixing the proportion of the down payment and the succeeding installments to discourage people from buying more than they can pay for on the installment plan.

在西方国家，人们从20世纪上半叶以来就一直用分期付款的方式购物。今天，绝大部分的英国家庭用分期付款的方式购买家具、家用电器和汽车。在美国，通过分期付款购物的比例高于英国。美国人将其百分之十以上的收入用于分期付款购物。采用分期付款方式购买的商品，几乎都是耐用品，比如收音机、电视机、洗衣机、冰箱、汽车、摩托车和家具。

用这种办法购买的物品，其价格比用现金购买的价格要高，因为要加收利息。购买者在拿到货物之前需支付一定比例的货款——四分之一或三分之一作为订金，以后按期付款，如按周或按月付款，直到付清全部货款。在付清全部货款前，货物的所有权归销售商。

分期付款购物有利有弊。过去，人们经常看到一对夫妇为了购买家具布置房间，需要储蓄好多年。现在，他们不用这样了。分期付款购物可以帮助收入较低的家庭购买家具布置房间，维持家计。这么做的结果就是增加了商品需求，并且有助于企业发展和提高就业水平。

然而，当企业不景气时，也会伴随风险出现：分期付款购物会突然中断，使企业难以为继。这可能导致失业率大幅上升。如果购物者失业，也就失去了支付货款的能力。如果有许多购物者无力偿付货款，就可能出现商家收不回债务，导致亏损的情况发生。如果商家亏损或赚不到可观的利润，市面就会更加萧条。这也就是为什么在一些国家，政府会通过规定首付款与以后各期付款的比例来控制分期付款，并劝导人们在分期付款购物时不要超出自己的支付能力。

实战提升

核心单词

installment[in'stɔ:lmənt]n.分期付款；分期交付

furniture['fə:nitʃə]n.设施，设备

interest['intrist]n.利息

profit['prɔfit]n.利润，盈利；收益

财经知识一点通

分期付款（pay by installments）

大多用在一些生产周期长、成本费用高的产品交易上。如成套设备、大型交通工具、重型机械设备等产品的出口。分期付款的做法是在进出口合同签订后，进口人先交付一小部分货款作为订金给出口人，其余大部分货款在产品部分或全部生产完毕装船付运后，或在货到安装、试车、投入以及质量保证期满时分期偿付。

债券（bonds）

是政府、金融机构、工商企业等机构直接向社会借债筹措资金时，向投资者发行，承诺按一定利率支付利息并按约定条件偿还本金的债权债务凭证。债券的本质是债权的证明书，具有法律效力。

翻译练习

Today, a large proportion of all the families in Great Britain buy furniture, household goods and cars by installment.

He then makes regular payments, weekly or monthly, until the full price is paid up.

lf the people on the installment plan lost their jobs, they would probably not be able to make their payments.