英语流利说 Level 6 Unit 1-4 Buying a House ？2

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Last week John got some bad news.

His company is downsizing and moving its head office to another city.

It's moving because it can no longer afford to do business where they are now.

Expenses are too high, especially salaries, so it's more difficult to compete with other companies.

In fact, several other companies will be moving out too.

Office space is expensive in the area, along with the cost of living for employees.

As a result, it's becoming more difficult to hire good employees.

Nobody wants to live there unless their salary can support a good standard of living.

（It's downsizing and relocating its headoffice to a less expensive area.）

With all of these changes, John thinks there's a good chance that he will be transferred to the new head office.

This could happen fairly soon.

If so, it would be foolish to buy a house at this time.

Linda still disagrees about buying a house, but she is willing to wait a year to see what happens.

She hopes that they won't have to move, but they may have to unless John is willing to change companies.

She would prefer not to move, because she doesn't want to lose her job.

Now they have to consider what they'll do if he's transferred.

John has to decide whether or not he should begin to look for a new company.

If he could find another job in the area, it would put less stress on his wife.

If they stay and can wait for a while, maybe housing prices will begin to come down.

If prices don't come down, then he and his wife will continue to disagree about buying a house.

Sooner or later they are going to have to make a decision and stop fighting about it.

（If they have to move，she will have to leave her job and look for a new one.）

（It will be foolish because there is a good chance that they will have to move fairly soon.）

（There is a good chance he will be transferred，so it would be foolish to buy a house at this time.）