Lois is browsing around a used-car dealership in Columbia, South Carolina when Murray, the dealer, approaches her.
M:That coupe's a beauty, isn't it? Forty percent cheaper than the sticker price, and only two years old. Low mileage, too.
L:Hmm ... it is well below the industry standard of twelve thousand miles per year. Could I have the original owner's phone number, so I can checksintosthe car's history?
M:I'm afraid you can't. We have a confidentiality agreement.
L:How about written documentation of the car's service and repair history?
M:Ah ... we don't have it here. This car camesintosour Charleston lot.
L:Wasn't Charleston severely flooded this spring?
M:Yeah. ... Oh, you think I'm trying to sell you a flood-damaged car?
L:It does smell rather musty. Can my mechanic check it out?
M:Er ... we have our own mechanic, ma'am. He'll tell you it's a good car.
L:I'm sure he will.
M:I can come down on the price a little, if that's what you want. And if you pay an extra seven hundred dollars, we can give you full dealer-certification.
L:But a two-year-old car should still be under the manufacturer's warranty. Forget it. The deal's gone sour. I know a lemon when I see one!
--- by Charles Yonts
Lemon Aid：精明選購(gòu)二手車(chē)
洛伊斯正在南卡羅萊納州哥倫比亞市的二手車(chē)市場(chǎng)四處看。這時(shí)銷(xiāo)售員默里走過(guò)來(lái)。
默里：那輛雙門(mén)車(chē)真美，是吧？比標(biāo)價(jià)還要便宜四成而且還只是兩年車(chē)。里程數(shù)也低。
洛伊斯：嗯……那比這行的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)每年1，200英里低很多。我可不可以要原車(chē)主的電話(huà)，好查一下這輛車(chē)的記錄？
默里：恐怕不行。我們有保密協(xié)議。
洛伊斯：那么有關(guān)這輛車(chē)的服務(wù)和維修記錄的書(shū)面文件呢?
默里：啊……我們手邊沒(méi)有。這輛車(chē)是進(jìn)到我們?cè)诓闋査诡D的車(chē)場(chǎng)的。
洛伊斯：查爾斯頓今年春天水災(zāi)不是很?chē)?yán)重嗎？
默里：是啊?！?，你以為我想賣(mài)給你一輛被洪水泡過(guò)的車(chē)嗎？
洛伊斯：它聞起來(lái)霉味的確很重。可以讓我的機(jī)械師檢查一下嗎？
默里：呃……我們有專(zhuān)門(mén)的機(jī)械師，小姐。他會(huì)告訴你那是一輛好車(chē)。
洛伊斯：我相信他一定會(huì)這么說(shuō)。
默里：如果你真想要這部車(chē)，我可以降一點(diǎn)價(jià)。要是你再多付700元，我們就可以給你完整的經(jīng)銷(xiāo)商開(kāi)出的品質(zhì)保證書(shū)。
洛伊斯：但是一輛出廠兩年的車(chē)子應(yīng)該還在保修期內(nèi)。算了。這筆買(mǎi)賣(mài)不行。對(duì)沒(méi)有價(jià)值的東西，我一眼就看得出來(lái)！