谈谈股票吧（二）

    股市最红火的时候几乎是全民皆股，可自从去年调整印花税以来，股市一直是动荡不安，被套的股民数不胜数。他们见面最常聊的就是“你的股票怎么样了”？

    Jim: Speaking of losing money, have you heard from Billy lately? Kelly: Not a peep. I haven't seen him since we had dinner together last time. Jim: Same here. I know his stocks took a hit, though. Kelly: Is it happening all over again - you know, Billy, losing money? Jim: Well, I told him to invest in the HSI when it was above fifty-five hundred points. Kelly: Over five thousand? Now it's hovering² around four! Jim: Yeah, that's what worries me... for Billy's sake.

    Notes：

    1. 对话中Kelly 和Jim想起好长时间没有Billy的消息了。Hear from sb，这个词组表示“接到某人的来信，电话等”，也就是跟某人联系，有某人的消息，比如说，How often do you hear from your sister? 你多长时间收到你姐姐一次信？要跟hear of sb/sth区分开。Hear of sb表示“听说过或者知道某人某事物”，比如说，I've never heard of the place. 我从没听说过那个地方。

    2. Kelly说，Billy一点消息都没有。Not a peep. Peep这里的意思是“消息”，那么not a peep的意思就是说“连点消息都没有”。有人向你问起一个消失了很久的朋友时，你就可以用这句话回答，比如说：---Have you heard from Jimmy recently? --- Not a peep. ---最近有Jimmy的消息吗？---他一点消息也没有。Jim也是一样，他说，Same here. 我们也可以说，Same with me.

    3. 不过Jim知道Billy的股票跌的很惨，take a hit 这个词组的意思是“受到打击”。Kelly没想到Billy在股市上又赔钱了。Jim说他曾经告诉Billy在香港恒生指数还在5，500点以上的时候杀进。HSI 是Hang Seng Index的缩写，指香港恒生指数。

    4. 但是现在恒生指数还在4000点徘徊呢。Billy这次可是赔大了。Hover¹ around 这个词组表示“在附近盘旋，徘徊”，比如说，She's always hovering around the place annoying people. 她总是在周围转来转去打扰别人。He hovered³ around outside, too afraid to go in. 他在外面犹豫徘徊，不敢进去。

    5. 所以Jim很担心Billy，for one's sake，表示“因为某人的缘故”。