SALESPERSON¹: May I help you, sir?
SIMON: Yes, I want to buy a VCR.
SALESPERSON: Well, we have many models to choose from here.
Do you have a particular brand you want?
SIMON: No. I only want it to be a very good one. The best.
It's a graduation gift for my son.
SALESPERSON: I see. And does your son have a VCR now?
SIMON: Well, he uses our VCR at home.
But he's going to university in the Fall, so he needs his own VCR.
SALESPERSON: Does he watch a lot of movies?
SIMON: Yes, he sure does.
In fact, he wants to become a movie producer himself.
He wants to study film at the university.
SALESPERSON: I would like to make a suggestion then, sir.
SIMON: Please do.
SALESPERSON: If your son wants to study film,
probably he will start to collect movies himself.
SIMON: Yes, I know that. So I want him to have a good VCR to use.
SALESPERSON: May I suggest you consider buying him a DVD player instead?
SIMON: DVD? Isn't that like a CD?
SALESPERSON: It is very similar. The technology is the same.
SIMON: Why is a DVD better than a VCR?
SALESPERSON: For one thing, sir, the quality of the image is usually better.
That's because it's digital².
SIMON: But isn't it more expensive?
SALESPERSON: It is a little more expensive, sir.
But there is one important advantage which your son might appreciate.
SIMON: What's that?
SALESPERSON: If your son starts to buy video tapes, he can't keep them very long.
SIMON: And why not?
SALESPERSON: Video tape breaks down after fifteen years.
So if he collects a lot of tapes, after fifteen years they will all start to rot³.
SIMON: Hmm. Is that true?
SALESPERSON: Yes, it is, sir.
SIMON: Well. And what about DVDs?
SALESPERSON: This is the excellent thing about DVDs.
If your son starts to collect DVDs, they will last forever. They will never rot.
SIMON: Hmm. He might really appreciate that.
I know he will start to collect movies at school. Especially if he studies film.
SALESPERSON: So let me show you some of our DVD players.
In my opinion, DVD is the wave of the future.
SIMON: Alright, please show me what you have.

店员：我能为你效劳吗，先生？
赛门：我想买一台录放机。
店员：我们有很多款式可以选择。
你有指定的牌子吗？
赛门：我只要一台很好的，最好的。
这是给我儿子的毕业礼物。
店员：这样啊。你儿子现在有录放机吗？
赛门：他现在是用家里的录放机。
但是他秋季就要上大学了，所以需要一台自己的录放机。
店员：他常看电影吗？
赛门：时常。
事实上，他就想要当一个电影制作人。
他打算在大学里攻读电影。
店员：那我给你一个建议，先生。
赛门：请说。
店员：如果你儿子想学电影，
也许他就要开始自己收集电影。
赛门：唔，我知道。所以我希望他有一台好的录放机。
店员：不如买一台 DVD 给他？
赛门：是不是像 CD 一样？
店员：很类似。它们的技术是一样的。
赛门：为什么 DVD 比 VCR 好呢？
店员：影像的品质会比较好。
因为它是数字化的。
赛门：不是比较贵吗？
店员：是贵一点，先生。
但是有一个优点是你儿子会喜欢的。
赛门：是什么呢？
店员：如果你儿子开始买录像带，它们是不能保存很久的。
赛门：为什么不能呢？
店员：录像带只能保存 15 年。
假使他收集很多录像带，15 年后它们就开始变质。
赛门：唔，是真的吗？
店员：是的，先生。
赛门：那么 DVD 呢？
店员：这就是 DVD 的好处。
如果你儿子开始收集 DVD 的话，就能保存很久，因为它们不会变质。
赛门：唔，他可能会喜欢这一点。
我知道他到学校后就要开始收集电影，尤其是如果他攻读电影。
店员：让我向你介绍一些我们的 DVD 放影机。
我认为 DVD 将会流行起来。
赛门：好的，让我看看你们有些什么