[쇼핑/선물/구매] (EE-442) 바가지 요금 (Price Gouging)

[Write 2 Speak]

Pedro: Why are you changing the prices on all of those items in the store?

Elisa: Haven’t you heard? There’s a hurricane coming. People will be stocking up on basic necessities.
* stock up (on ~) = (~을) 비축하다/ basic necessities = 기본적 필수품

Pedro: I know that, but that still doesn’t explain why you’ve decided to jack up prices.
* jack up = (특히 가격을) 대폭 인상하다

Elisa: There’s nothing wrong with taking advantage of a spike in demand during emergency situations.
We’re in business to make money.
* take advantage of ~ = ~을 이용하다; ~을 기회로 활용하다/ spike = 급등, 급증/ demand = 수요

Pedro: That’s price gouging and you know it. There are laws against that. And plus, we shouldn’t
be exploiting people’s fear.
* price gouging = 바가지 요금/ exploit = (부당하게) 이용하다

Elisa: I’m not responsible for that hurricane and I didn’t tell people to hoard. I’m not hiking prices
so high that people can’t afford it. I’m just increasing them to discourage hoarding, that’s all.
* hoard = (특히 비밀리에 많은 돈・음식・귀중품 등을) 비축[저장]하다/ hike = 대폭 인상하다/ discourage = (무엇을 어렵게 만들거나 반대하여) 막다[말리다]   

Pedro: I don’t know. It still doesn’t feel right. It feels like we’re profiteering.
* profiteer = (물자 부족을 이용하여) 폭리를 취하다

Elisa: No, we’re not. We’re making a sound business decision. Hey, where are you going with those?
* sound = 견실한, 믿을 만한, 타당한

Pedro: I’m putting some of these items in the back to reserve for people who can’t afford your new prices,
the poorest and the most vulnerable in our community.
* reserve = (자리 등을) 따로 잡아[남겨] 두다; (판단 등을) 보류[유보]하다/ vulnerable = 취약한, 연약한 

Elisa: You’re not suggesting we give those items away!
* give ~ away = ~을 선물로 주다[기부하다]

Pedro: You’ll thank me later for helping you to assuage your guilty conscience.
* assuage = (안 좋은 감정을) 누그러뜨리다[달래다]/ guilty conscience = 죄책감, 양심의 가책  

Elisa: Hmph!

Price Gouging - WTS.mp3