Decisions, decisions! Every day we come across situations in which we have to make a choice. Economists have long realized that when we make decisions, we are considering our unlimited wants against limited time, money, services, and opportunities. Every time we choose, we weigh the cost of one item we can have now against something else we have to give up. Economists call this “opportunity cost,” and you don’t have to have a PhD in economics to benefit from knowing how the concept works and how it can improve our life choices.
economist [ iˈkɑnəmɪst ] n. 經濟學家 unlimited [ ʌnˈlɪmɪtɪd ] a. 無限制的 limited [ ˈlɪmɪtɪd ] a. 有限的 a PhD博士學位
與「費用」相關的單字
cost [ kɔst ] n. 成本；費用
price [ praɪs ] n. 價格，價錢（價錢的昂貴或便宜要用 high 或 low 來修飾）
value [ ˈvælju ] n. 價值
charge [ tʃɑrdʒ ] n.（尤指對某一服務或活動的）費用∕收費
fee [ fi ] n. 費用（指付給專業人員辦事的手續費、醫師的診察費、律師的辯護費，或其他的報名費、入場費等）
fare [ fɛr ] n.（乘坐公車、計程車、火車、船隻、飛機等的）交通費
rent [ rɛnt ] n. 租金
rate [ ret ] n.（依標準級距的）費用∕價格
toll [ tol ] n.（常用來指道路、橋梁等的）通行費
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A simple choice between buying a dinner in an expensive restaurant and at a more affordable food stand can illustrate opportunity cost. The money you spend on the high-class restaurant meal is certain to be more than one at a food stand. If you choose the restaurant, you will enjoy a good meal and the enjoyment of fine dining. However, the extra money spent on that meal compared to the food from the food stand will be lost. You sacrifice a cheaper meal for a costlier one. This is an example of “opportunity cost.”
high-class [ ˌhaɪˈklæs ] a. 高級的 sacrifice [ ˈsækrəˌfaɪs ] vt. & n. 犧牲 at the sacrifice of...犧牲⋯⋯ costly [ ˈkɔstlɪ ] a. 昂貴的
Should you go to college? That would take at least four years plus the expenses for tuition, books, and other supplies. During that time you would probably not be earning any money. The lost opportunity of earning money is your opportunity cost of obtaining a college degree. Before you make your next purchase, whether for a house, car, college degree, or just a coffee, consider what you must forgo to make that purchase.
