英文外刊精读笔记（写作向）2

反正也没人看，干脆把专栏当笔记算了。记录些看外刊时候觉得对提高写作水平有用的东西。不提供翻译和生词解释什么的。内容自己看，我尽量选可能用得上的主题。每次就一段，所以我可能会一天发好几篇。可以用碎片时间一次性看完，不用收藏夹吃灰。

That's the only way to ensure that history doesn't repeat itself.

History repeats itself 历史重演

When ETFs get too cute, things can get too ugly.

Things get ugly 事情变得糟糕，形势不妙

Zillow Group's exit from the iBuying business last month was a wrecking ball for the other companies in this new industry, which make online, all-cash purchases of homes by the thousands.

Wrecking ball 破拆房屋用的那种吊起来的破碎球、落锤。用来比喻会带来巨大影响（一石激起千层浪）

All-cash purchases 无贷款，全现款购买（住房）

The surrender of Zillow--after 3 years of effort, and write-offs exceeding a half-billion dollars--raised the question of whether anyone can make money in digital home buying.

Write-off 坏账冲销、减记、白忙活

Raise the question of 引出、带来问题，令人不禁想问

Real estate is less liquid and more volatile, a worry to anyone whose memory extends back to 2008.

能回想起2008年发生过什么事的人都会对它心怀忧虑。

The secret sauce of this model will be in the contribution margin.

秘诀、法宝、秘密武器