(单词翻译:单击)
听力原稿
Now, the Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
The white swan – with its long, graceful neck – is among the most beautiful of birds. The swan is mostly silent through its life. It floats quietly on the water, unable to sing sweet songs like most other birds.
In ancient times, however, people believed that the swan was given a special gift of song at the end of its life. They believed a swan sings a most beautiful song...just before it dies.
The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates talked of this two thousand three hundred years ago. Socrates explained that the swan was singing because it was happy. The bird was happy because it was going to serve the Greek God Apollo. Swans were holy to Apollo, the god of poetry and song.
The story of the swan’s last song found a place in the works of other writers, including the early English writers Chaucer and Shakespeare.
And, the expression swan song has long been a part of the English language. At first, swan song meant the last work of a poet, musician or writer. Now, it means the final effort of any person. Someone’s swan song usually is also considered that person’s finest work.
A political expression with a similar meaning is the last hurrah. The expression may be used to describe a politician’s last campaign, his final attempt to win the cheers and votes of the people. The last hurrah also can mean the last acts of a politician, before his term in office ends.
Writer Edwin O’Connor made the expression popular in nineteen fifty-six. He wrote a book about the final years in the political life of a long-time mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. He called his book, The Last Hurrah.
Some language experts say the expression came from a name given to noisy supporters of Andrew Jackson...America’s seventh president. They cheered hurrah so loudly for Andy Jackson during his presidential campaign that they became known as the hurrah boys.
Jackson’s hurrah boys also played a part in the election to choose the next president. Jackson’s choice was his vice president, Martin VanBuren.
A newspaper of the time reported that VanBuren was elected president, in its words: "...by the hurrah boys, and those who knew just enough to shout hurrah for Jackson." So, President Jackson really heard his last hurrahs in the campaign of another candidate, the man who would replace him in the White House.
听力文本来源于51VOA.
参考译文
现在大家收听的是美国之音慢速英语词汇典故节目。
白天鹅以其修长而优雅的颈部而被公认为最美鸟类之一。天鹅的一生都安安静静的，静雅地浮游在水面，而不会像大多数其它鸟类大唱特唱求爱蜜曲。
然而，古时的人们相信天鹅在生命的最后会突然具有一种特殊的歌唱才华，认为天鹅生命衰亡之际会唱出最优美的歌声。
两千三百年前古希腊哲学家苏格拉底就曾论及此事，他解释道天鹅突然引吭绝唱是因为它们感到幸福，因为它们即将去侍奉希腊神阿波罗。天鹅归属于诗歌之神阿波罗。
人们在其他作家的作品中也可以读到关于天鹅最后之歌的故事，包括英国早期作家乔叟以及莎士比亚。
英语中历来有天鹅之歌、绝唱（swan song）这一词语。最初，绝唱用来指诗人、音乐家或者作家绝笔之著。现在，它可以指代任何人最后的成绩。某个人的“绝唱”通常也被认为是这个人最杰出的作品。
一个政治措辞最后一搏（last hurrah）与这个词有异曲同工之妙，可用于表述政治家最后一次竞选、为赢得掌声和选票的最终努力，还可于意指政治家任期结束前最后的任何举措。
1956年，作家埃德温•奥康纳使得这一表达得以广泛流行。他写了一本书，记录了长期作为马萨诸塞州波士顿市市长最后的政治生涯。这本书的书名就是《最后的欢呼》。
一些语言专家认为，这一表达源于对人们对美国第7任总统安德鲁•杰克逊的喧闹支持者的称呼。他们在杰克逊总统竞选期间大声欢呼喝彩，因此被称为“欢呼者”。
杰克逊的“欢呼者”在下任总统的选举中也发挥了作用。杰克逊选择副手--马丁•范布伦作为他的下任总统。
当时的一家报纸在报道范布伦获选时这么写道：“... 范布伦通过“欢呼者”以及那些就想为杰克逊欢呼的人（成功当选总统）。” 杰克逊总统确实是在另一位候选人的竞选中听到了对他的最后欢呼声，而这位候选人将取代他入主白宫。
