(单词翻译:单击)
听力原稿
Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. We present more expressions about food. They are from Elenir Scardueli, a listener in Brazil.
My mother always told us there is no use crying over spilled milk. That means you should not get angry when something bad happens and cannot be changed. People said my mother was a good egg. She would always help anyone in need. We never had to walk on eggshells around her. We did not have to be careful about what we said or did because she never got angry at us. She also told us you have to break some eggs to make an omelet. This means you have to do what is necessary to move forward.
My mother believed you are what you eat. A good diet is important for good health. She would always give us nutritious food. She liked serving us meat and potatoes for dinner. Meat and potatoes can also mean the most important part of something. It describes someone who likes simple things. Here is another expression about meat: one man's meat is another man's poison. In other words, one person might like something very much while another person might hate the same thing.
My father was also a good and honest person. People said he was the salt of the earth. He would never pour salt on a wound, or make someone feel worse about something that was already a painful experience. However, sometimes he told us a story that seemed bigger than life. So we had to take it with a grain of salt. That is, we could not believe everything he told us.
My husband has a good job. He makes enough money to support our family. So we say he brings home the bacon. He can cut the mustard, or do what is expected of him at work. It is easy to find my husband in a crowd. He stands almost two meters tall. He is a tall drink of water.
I take the train to work. It is not a pleasant ride because the train can be full of people. It is so crowded that we are packed like sardines – just like small fish in a can.
My supervisor at work is sometimes out to lunch. She is out of touch and does not always know what is going on in our office. Yet she is right about one thing: there is no such thing as a free lunch. Something may appear to be free of charge, but there may be a hidden cost.
When we fail to see problems at work, my supervisor tells us to wake up and smell the coffee. We need to pay more attention and fix the problem.
I once made a big mistake at the office and felt foolish. I had egg on my face.
Over the weekend, my friend invited me to watch a football game on television. But I do not like football. It is not my cup of tea.
We hope this program has given you food for thought, that is, something to think about.
参考译文
这里是美国之音慢速英语词语典故节目。今天我们向您呈现更多由巴西听众Elenir Scardueli提供的食品表达方式。
我妈妈总是告诫我们不要为打翻的牛奶哭鼻子（there is no use crying over spilled milk），意思是不要为已经发生，但不能挽回的坏事而生气、动怒。人们说我妈妈是个好人（a good egg），她常常帮助需要帮助的人。我们根本无需在她周围小心翼翼地（walk on eggshells）。我们在说话和做事时不用如履薄冰，因为妈妈从来不冲我们发火。她还教我们有所得必有所失（you have to break some eggs to make an omelet），意思是要有长远眼光。
我妈妈认定食如其人（you are what you eat），良好的饮食习惯才能得到健康。她总是让我们吃营养丰富的食物。晚餐时，她喜欢给我们吃肉和土豆。肉和土豆（Meat and potatoes）还指事物最重要的部分。也可用来指一个喜欢简单事物的人。另一个和肉有关的短语是：甲之蜜糖，乙之砒霜（one man's meat is another man's poison）。换而言之，一个人可能非常喜爱某样东西，而另一个人却可能极其厌恶这同一件东西。
我爸爸又诚实又善良。人们说他是好人、栋梁（the salt of the earth）。他绝不会在别人的伤口上撒盐（pour salt on a wound）。也就是在一个人经历了痛苦之后雪上加霜让他更痛苦。但是，有时他会给我们讲一些不现实的事情，因此，我们必须加以分析（take it with a grain of salt，那就是说，我们也不能对他所说的事情全部信以为真。
我的丈夫有份好工作。他赚足了养家的钱。所以我们说他挣钱养家（brings home the bacon）。他可以达到工作期望(cut the mustard)。很容易在人群中找到身高近2米的丈夫，我们说他是大块头（a tall drink of water）。
我乘火车去上班，并非一个愉快的旅程，因为车厢人满为患。火车如此的拥挤，我们都被挤得像沙丁鱼（packed like sardines） - 就像罐头里的小鱼儿。
公司上司有时会心不在焉的（out to lunch），意思是她不在我们的圈子内，常常不知道我们办公室里发生了什么状况。然而有件事她非常正确：天下没有免费的午餐（there is no such thing as a free lunch）。有些东西可能是免费的，但可能隐藏着代价。
当我们认识不到自己工作中的问题，我上司让我们保持清醒（wake up and smell the coffee）。我们需要更加集中精力，以解决出现的问题。
有次我在公司犯了大错，觉得自己真笨，狼狈不堪（had egg on my face）。
上周末，我朋友请我一直看电视直播足球比赛。但我不喜欢足球，非我所爱（It is not my cup of tea）。
希望这个节目给您补给精神食粮（food for thought），也就是说，值得思考。
