(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Now, the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.
A person's name is very important. Some names also have special meanings in popular American expressions. To better understand what I mean, sit back and listen. You might even want to get a cup of Joe -- I mean, a cup of coffee.
One day, an Average Joe was walking down the street. An Average Joe is a common person -- either male or female. This Average Joe was lost. He did not know Jack about where he was going. By this, I mean he did not know anything about where to find things in the city.
So Average Joe asked John Q. Public for directions to the nearest bank. John Q. Public is also a common person -- male or female.
"Jeez Louise," said John Q. Public -- this is an expression of surprise -- "Jeez Louise, don't you know that all banks are closed today? It is Saturday."
"For Pete's sake," said Average Joe -- this is also an expression used to show a feeling like surprise or disappointment.
"For Pete's sake. I do not believe you," said Average Joe. He was being a doubting Thomas -- someone who does not believe anything he is told.
At that moment, Joe Blow was walking down the street with a woman. "Joe Blow" is also an expression for a common man. Now this Joe Blow was not walking next to a plain Jane. A plain Jane is a woman who is neither ugly nor pretty -- she is simply plain. No, the woman with Joe Blow was a real Sheila -- a beautiful woman.
Average Joe asked the woman if all banks were closed on Saturday. "No way, Jose," she answered -- this is a way of saying "no" -- "No way, Jose. Many banks are open on Saturdays."
Average Joe did not know either of these two people from Adam -- that is, he did not know them at all. But he followed their directions to the nearest bank.
When he arrived, he walked to the desk of the chief bank employee. Now this man was a true Jack of all trades -- he knew how to do everything.
"I am here to withdraw some money so I can pay my taxes to Uncle Sam," said average Joe. "Uncle Sam" represents the United States government. The banker produced some papers and told Average Joe to sign his John Hancock at the bottom. A "John Hancock" is a person's signed name -- a signature. Historically, John Hancock was one of the signers of the United States Declaration of Independence. Hancock had a beautiful signature and signed his name larger than all the others.
As Average Joe left the bank he began to sing. But sadly, Average Joe was not a good singer. He was a Johnny One Note -- he could only sing one note.
参考译文
这里是美国之音慢速英语节目词语典故节目。
一个人的名字是很重要的，一些名字在美国流行表达中有特殊的含义。为了更好的理解这一点，请坐下听我们的节目。你或许还想来a cup of Joe，我是说，来一杯咖啡。
一天，一个人（an average Joe）走在大街上。an average Joe是个普通人，可以是男也可以是女。这个人迷路了，他不知道（did not know Jack）怎么走。这里我的意思是他不知道怎么在这个城市找到去的地方。
所以他问John Q. Public怎么去最近的银行，John Q. Public也是个普通的名字，男用女用都可。
这个人说，“老天爷（Jeez Louise），”Jeez Louise这个词可表示惊讶，“老天爷，你不知道今天所有的银行都关门吗？今天是星期六。”
问路的这个人说，“拜托（For Pete’s sake），”For Pete’s sake这个词也可表示吃惊或失望。
“拜托，我不相信你。”这个人说，他疑心很重（a doubting Thomas），这种人不相信所听到的话。
这时候，一名男子（Joe Blow）和一名妇女从街上走过。Joe Blow也用来表示普通男子，此时和这名男子走在一起的不是个普通女子（a plain Jane）。A plain Jane是指既不美也不丑的女子。和这名男子走在一起的是个真正的美女（Sheila）。
这人问这位女子是否所有的银行都在周六关门，她回答，“不可能（No way, Jose），”No way, Jose是一个表示否定的表达，“许多银行都在周六开门。”
这个人did not know either of these two people from Adam，就是说，根本不认识他们。但他还是根据他们的指示去最近的银行。
他到了银行，走到首席雇员的桌前。这是个真正的万事通（Jack of all trades），什么事情他都知道怎么做。
这个人说，“我想取些钱向美国政府（Uncle Sam）交税，”Uncle Sam指代美国政府。这位银行职员打印一些文件，让这人在底部签名（John Hancock）。John Hancock是一个人的签名。在历史上，John Hancock是签署《美国独立宣言》的人之一，他的签名很漂亮，比所有其他人的字体都大。
这个人离开银行，开始唱歌。然而遗憾的是，他唱得不好。是个五音不全的人（Johnny One Note），连一个音符都唱不出来。
内容解析
1.a cup of Joe
一杯咖啡。A cup of Joe也就是a cup of coffee。 这个说法是从纽约一公司Martinson’s Coffee的Joe Martinson的名字得来的，据说当时临近街区都弥漫着咖啡的芳香，所以人们都称咖啡为a cup of Joe。Martinson’s Coffee在美国历史悠久，它的追随者25％都是纽约人。
2.not know Jack about
对某事一无所知。如： I don’t know jack about fishing意思就是I don’t know anything about fishing（我对钓鱼一无所知）。而I don’t know Jack的意思就是“我什么也不知道”。关于Jack，还有两个常见的句子。Do you know jack shit? 意思就是问别人, “你知不知道什么叫无知? 在美国的口语中，jack shit 算是一句粗话，意思是什么也没有。
3.John Q. Public
普通人。在语中，John Q. Public也是指“普通人，民众”。类似的词组是：John Q. Citizen. 语里还有很多与John有关的词组，如：big John（新兵），cheap John（乱杀价的商人; 叫卖小贩），honest John（诚实的人; 容易上当的人），square John（诚实可靠的人; 奉公守法的人）。
4.Jeez Louise
表示惊讶。如：One million! You get any of that? ( 一百万？老天！有你的份吗？)Jeez Louise, don’t you know that all banks are closed today? It is Saturday.（天啊，你难道不知道今天银行不营业吗？今天可是周六）。
5.For Pete’s sake
感叹词，用以强烈表达情绪，意为“哎呀，天哪”，有些地方也译作“看在上帝面上；千万；务必”等。在这个短语中，Pete是耶酥大弟子St．Peter的昵称。常在恳求或请求他人时使用。如：For Pete’s sake，stop making so much noise．(哎呀，天哪！别弄出那么讨厌的声音啦!) 此外，它还应用于其他种种不同的场合。假设你向别人道了歉，他还没完没了，这时你可以说：I said I was sorry．What else do you want me to do, for Pete’s sake?(我已经说对不起了，拜托，你还想叫我怎样啊?)
6.a doubting Thomas
生性多疑的人。
He’s a real doubting Thomas — he simply wouldn’t believe I’d won the car until he saw it with his own eyes.他是一个真正的怀疑主义者—在没有看到之前他就是不相信我赢得那辆车。
7.a plain Jane
长相不起眼，外貌平凡的女人。这里的plain是“不惹人注目的，朴素的”，而Jane是一般女人名，plain与Jane合辙押韵。如：I wonder why a handsome man like Jeff married such a plain Jane.我很奇怪像杰夫这样出色的男子怎么与一个不怎么起眼的姑娘结婚)。
8.Joe Blow
老百姓，普通人。Joe Doakes也可以表示这个意思。美国口语中，Joe College指典型的美国大学生，Joe Miller则指滑稽书，笑话集。
9.Sheila
口语中表示少女，年轻貌美
10.not know a person from Adam
不知（某人）模样如何，与（某人）素不相识。源自《圣经·旧约·士师记》第2、3章。上帝创造了世界上的第一个男人，取名为亚当（Adam）。因为亚当非女人所生，所以没有肚脐，是最容易辨认的人，“not know somebody from Adam”就表示“完全不认识某人”。
Mrs. Smith is a friend of mine, but I don’t know her husband from Adam.
史密斯太太是我的朋友，但我完全不认识她丈夫
11.John Hancock
亲笔签名。John Hancock是在The Declaratio of Independence(美国独立宣言)上署名的独立战士中,将自己的名字签得又好又大的一个人，他的签名美观大方而且个头也比别的签名大。所以美国人常把John Hancock当作signature(署名,签名)的意思。如：I need your John Hancock.我需要您的签名。
12.Johnny One Note
五音不全的人。也可以指思想狭隘，看问题片面的人。Note在这里的意思是音符。
