(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Now, the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.
Today we explain some expressions about birds. For example, if something is "for the birds," it is worthless or not very interesting. Someone who "eats like a bird" eats very little. And "a birds-eye view" is a general look at an area from above.
Did you know that if you tell a young person about "the birds and the bees" you are explaining about sex and birth? Have you ever observed that "birds of a feather flock together"? In other words, people who are similar become friends or do things together. Here is some good advice: "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." This means you should not risk losing something you have by trying to get more of something you do not have.
Sometimes I can do two things by performing only one action. This is called "killing two birds with one stone." But I would never really kill any birds. I love all kinds of animals. This is "a real feather in my cap" -- it is something to be proud of.
Most of the people I work with are "early birds." They believe that "the early bird catches the worm" -- they think that a person who gets up early in the morning for work has the best chance of success. Everyone in my office works hard, but some people "have had their wings clipped" -- their jobs have been limited. This is because the office is organized "by pecking order" -- people with more years of experience are given more responsibility.
Some bird expressions are about crows, chickens and ducks. For example, when I am driving, I always "travel as the crow flies" -- I go the most direct way. Anyone who "eats crow" has to admit a mistake or defeat.
Now let's talk about my sister. She is not very young. She is no "spring chicken." She will work any job for "chickenfeed" -- a small amount of money. She is easily frightened. For example, she is too "chicken-livered" to walk down a dark street alone at night. Often she will "chicken out" -- she will not go out alone at night.
My sister was an "ugly duckling." She looked strange when she was a child, but she grew up to be a beautiful woman. Sometimes she thinks too much about having something in the future before she really has it. She "counts her chickens before they are hatched." Sometimes her chickens "come home to roost." That means her actions or words cause trouble for her. However, my sister does not worry about what people say about her. Criticism falls off her "like water off a duck's back."
Politicians are sometimes considered "lame ducks" after losing an election -- they have little time left in office and not much power. Congress holds a "lame duck session" after an election -- important laws are not passed during this period.
This VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories was written by Jill Moss. I'm Faith Lapidus.
文本来自51voa，译文属可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载。
词汇解释
1.flock v.聚集, 成群而行
In the summer, tourists flock to the museums and art galleries.
夏季游人成群结队到博物馆和艺术馆参观。
2.pecking order n. [生]啄序(禽类中占优势的可以啄地位低的), 权势等级
The guy at the bottom of the pecking order takes shit from everybody.
那个地位最低的家伙必须受每个人的气。
3.hatch v.孵, 孵出, 策划
Hen's eggs take21 days to hatch out.
鸡蛋需要21天才孵化。
内容解析
1.However, my sister does not worry about what people say about her. Criticism falls off her "like water off a duck's back."
fall off 减少；跌落；下降；离开；衰退
When your exhaust pipe falls off, you have to replace it.
当你的排气管脱落时，你只能更换它。
Unemployment is rising again and retail buying has fallen off.
失业率又在上升，而零售购买量已经减少。
参考译文
这里是美国之音慢速英语“词汇典故”。
今天我们讲解一些关于鸟的表达，比如，如果说某事for the birds，那么它就是毫无价值或没有意思。如果某个人eats like a bird，这个人就吃得很少。a birds-eye view是从高处俯瞰一个地方。
你知道吗？如果你跟人讲the birds and the bees，你就是在谈论性和生殖方面的事。你是否注意到birds of a feather flock together，就是说物以类聚人以群分。也就是说，相似的人会成为朋友或一起做事情。给你个好建议，a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush（两鸟在林不如一鸟在手）。意思是，不要为了冒险为了得到看似更多的东西而失去已有的东西。
有时我可以一举两得，也就是一石二鸟。但我从来不真正的杀鸟，我喜欢各种动物，这是a real feather in my cap，意思是真正值得我骄傲的东西。
与我共事大多人都喜欢早起，他们认为the early bird catches the worm(早起的鸟儿有虫吃)，他们认为早起工作就有更好的成功机会。我办公室的人个个工作勤奋，但也有人had their wings clipped(束手束脚)，他们的工作很有局限。这是因为办公室按资排辈，工作多年有经验的人被赋予更多责任。
一些有关鸟的表达与乌鸦、鸡和鸭相关。比如，开车时我会as the crow flies，意思是开得很直。eat crow(丢脸)的人必须承认错误或失败。
现在谈谈我的妹妹吧，她已经不小了，不是spring chicken(年轻幼稚的女子)。为了挣得chicken feed(一点小钱)，她什么都做。她还很容易受惊，比如，她太chicken-livered(胆小),不敢黑夜上街走路。她经常chicken out(临阵退缩)，不会夜里独自出去。
我妹妹以前是个ugly duckling(丑小鸭)，她小时候长得奇怪，但却出落成个漂亮的女子。有时她对未来的事情思考过多，总是counts her chickens before they are hatched(过早打如意算盘)，有时只得chickens come home to roost(自食其果)，意思是她的言行会带来麻烦。然而，我妹妹从不怕别人怎么说她。她Criticism falls off her like water off a duck's back(根本就不在乎)。
政客选举失败后有时被称作lame duck(跛脚鸭，无用的人)，他们很快就离职，没有多少权力。议会在选举后会经历一段lame duck session(瘸鸭时期)。这段时间不会通过重要的法律。
这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇典故，作者吉尔·莫斯，我是费斯·拉皮德斯。
