(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Hello and welcome to Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
On this program we explore the history and usage of common expressions in American English.
Wolves are important animals in the traditions and stories of most Native American tribes. To Native Americans, wolves often represent bravery. The animals also are signs of strength, loyalty, and success at hunting.
Other cultures -- such as the ancient Celtic and Nordic peoples – also placed high value on wolves.
However, something happened.
Perhaps wolves attacked too many people or ate too many farm animals.
Whatever the reason, wolves were killed in many areas. So many died that they nearly became endangered. They also became known as villains.
From the werewolves in horror films to the wolves in children's stories, wolves get a bum rap in both literature and English expressions.
For starters, there is the term lone wolf. The lone wolf isn't a bad person. But they like to do to things on their own. However, the term can mean something less than desirable. Lone wolf makes you think the person doesn't want to be around people because he or she dislikes them.
In news stories, you sometimes hear the terms "lone wolf attacker" or "lone wolf shooter." These individuals are not part of a larger group carrying out an attack. They are acting alone.
Now, let's move on to the home.
Parents might criticize their children for wolfing down their food. In other words, the child eats very quickly and without care.
And if someone says a child was raised by wolves, that child has bad manners and is behaving like a wild animal.
A wolf call is a whistle, howl or other noise made by a man to show that he likes the way a woman looks. But a wolf call is not a nice thing. These men sound wild and rude. And trust me, most women really hate wolf calls. So, they don't win a man any points in the game of love.
A wolf at the door means someone to whom you owe money is waiting just outside your door. A wolf at the door is also a problem in two very popular children's fairy tales.
The first fairy tale is about three pigs who live in houses made of different materials: straw, sticks and brick. They have big trouble when the big bad wolf comes to the door of each house.
The pigs know that the wolf wants to eat them. So, they don't let him in. But he blows down the house of straw. Then he blows down the house of sticks.
Wolf: Little pigs, little pigs, let me in.
Three Little Pigs: Not by the hair of our chinny-chin chins!
Wolf: Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!"
It isn't until the pigs hide in the house of bricks that the wolf finally meets his match.
And then there is the story of Little Red Riding Hood.
She had wolf troubles, too. After the Big Bad Wolf eats her Grandmother, he turns to Little Red. The wolf put on the grandmother's clothing in an effort to fool the little girl. But sensing something is not right, she makes several comments about her "grandmother's" appearance.
Little Red: Oh, Grandma, what big ears you have.
Wolf: All the better to hear you with.
Little Red: Oh, Grandma what big eyes you have.
Wolf: All the better to see you with.
Little Red: Oh, Grandma, what big teeth you have.
Wolf: All the better to eat you with!!
So you see, it seems that there is nothing good to say about wolves in our stories or expressions. By the way, there are two popular wolf-related expressions that come from Aesop, the ancient Greek storyteller.
The first is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Here is how the story goes:
Once there was a wolf who lived near a sheep farm. You would think this would be great luck for the wolf. He could eat all the tasty sheep he wanted. But on this farm was also a hardworking shepherd and his dog. They guarded the sheep so well that the wolf had no luck catching a meal. He was growing hungry.
One day, the wolf found the skin of a sheep on the ground. This sheep skin gave the wolf an idea. He put on the pelt, wearing it like a coat. Then the wolf walked among the sheep like he was one of them.
As the wolf began looking for his next dinner, a tiny lamb began following him. The wolf wearing the sheep's "clothing" led the poor lamb apart from the flock. When he had the animal alone, the wolf ate it!
What can we learn from this story? Don't be fooled by appearances. A wolf in sheep's clothing describes someone who acts and looks nice on the outside but is bad on the inside.
Aesop's other wolf fable also involves a shepherd, but not a hardworking one. No, this shepherd caused a lot of trouble. He is known as the boy who cried wolf:
Once a shepherd boy sat on the hillside, watching sheep for the village. He didn't like the job. So, he thought of something to pass the time and have fun. He began shouting, "Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is attacking the sheep!"
The villagers came running up the hill to help the boy drive the wolf away. But when they arrived, they didn't find a wolf. They found only the shepherd boy laughing at them.
The villagers were angry. They said, "Shepherd boy, don't cry 'wolf', when there's no wolf!" They went back down the hill, still angry from his trick.
But it was so much fun tricking the villagers that the boy could not help himself. He did it again. To his delight, he watched the villagers run up the hill again to help him drive the wolf away.
When the villagers saw no wolf, they said, "Save your frightened song for when there is really something wrong! Don't cry 'wolf' when there is NO wolf!"
But the boy just smiled and watched them return down the hill once more.
Later that day, the shepherd saw a REAL wolf nearing the sheep. Frightened, he jumped to his feet and shouted as loudly as he could, "Wolf! Wolf!"
The villagers heard him. And they ignored him. They thought he was trying to fool them again. So no one came to help.
At sunset, everyone wondered why the boy hadn't returned to the village with their sheep. They went up the hill and found him crying.
"There really was a wolf here! It ate some sheep. And the flock has scattered! I cried out, 'Wolf! Wolf!' Why didn't you come?"
An old man tried to cheer up the boy as they walked back to the village.
"We'll help you look for the lost sheep in the morning," he said, putting his arm around the youth. "Nobody believes a liar ... even when he is telling the truth!"
Isn't that the truth! People who cry wolf are not trusted.
People are so familiar with this story, you simply have to say cry wolf for them to know what you mean.
And that is Words and Their Stories. I'm Ann a Matteo.
重点解析
1.get a bum rap 挨骂
Self-help manuals get a bum rap, and many of them deserve it.
自助式的指南受到人们的谴责，不过这些指南中很多都确是如此。
2.bad manners 无礼貌；坏习惯
It is bad manners to stare at people.
瞪着眼睛看人是不礼貌的。
3.meets one's match 遇到对手
A He is very good at tennis, but he meets his match.
他网球打得很好，但现在他遇到对手了。
4.jump to one's feet 一跃而起；跳起来
The sound caused him to jump to his feet.
那声音使他一跃而起。
参考译文
大家好，欢迎来到VOA学英语《词汇掌故》节目。
我们的节目探索美语常见表达的历史与用法。
狼是美国传统里很重要的一种动物，在美国土著部落的故事里也一样重要。对于美国土著来说，狼代表勇敢，也是力量，忠诚，和狩猎成功的标志。
其他文化——如古凯尔特人和北欧人的文化里，狼的地位也很高。
然而，发生了一些事情。
或许是狼袭击了太多人或者吃了太多农场的动物。
无论什么原因，许多地方的狼都被杀害了，死得太多导致它们几乎濒临灭绝。它们也被人称为恶棍。
从惊悚片里的狼人到儿童故事里的狼，狼在文学和英语表达里都被人谩骂。
开始从“lone wolf（独狼）一词”开始。“独狼”不是指坏人，但他们做事情喜欢独来独往。但这个词还能指不及期望的某些东西。独行侠让你觉得这个人不想和人们待在一起是因为他或者她不喜欢那些人。
在新闻里，你有时会听到“lone wolf attacker（独狼袭击者）”或者“lone wolf shooter（独狼枪手）”这些词，这些人不是团伙袭击的成员。他们独自行动。
现在， 让我们把话题转到家庭。
父母也许会批评他们的孩子吃东西狼吞虎咽（wolf down）。换句话说，孩子吃饭太快，也不小心点。
如果某人说一个孩子是被狼养大的，意思是那孩子没有教养而且举止野蛮。
色鬼狼嚎（wolf call）是指一个男人用哨声、嚎叫或者其他噪音来表达他喜欢一个女人的长相。但是色鬼狼嚎不是一件好事。这些人似乎野蛮粗鲁。相信我，大部分女人真得很讨厌男人那样。所以它并不能让男人在爱情游戏里赢得任何分数。
“A wolf at the door”指的是你欠钱的那个人正在门外等着你。狼在门外也是两个特别受欢迎的童话故事里的一个麻烦情节。
第一个童话故事是三只小猪住在三个不同材质建造的屋子里：稻草，木块和砖头。当那只大坏狼来到每家门口时，它们就有麻烦啦。
小猪们知道狼想吃掉它们。所以，它们不让狼进门。但狼吹倒了稻草房子。然后他吹倒了木头房子。
狼：小猪，小猪，让我进来。
三只小猪：别想抓到我们一根汗毛！
狼：那我就生气了，我要吸一大口气，吹掉你们的房子进来！
直到小猪们躲到砖块做的房子里，狼才遇到了对手。
还有一个是小红帽的故事。
她也有和狼有关的麻烦。大灰狼吃了她的外婆，他又向小红帽下手。这只狼穿上了她外婆的衣服企图欺骗这个小女孩。但是小红帽察觉到一些不对劲，她对这个狼外婆的外貌发表了几句评论。
小红帽：哦，外婆，你的耳朵真大。
狼：这样能更好地听见你说话啊。
小红帽：哦，外婆你眼睛真大。
狼：这样能更好看见你啊。
小红帽：哦，外婆，你牙齿真大。
狼：这样能更好吃你啊！！
所以你看，在我们的故事或者表达里就对狼没有什么好的说法。顺便说下，有两个和狼相关的很受欢迎的表达来自伊索，伊索是一个古希腊讲故事的人。
第一个是披着羊皮的狼（a wolf in sheep's clothing）。故事是这样的：
以前有只狼住在一个养羊的农场附近。你会觉得这只狼运气真好。它可以吃到它所有美味的羊。但农场还有一个勤劳的牧羊人和一只狗。他们守护得如此之好，狼没机会吃到美食。它越来越饿。
一天，狼在地上发现了羊皮。这张羊皮让狼有了主意。狼穿上羊皮，像套了件外套似的。于是狼走在羊群里假装自己是只羊。
当狼开始寻找自己的晚餐的时候，一只小羊跟在它后面。穿着羊皮的狼领着这只可怜的小羊离开了羊群。当只有它们俩的时候，狼吃掉了小羊。
我们从这个故事中学到了什么呢？不要被外表迷惑。披着羊皮的狼形容某人外表看着很和善，其实心地很坏。
伊索另一个和狼有关的寓言故事里也有一个牧羊人，但这个人不勤快。不，这个牧羊人制造了一堆麻烦。这个小男孩因为大声喊狼来了而被大家熟知。
以前有个放羊的小男孩坐在山坡上，替村民们看羊。他不喜欢这份工作。于是，他就想找点乐子打发时间。他开始喊，“狼来啦！狼来啦！狼来吃羊啦！”
村民们便跑上山以助男孩赶走狼。但当他们赶到的时候，他们没发现狼，只看见牧羊的小男孩嘲笑他们。
村民们很生气。他们说，“牧童，没狼的时候不要喊狼来了！”村民们下山了，还为牧童骗他们生气。
但是欺骗村民太有趣了，这个放羊的小孩控制不住自己。他又玩了一次。令他高兴的是，村民们又跑上山帮他赶狼。
当村民们看见没狼，他们说，“真有问题的时候你再害怕地喊！没狼的时候不要喊狼来了！”
但男孩只是笑着看着村民们再一次下了山。
过了几天，牧童看见羊群附近真得有只狼。他害怕得一跃而起，尽力大声喊，“狼来啦！狼来啦！”
村民们听见他喊叫的声音，并没有理他。他们觉得男孩又想愚弄他们。所以没人跑去帮忙。
傍晚，每个人都疑惑男孩怎么还没赶羊回村。他们上山发现男孩正在哭。
“真得有狼来了！它吃掉了一些羊！羊群散了！我大声喊，‘狼来了！狼来了！’你们为什么不来？”
当村民回村的时候，有个老人想安慰男孩。
“我们明早会帮你找走失的羊，”他说，他用手臂搂着小男孩。“没有人会相信一个撒谎的人······即使他是在说实话！”
这是不是真理！大家不相信那些大声喊狼来了的人。
人们对这个故事都很熟悉，你只需要说“狼来了”，大家就明白了。
这就是今天的《词汇掌故》。我是安娜·马特奥。
