(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Hello and welcome to Words and Their Stories from the Voice of America!
This program helps you understand common expressions in the English language.
You know, we tailor this show for people interested in learning English. Words and Their Stories is tailored to fit people like you!
Now, let's say you are a regular listener to the show and you want to learn the meaning of the saying to be cut from the same cloth. So, you write to us requesting more information. Then I write a show about that expression. You could say that program is tailor-made just for you.
A tailor makes men's clothing. When a tailor goes to work, he or she first takes measurements. The tailor then makes clothing for just that individual, not a group of people. We call that kind of clothing tailor-made. They are not mass-produced or sold in stores.
The term tailor-made can also be used in other ways. If you are a student and find a class that seems perfect for you, you could say that class is tailor-made for you.
But now, let's get back to our earlier expression -- to be cut from the same cloth. When making a business suit, a tailor cuts the coat and pant legs from the same piece of cloth. This way, the color and quality of the material match.
The same can be said about people. If two people are cut from the same cloth, they are very similar.
Let's say Felix and Catherine design video games. The two young designers both want to design good games that help children. They also have the same sense of humor. They have a lot in common. So, you could say they are cut from the same cloth.
They are also good friends. So, if Catherine was in need, Felix would give her the shirt off his back. If someone is kind to others and helps those in need, we say that person would give you the shirt off their back.
The saying to roll up one's sleeves, however, is not the same as taking off your shirt. It means the person rolling up the shirt sleeves is preparing for some really hard work.
Now, we praise people who roll up their sleeves and who give you the shirt off their back. We take our hats off to these people. This means you look up to them and approve of their behavior. Another way of saying this is to tip your hat.
In the past, a man would take off his hat to show respect. These days, some men have lost that simple act of civility or they just don't wear hats. But the expression lives on.
I, for example, take my hat off to anyone who helps children. But personally, I don't tip my hat to anyone who rides someone's coattails.
To ride someone's coattails is to use your ties to someone else to become successful. Long coattails are no longer common on modern-day clothing. Yet the expression is still used today. And saying "you are riding someone else's coattails" is never a good thing.
But now, let's go back to our video game designers, Catherine and Felix.
What if Felix designed a game, and it became really successful. His career takes off and he becomes famous in the gaming industry. Yet Catherine's career is far from a success. Her games aren't selling. So, she uses her ties to Felix to get more work.
People who know them both say she is riding Felix's coattails. But Felix doesn't care. He likes Catherine. And he knows she is using his success to further her career.
Anyway, there is more to the story.
Felix knows Catherine better than most people. He thinks they have sized her up all wrong. To size up someone, or size someone up, means to examine them carefully and then make a decision about them.
Felix knows that Catherine is really good at creating video games. She has the interest and necessary skills. She just needs a break.
But let's say Catherine is still unhappy. She goes to a career counselor for advice on how to launch a successful career. He tells her there isn't a one size fits all answer to that question.
One size fits all clothing does just that: anyone can wear it. In real life, there is rarely a one size fits all solution to a problem. And that is how we usually use this expression.
After talking to the counselor, Catherine decides to start looking for a different job -- one that uses her game designer experience. She wants to keep quiet about her decision. She only tells her good friend, Felix. He promises to keep her plans under his hat. When you keep something under your hat, you don't share it with others. It's a secret.
This is different from keeping something up your sleeve. Keeping something up your sleeve means that you are trying to fool someone. This expression comes from the world of magic. Some magicians might hide a card up their shirt sleeves to trick the people watching.
Catherine isn't hiding anything in her clothing. She just wants to keep her plans private. But she is on pins and needles for months, hoping for a job offer.
Tailors often use pins and needles when making clothes. Most pins and needles are made of metal -- and they are sharp! They would hurt if you sat on them. So, if you are on pins and needles, you are waiting for something to happen.
Catherine's wait pays off!
She gets a job designing interactive websites for schools. This career fits her like a glove. A glove that fits well is comfortable. We use this expression when something seems agreeable or when two things are a good match. Catherine and Felix celebrate her good news. These two friends are a good match, too!
And that brings us to the end of this Words and Their Stories.
If you have a friend who would like to learn English, tell them to try us on for size! They may find we fit them like a glove. And don't be on pins and needles waiting for the next episode. That will happen next week!
I'm Anna Matteo.
重点解析
1.takes measurements 量尺寸
Using digital white light, the scanner takes measurements from 16 angles and creates a graphic of the customer’s body shape in seconds.
这款扫描仪应用数字化白光技术，从16个角度测量顾客的身材，数秒内就可以绘出体型图。
2.a business suit 西装
Do I need to wear a business suit and tie or just casual clothing?
我需要穿西装，打领带，或只是休闲服装吗？
3.video games 电子游戏
Now and again he'd join in when we were playing video games.
我们玩电子游戏时，他偶尔会和我们一起玩。
4.look up to （尤指对年长者）敬仰，钦佩，仰慕
And I like the way the fans look up to them.
而且我喜欢球迷们敬仰他们的这种方式。
参考译文
大家好，这里是VOA学英语《词汇掌故》节目。
我们的节目帮助你理解美语里的常用表达。
你知道，我们为有兴趣学习英语的人专门打造的这个节目。《词汇掌故》就是为和你一样的人量身订制的。
现在，假设你是这个节目的常客，你想了解谚语“to be cut from the same cloth（一个模子刻出来的）”的意思。所以，你写信给我们寻求更多信息。然后我为这个表达制作了一期节目。你可以说这个节目就是为你专门制作的。
裁缝为人们做衣裳。当一个裁缝开始工作时，他或者她的第一件事就是量尺寸。然后裁缝开始为一个人做衣服，而不是为一群人做衣服。我们称那样的衣服为量身定做（tailor-made）的衣服。它们不是大批量生产或者在商店里售卖的那种。
“量身定做”这个词还有其他用法。如果你是一个学生，你发现了一个似乎完美适合你的班级，你可以说那个班级是为你量身定做的。
但现在，让我们回到早些时候的短语——“to be cut from the same cloth”。当制做一套西装，裁缝从同一块布料上裁剪上衣和裤腿。这样的话，衣服的颜色和材质才会相匹配。
人也可以这样说。如果两个人如出一辙，他们长得很像。
假设菲利克斯和凯瑟琳是设计电子游戏的。这两个年轻人都想设计出对孩子有益的好游戏。他们也都很幽默。他们有太多共同点。所以，你可以说他们俩简直一个模子刻出来的。
他们还是好朋友。所以，如果凯瑟琳需要帮助，菲利克斯一定倾囊相助（give her the shirt off his back）。如果某人善待他人并且帮助那些需要帮助的人，我们说那个人一定会竭尽所能帮助你。
然而谚语“roll up one's sleeves（卷起袖子）”和“taking off your shirt（脱掉衬衫）”表达的意思却不一样。人们撸起袖子意味着人们正在为一些特别艰苦的工作做准备。
现在，我们赞扬那些撸起袖子加油干的人以及和那些为你鼎力相助的人。我们向这些人脱帽致敬。这意味着你敬仰他们，认可他们的行为。这种意思的另一种表达是“to tip your hat（致敬）”。
以前，人们会脱掉他的帽子以示敬意。现如今，一些人已经不做那简单的礼貌行为了或者他们不戴帽子。但是这个表达依然存在。
比方说我向帮助孩子的人表达敬意。但是就我个人而言，我不会像任何靠关系升迁（rides someone's coattails）的人致敬。
“To ride someone's coattails（靠裙带关系荣升）”意思是利用你与他人的关系取得成功。现代服装里，长燕尾服不再常见了，但这个短语却仍然在使用。说“you are riding someone else's coattails（你是靠某人的关系成功）”绝不是一件好事。
现在，让我们把话题转到我们的电子游戏设计师，凯瑟琳和菲利克斯。
如果菲利克斯设计了一个游戏并且取得了很大的成功，那他的事业会平步青云，他在游戏界变得很出名。然而，凯瑟琳的事业离成功还很远。她的游戏卖不出去。于是，她利用她和菲利克斯的关系获取更多的工作。
认识他们俩的人说她是靠关系。但是菲利克斯无所谓。他喜欢凯瑟琳。并且他知道她是在利用他的成功来推动自己的事业。
不管怎样，后面还有故事。
菲利克斯比大多数人都要了解凯瑟琳。他认为他们都错看了她。“To size up someone”或者“size someone up”（评估某人）意思是仔细审视某人，然后对他们做出评价。
菲利克斯知道凯瑟琳真得很擅长创造电子游戏。她对这个有兴趣并且有必备的技能。她只是需要一个机会。
但是假设凯瑟琳依然不开心。她去向一个职业顾问寻求怎样开始成功职业生涯的建议。咨询师告诉她这个问题没有标准答案。
适合所有衣服的尺寸确实就那样：谁都可以穿。现实生活中，对于一个问题，很少有能一刀切的解决方案（one size fits all solution to a problem）。
在和咨询师聊完之后，凯瑟琳决定换个不同的工作——一个需要她游戏设计师经验的工作。她不希望别人知道她的决定。她只告诉了她的好朋友，菲利克斯。他承诺会对她的计划保密（under one's hat）。当你保密某事时，你不和其他人分享这件事。这是个秘密。
这和“keeping something up your sleeve”意思不一样，后者的意思是你试图愚弄某人。这个短语来自魔术界。一些魔术师在他们的袖子里藏牌，以此蒙骗观众。
凯瑟琳没有想欺骗谁，她只是想保密自己的计划。但是她几个月都如坐针毡（on pins and needles），期待着能收到一个工作机会。
裁缝在做衣服的时候经常会用到别针和缝衣针。大多数别针和缝衣针都是金属制成——而且它们特别很尖锐！如果你坐在它们上面，你会受伤。所以，如果你如坐针毡，你在等待某事发生。
凯瑟琳没有白等！
她得到一个会学校设计互动网站的工作。这个职业很适合她。一双合适的手套会让人感觉舒服。当某物似乎适合或者当两个东西很配对，我们会使用这个短语。凯瑟琳和菲利克斯庆祝这个好消息。这两个好朋友也很相配！
到了我们《词汇掌故》节目的尾声了。
如果你有想学英语的好朋友，告诉他们试试我们的节目是否适合他们！他们也许发现我们正合适。不用坐立不安的等着下一期节目，下期节目下周见！
我是安娜·马特奥。
