(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
On this program, we explore the meaning of everyday expressions in the English language. Today, we talk about a common object that appears in many expressions – buttons!
When we pronounce this word, we often swallow the "t's" and pronounce, "buttons."
Buttons are found on all sorts of clothing. They are usually small and round and made of metal or plastic. They fasten, or connect, one piece of clothing to another. They make sure your clothes don't fall off. When speaking or writing in English, buttons can be just as useful.
Some buttons can be beautiful and even have very fine details.
But are they cute?
To be cute as a button is an old saying. It means to be attractive or sweet, but in a small way.
Babies are often described as cute as a button. Language experts don't know why. But they do say this expression dates back to the late 1860s.
But we do know more about two other button expressions: button-down and buttoned-up.
Men or women often wear button-down shirts to the office. Button-down as an adjective means to be conservative or traditional. People described as buttoned-down stay close as possible to the normal way of dressing and behaving. They don't wear crazy clothing or do unusual things.
People and events can both be described as buttoned-down. We should note here that as an adjective you can either say "buttoned-down" or "button-down."
However, the adjective buttoned-up is a little different.
If someone is buttoned-up, he or she seems very business-like. In personal relationships, a buttoned-up person is cold and standoffish, meaning they physically and emotionally keep away from others. Buttoned-up people are not warm or friendly. And they do not share their inner thoughts and feelings with others.
Using buttoned-up as an adjective always uses "buttoned." In the expression button up, "button" is a verb. It means to stop talking.
There are many other ways "button" is used as a verb. When you fasten a button, you can also just say button a button. So, you can say to a friend, "Hey, your top button is unbuttoned. You should button it."
When button a button you slip it into a buttonhole. A buttonhole traps the button. So, to buttonhole someone means you have trapped them in a spoken conversation.
Now, let's say you find yourself buttonholed in a conversation at a party. The person just keeps talking and talking and talking! Finally, you can't take it any longer. You tell the person to button it! This is a direct, but unacceptable way of saying, "Stop talking!"
Button your lip is another equally rude but effective way to stop a person who talks too much.
Keep in mind these expressions should only be used in extreme situations with difficult people.
Another kind of difficult person is someone who pushes your buttons.
To push someone's buttons means to know exactly how to get that person angry or upset. People who like to push other people's buttons usually do it for selfish reasons. First they find a person's weak point. Then they use it to upset them.
Button-pushers are very dislikable. People who push the panic button are not as disliked as button-pushers. However, they can be tiring to others. In a crisis, it is important to remain calm. Pushing the panic button can make an already tense situation worse.
However, to have your finger on the button is a serious expression, especially when you are president of the United States. It means you have the ability to launch a nuclear attack.
In a U.S. presidential election campaign, voters are sometimes asked the question, "Do you really want that person to have their finger on the button?" That is a way of saying the candidate cannot be trusted.
Speaking of politics, in political discussions there are many hot button issues.
These days in the United States, illegal immigration is a hot button issue. A hot button issue is one that causes people to react with strong emotion. Many people cannot talk about it without getting worked up. Such issues can often lead to arguments.
Now, let's hear how to use some of these button expressions in a short dialogue.
A: Did you have fun at the party last night?
B: Oh, it was ... okay. Most of the people I talked to were buttoned-down political types. All they wanted to talk about were the hot-button issues from the election campaign.
A: Two of them tried to buttonhole me into a political conversation. But I avoided getting involved.
B: How did you do that?
A: I brought up some other heated issues, ones that I knew would push their buttons. When they began arguing, I was able to slip away.
B: Good for you. I got buttonholed with a few people for an hour.
A: How did you finally get away from them?
B: I pushed the panic button. I yelled, "Look! A rat!!" Everyone shouted and ran away.
A: You're terrible. I'll have to remember that one.
And that brings us to the end of Words and Their Stories. But don't push the panic button! We'll be back next week.
I'm Anna Matteo.
重点解析
1.keep in mind 牢记;放在心上
But I can keep in mind what you said.
但是我会把你们的话放在心上。
2.work up 使（自己）心烦意乱（或气愤）;激发（热情）;鼓起（勇气）;使自己出（汗）;激起（食欲）;准备，撰写（文章等）
Your creative talents can also be put to good use, if you can work up the energy...
如果你能让自己精力充沛起来，你的创作才能也能得到很好的发挥。
3.bring up 养育;抚养;养大;谈及;提出;呕吐;咳出
She brought up four children...
她养大了4个孩子。
4.slip away 悄没声息地溜走
Time, money, and patience all slip away.
时间、金钱和耐心都会悄悄溜走。
参考译文
这里是VOA学英语《词汇掌故》节目。
节目中，我们会探索英语日常表达的意义。今天，我们来谈论一个会出现在许多表达里的一个常见物体——纽扣（buttons）！
当我们发这个单词的音时，我们经常吞掉一个“t”的发音，然后发音，“buttons”。
在所有类型的衣服上都能发现纽扣。它们一般小而圆，由金属或者塑料制成。他们把一件衣服固定或连接到另一件衣服上。它们确保你的衣服不会掉落。在口语和写作上，纽扣照样很管用。
一些纽扣很漂亮，甚至细节也很到位。
但是它们可爱吗？
“To be cute as a button（像纽扣一样可爱）”是一句老话。它的意思是迷人或甜美，但是小巧可爱那种。
婴儿经常被形容为像纽扣一样可爱。语言学家也不明所以。但是他们说这个表达源自19世纪60年代晚期。
但我们更了解另外两个有关“button”的表达：“button-down（循规蹈矩的）”和“buttoned-up（沉默寡言的）”。
男女经常会穿领尖钉有钮扣的衬衫上班。“Button-down”作为形容词，意思是保守的或者传统的。那些在穿衣打扮或者行为方面尽可能往正规形式上靠的人被形容为循规蹈矩的人。他们不穿奇装异服，也不做不寻常的事。
人和事都能被形容为循规蹈矩。值得一提的是，作为形容词，你可以说“buttoned-down”或者“button-down”。
但是，形容词“buttoned-up”是有一点不同的。
如果某人沉默寡言，他或者她似乎是公事公办的人。在个人关系中，一个沉默寡言的人是冷酷又冷漠的，意思是他们的身心都和他人保持距离。沉默寡言的人不暖心或者友善。他们不会和别人分享他们内心世界的想法和感情。
当“buttoned-up”用作形容词时，大家通常使用“buttoned”。在表达“button up”里，“button”是一个动词。它的意思是闭嘴。
“button”作动词讲，还有许多其他用法。当你扣一颗纽扣，你也可以说“button a button”。所以你可以和你的朋友说，“嘿，你最上面的扣子没有扣，你应该扣好。”
当扣扣子的时候，你把扣子扣到扣子眼里。扣眼就锁住了扣子。所以，“to buttonhole someone”意思是你在一场谈话中被困住了。
现在，假设在一个聚会的交谈中，你发现你说不上话。那个人一直说，一直说，一直说！最后，你再也忍受不了了。你告诉那个人闭嘴！这是一个直接却不太能让人接受的方式表达“闭嘴！”
“Button your lip（闭上你的嘴）”是另一种粗鲁却有效的方式阻止一个说太多的人停止说话。
记住这些表达仅仅能在极端情况下用来应付难对付的人。
另一种难对付的人就是那些招惹别人的人（someone who pushes your buttons）。
“To push someone's buttons”意思是了解怎样让一个人生气或者烦恼的人。喜欢招惹别人的人通常那样做都是出于自私。首先，他们发现一个人的弱点，然后他利用这个弱点去叨扰这个人。
招惹人的人很不受人待见。那些惊慌失措（push the panic button）的人不像招惹人的人那么讨厌。但是，他们会让别人感到疲劳。在危机中，保持冷静很重要。惊慌失措会让本来就紧绷的神经绷得更紧了。
然而，“把你的手指放在按键上（ to have your finger on the button）”是一个严肃的表达，尤其当你是美国总统的时候。它意味着你有能力发动核攻击。
在一次美国总统竞选中，选民们有时候会问一些问题，“你真得希望这个人掌权吗？”那是一种表达候选人不被信任的说法。
说到政治，在政治问题讨论中，有许多热点话题（hot button）。
当今美国，非法移民是一个热点问题。所谓热点问题就是一个让人们产生强烈情绪的问题。许多人提起这个问题就会情绪激动。这种问题通常会引起争论。
现在，让我们来听一段教你运用这些含有“button”表达的短对话。
A：你昨晚在聚会上玩得开心吗？
B：哦，还好。多数和我聊天的都是循规蹈矩的政治人物类。所有他们想聊的都是和竞选相关的热点问题。
A：其中两个人试图把我拉入一个政治交谈中。但是我避开了。
B：你怎么做到的？
A：我谈及了其他热点话题，一个我知道会戳中他们痛点的话题。当他们开始争论起来的时候，我溜走了。
B：走得对。我被几个人拉住说了一个小时。
A：你最后怎么摆脱他们的？
B：我惊慌失措。我喊道，“看，一只老鼠！”每个人大喊着跑开了。
A：你太可怕了。我得记住这个。
又到了词汇掌故的尾声了。但不要惊慌失措！我们下周还会回来的。
我是安娜·马特奥。
