(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
And now join us now for Words and Their Stories, a program from VOA Learning English.
On this show we talk about the origins and meanings of common expressions in American English. Every week we dream up topics you might find interesting. Well, we also do research. But today we have dreamt up a show on "dreams."
Dreams are the visions we have when we are asleep. But the word "dream" fills the expressions we use when we are awake.
"The stuff dreams are made of" is a romantic expression. It describes a really wonderful experience.
For example, let's say you really love flight and space travel. So, a friend invites you to see a launch of a space shuttle. She even invites you to meet the astronauts who are going to fly into space.
After this experience you can say to her, "That was the stuff dreams are made of! It's a dream come true!"
A dream come true is exactly that – a dream that has become reality.
Let's make it even better.
Let's say your friend can get you on the space shuttle. You can actually wear a space suit and sit in the flight commander's seat! That would be beyond your wildest dreams. In other words, even you could not have dreamed up such a wonderful experience.
However, once you enter the space shuttle you feel ill. Your hands shake and you are unable to talk.
The astronauts try to help you. But you freak out, yelling, "Let me out of here! Let me out of here!" When you start throwing the flight manuals around the cockpit, the police come and remove you from the shuttle.
It's a disaster. A nightmare.
After the police take your statement and your fingerprints, your friend tries to calm you down. She tells that everything will be okay. But all you can say to her is, "I wish it was all just a bad dream."
But it wasn't.
You are barred from participating in any NASA-related field trips. And now you have a police record.
However, months later your childhood dream of space travel comes back strong. You decide to become a pilot. Your friend advises against it. She reminds you that you have a severe case of claustrophobia, a fear of being in small spaces.
She calls your goal of becoming a pilot a pipe dream. A pipe dream is a hope or wish that is impossible to achieve. This expression began in the late 19th century. Word experts say it refers to a dream experienced when smoking an opium pipe. Those dreams rarely come true.
But you insist it is possible for you to be the first person to fly around the world with your faithful pet cat -- Galaxy. Your friend, however, says, "Dream on!" She could also say, "In your dreams!"
Both of these informal expressions are ways of saying that someone's idea is a fantasy. Friends can use them in a funny way with each other. Otherwise, both expressions can sound a little mean.
Then your friend uses another informal expression. She tells you to wake up and smell the coffee! She adds that you are living in a dream world if you think you can become a world-famous pilot who flies with a cat. People who live in a dream world are unrealistic. They refuse to face facts.
Your friend's remarks are hard for you to hear. But you know she is right. So, you decide to write a children's book about someone who flies around the world with a beloved pet. As you are already a children's book author, this is a dream that can definitely come true.
For the next few months, you happily daydream about the story you will write. To daydream is to let your creative mind, your imagination, take over. Luckily for you, you can daydream anywhere – not just in small spaces such as a cockpit.
It turns out you are better dreaming about air travel than doing it. Your book is a spectacular success. With the money you make from your book sales, you are finally able to buy your dream house. And it has a special room just for Galaxy, your cat.
Your proud friend invites you to speak at the school where she teaches. You tell her students to follow their dreams and to dream big. You also tell them that even broken dreams have value. You can always pick up the pieces and make a new one!
That night you call her on the phone to thank her for reminding you to never stop dreaming. She says that is what friends are for.
"Goodnight," you say.
"Goodnight," she says. "Sweet dreams."
And that brings us to the end of Words and Their Stories.
I'm Anna Matteo teaching English for Voice of America. And you know, I wouldn't dream of doing anything else.
重点解析
1.space shuttle 航天飞机
The mission for the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour is essentially over.
“奋进号”航天飞机上全体机组人员的任务基本上已经完成了。
2.freak out （使）大吃一惊;（使）极度不安;（使）大发雷霆;（使）极度困惑
We are going to freak out if you don't show up!
你再不出现我们就要发飙了！
3.field trips 实地考察;校外参观学习
The many schoolchildren coming to the Hong Kong museum on field trips get a very different message.
很多来到香港的博物馆参观的小学生得到了一个不同寻常的信息。
参考译文
现在参与到我们的节目中吧，我们的节目是来自VOA学英语的《词汇掌故》。
我们的节目探讨美语里常用表达的来源和意义。每周我们会想出你们感兴趣的主题。我们也会做调查。不过今天，我们要编一期主题为“dreams”的节目。
梦是我们睡着后的幻觉。但是含有“dream”的表达却使用在我们醒着的时候。
“The stuff dreams are made of（真像是做了一场梦）”是一个很浪漫的表达。它描述的是一个很美好的体验。
举个例子，假设你特别喜欢飞行和太空旅游。所以，一个朋友邀请你看发射航天飞机。她甚至邀请你和将要飞向太空的宇航员见面。
这次经历之后，你可以对她说，“真像是做了一场梦！我的梦想实现了。”
梦想实现确切来说就是一个梦变成了现实。
我们来让这个梦更梦幻。
假设你的朋友能让你登上航天飞机。实际上你可以穿着太空服坐在飞行指挥官的座位上！那应该比你最疯狂的还要疯狂。换句话说，你自己甚至也没有幻想过会有如此美好的体验。
然而，你一进入航天飞机你就感觉不舒服。你手发抖，你也说不出话。
宇航员想要帮助你。你吓坏了，喊道：“让我出去！我要出去！”当你开始在驾驶舱里乱扔飞行手册时，警察来了，并把你从航天飞机上带下来了。
这简直是一场灾难，是噩梦。
在警察录完你的口供和指纹后，你的朋友想要让你平静下来。她说一切都没问题。但你只能对她说，“我希望这一切只是一场噩梦。”
但它不是。
你被禁止参加任何与美国航天局有关的参观学习，而且你有案底了。
然而，数月之后，你又忆起儿时的航天梦，并且这个梦越来越强烈。你决定成为一名飞行员。你朋友反对你当飞行员。她提醒你，说你有严重的幽闭恐惧症，一种害怕待在极小空间的病。
她说你想成为飞行员的梦是个“a pipe dream（白日梦）”。白日梦是指不可能实现的期望或者心愿。这个表达源自19世纪晚期。文字学专家说它是指吸食鸦片时做的梦。那些梦很少能成真。
但是你坚持认为你有可能成为第一个带着你的忠宠猫——“银河系”一起环球飞行。但你的朋友，说，“继续做梦！”她也有可能说，“做你的梦吧！”
这两个非正式表达都是诠释某人的想法很荒诞。朋友彼此之间可以用开玩笑的方式使用这些短语。否则的话，这两个短语听起来都有一点刻薄。
然后你的朋友用了另一个非正式表达。她告诉你清醒过来并认清事实（to wake up and smell the coffee）！她接着说道，如果你认为你能变成一个全世界有名的带着猫飞的飞行员，那你真得是活在梦里。生活在梦境中的人是不现实的。他们拒绝面对现实。
你朋友的话使你很难听进去。但你知道她是对的。所以，你决定写本关于一个人带着自己的爱猫环球飞行的书。由于你已经是一个儿童读物作家，这个梦想绝对可以实现。
接下来的几个月，你愉快地幻想着你要写的故事。“幻想”是让你的创造性思维，你的想象力掌控一切。你很走运，你可以想象任何地方——不止是一个像驾驶舱的小空间。
事实证明相较于实际的空中飞行，你更擅长想象。你的书非常成功。有了卖书赚来的钱，你终于能够买一幢理想的房子。房子里还有一个给你的猫——“银河系”的专门的房间。
你那以你为傲的朋友邀请你去她教书的地方做演讲。你告诉她的学生要坚持自己的梦想并且要有远大的梦想。你告诉他们即使是破灭的梦想也有价值。你总可以收拾残局，再次寻梦。
那天晚上你打电话给她，并且谢谢她提醒你永远不要放弃追梦。她说这是朋友应该做的。
“晚安，”你说。
“晚安，”她说。“好梦。”
这就是我们今天《词汇掌故》的所有内容了。
我是VOA教英语的安娜·马特奥。你知道的，我不会想着转行滴。
