(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.
On this program we explore the origins and uses of common words and expressions in American English.
Today we talk about a word that is a feeling as well as a place. That word is "home."
Long ago in the 1700s, "home" was used as a verb, meaning "to be guided to a destination." So, when you home in on something you get closer to your target. For example, you could say, "Police are homing in on the suspects."
That is also where we get homing pigeons -- pigeons that can find their way home after being released.
But today, "home" is more often used as a noun. And it has a very emotional connection for American English speakers. You can remember the meaning of the word by the expression "home is where the heart is."
That expression means home is anywhere you feel love and comfort. It is a place where you belong, and often a place you consider your origin.
You can also simply the carry of feeling of home with you -- that is, a feeling of love and loyalty to your family and places that are dear to you.
In other words, "home" is not simply a building where you live -- that's a house. There is a big difference between a house and a home. Writer Lord Byron expressed this thought in his long poem Don Juan.
He enter'd in the house - his home no more,
For without hearts there is no home; and felt
The solitude of passing his own door
Without a welcome
Simply said, a house is not a home.
Another writer, Thomas Wolfe, had a different idea about home. In 1940, his book "You Can't Go Home Again" was published. This title has worked its way into the English language. We use it to mean that the ideas and feelings you had as a child often change when you are an adult. So, even if you return to the place where you grew up, time and distance have changed your perspective. You may not be able to re-create even your closest relationships.
Rock-n-roll singer Jon Bon Jovi does not agree with this expression. In this song he and Jennifer Nettles sing "Who Says You Can't Go Home." What they mean is yes, they can go back to a childhood home and be perfectly happy. This is especially true if you've become successful and have made a lot of money.
Some people find that returning to a childhood place brings only joy and delight. When these people return to their childhood homes, they may say "Home Sweet Home!"
Of course, you can say this anywhere. A single woman living alone in her first apartment may come home after a tough day at work and sigh, "Ah, home sweet home!" If she loves her apartment she might also say: "There's no place like home."
There's no place like home is a famous line repeated over and over by the character of Dorothy in the classic American film "The Wizard of Oz."
She learns that she did not need to leave her home in order to find what she was seeking. Dorothy's adventures ended right back in Kansas, where she was from.
But what about those people who must stay away from their homes for a long time? They still want to feel connected to a place they can depend on.
Hotels know this about travelers. Many advertise that they will be a home away from home. This expression describes a place where everything is familiar and comfortable.
Friends can also give you a home away from home. When you visit them, they may say to you: "Make yourself at home!"
This common expression means someone wants you to feel relaxed and welcome.
However, let's say you make yourself too at home. You eat everything in the refrigerator! Your friend then may say, "I'm happy to have you stay, but please don't eat me out of house and home!"
Sometimes, when we travel for a long time -- especially if we are in a strange place -- we can begin to feel sad. We miss our friends, family and usual environment so much that we become homesick.
Some people become so unsettled when they are away from home that they quit leaving the house altogether. They become homebodies. A homebody usually prefers to do things quietly around the house -- such as cook or knit or sit by the fire reading a book. For a homebody, going out night after night or visiting a busy city for a long period of time would be a nightmare.
But you don't have to be a homebody to relax and enjoy a peaceful moment -- no matter where you are. For example, let's say you have been working on a stressful assignment for a year. Now, the work is almost done. You can say you are in the home stretch.
This expression comes from horse racing. Horses in the home stretch are near the finish line. So, if you are in the home stretch of a very long project, you are almost finished.
In fact, we are in the home stretch of this episode of Words and Their Stories. We are at the last paragraph. So, we bring us on home with another song about home. That is something musicians say when they are finishing a performance.
I'm Anna Matteo.
重点解析
1.depend on 依靠
He was the sort of person you could depend on.
他是你可以信赖的人。
2.connect to 连接到，相连
Finally, it will connect to one of these databases.
最后，它将连接到这些数据库之一。
3.be away from home 背井离乡
He'd be away from home for four year by last october.
到上个十月为止他离开家已经4年了。
参考译文
这里是VOA学英语《词汇掌故》节目。
我们的节目探索美语里常用表达的历史渊源与使用方法。
今天我们来聊一个单词，这个单词既是一种感觉也是一个地方。这个单词就是“home”。
早在18世纪，“home”被当动词用，意思是“被指引着去一个目的地。”所以，当你朝着某事走，你离你的目标就会更近了。例如，你可以睡，“警察很快就要抓到嫌犯了。”
这也是我们用到信鸽的地方。信鸽被放出来后可以找回回家的路。
但今天，“home”更多时候作名词使，而且它与说美语的人有着很深的情感联系。你可以借助“home is where the heart is（心在家就在）”这个表达来记住“home”的意思。
这个表达的意思是哪里让你感受到爱和舒适，哪里就是家，它是你的归属地，你经常把这里看作是你的根。
你也可以一直有家的感觉——那是一种对家的爱和忠诚，也是一个对你来说很宝贵的地方。
换句话说，“家”不是一个简单的你居住的建筑（那种叫房子）。“房子（house）”和“家（home）”之间还是有很大区别的。作家拜伦勋爵在他的长诗《唐璜》里有诠释这二者的区别。
他走进屋子——这里不再是他的家了，
心在家就在；觉到了
孤独，在进门的时刻，
没有一丝暖意
简单说，屋子不等于家。
另一个作家，汤姆·沃尔夫，对家有别样的诠释。1940年，他的作品《你不能再回家》发表。这个标题已经融进了英语交流。我们用它来表达当你是一个成人，但想法和感情却经常像个孩子一样，总变来变去。所以即使你回到你长大的地方，时间和距离会改变的观点。你无法再复制，即使是最亲密的关系。
摇滚歌手乔恩·邦·乔维不同意这个短语所表达的观点。在这首歌里，他和詹妮弗·奈特尔斯唱到“谁说你回不了家。”他们的意思是能再找回回到家的感觉。回到儿时的家会十分开心。当你很成功，并且赚了很多钱，那回到儿时的地方是真能很开心的。
一些人发现回到童年的地方只会开心满足。这些人回到他们儿时的家，他们也许会说“我温暖的家！”
当然，你在哪都可以这么说。一个单身女人独自住在她的第一个公寓里，经过艰难的一天回到家，叹息道：“啊，我可爱的家啊！”如果她喜欢她的公寓，她也许也会说“没有比家更温暖的地方（There's no place like home）”。
“没有比家更温暖的地方”是美国经典电影《绿野仙踪》中，角色多萝西重复多次说的一句著名的台词。
她明白了她所寻觅的就在她的家里。多萝西的历险就结束在堪萨斯州，那里正是她的出生地。
但那些必须要长期离家的人呢？他们仍然想要一个他们情感上能有所依附的地方。
旅店能了解这些旅客的心理，许多广告宣称他们的酒店是像家里一样舒适的地方（a home away from home）。这个表达形容一个一切都令你很熟悉和舒服的地方。
朋友也能让你有家一样的感觉。当你去看他们的时候，他们也许对你说：“别见外!（Make yourself at home!）”
这个常见的表达意思是某人想要你感觉放松和受欢迎。
然而，比方说你太不见外了。你把冰箱里的东西吃完了！你的朋友也许就会说，“你来我这我很开心，但请不要把我家吃穷！（eat me out of house and home!）”
有时，当我们旅行很长一段时间——尤其当我们身处一个奇怪的地方——我们会开始陷入悲伤。我们会非常想念朋友、家人以及熟悉的环境，我们开始想家。
有些人一离开家就会变得很不安，索性他们就不离开家了。他们是恋家的人（homebodies）。恋家的人更喜欢在家里默默做一些事情——如做饭、织衣服或坐在火炉旁看书。对于他们来说，天天晚上外出或者长时间在一个都市旅游会是一个噩梦。
但不是只有待在家里才能放松和享受平和的时刻——在哪里都可以做到。例如，假设你一年来一直在忙一个压力很大的任务。现在，这个工作快完成了。你可以说你到了冲刺阶段（home stretch）了。
这个表达出自赛马。在最后直线跑道的赛马离终点线最近。所以，如果你的一个非常长的项目进入了冲刺阶段，说明你快完成了。
实际上，本期的《词汇掌故》接近尾声了。到了最后一段了。所以再放一首关于家的歌曲，让我们怀念心中的家，音乐家在表演快结束的时候会这么说。
我是安娜·马特奥。
