(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
On this program, we explore common expressions in American English.
Today we talk about a part of our body that is usually very busy – our feet!
Feet help us walk, run, dance, and jump. The words feet and foot are also used in everyday speech.
For example, the English language has feet idioms that describe different kinds of people.
To be under someone's feet means to be troublesome. In other words, you are standing too close to someone and are getting in their way. Some adults criticize children for being under foot.
Speaking of children, if someone says their home will soon have the pitter-patter of tiny feet, it means the family is expecting a baby!
Now, people who are active do not let grass grow under their feet. They are never in once place for very long.
People who can think and take action at the same time are said to be able to think on their feet.
Some people appear to have it all. They have money, a good education, good looks, a great family and a large circle of friends. You could say they have the world at their feet. This means whatever they want seems to be there for them.
People who have both feet firmly on the ground are realistic and practical. They are not dreamy. You might say such a person is well grounded.
If you are a bad dancer, you might be accused of having two left feet. To dance well, it is better to have a right foot and a left foot.
Besides describing different people, feet expressions can be helpful when talking about jobs and careers.
Let me tell you about a man named Sam. He has worked at a government job for years. But now he is looking for a new career. He wants to do something he loves -- something exciting!
Sam loves skiing. He thinks that it would be fun to own a ski resort high in the mountains. But he knows nothing about operating a business. So, he decides to get his feet wet. In other words, he wants to get used to a new situation.
He joins an organization for resort owners and attends their conferences. He travels to ski areas all over the United States. This helps Sam get his foot in the door.
Having a foot in the door is a starting point, an opportunity. This expression comes from people selling things door-to-door. They would block the door with their foot so people couldn't close the door on them.
The more Sam learns about the ski business, the more excited he gets.
All this information is a great start. But it isn't enough to make his dream a reality. He finally gets a firm foothold when he finds some mountain top property for sale in West Virginia. He gets a loan from a bank and buys the land! Getting a foothold is finding a starting point that makes further progress possible.
Sam is so excited that he jumps in with both feet. If you start a new job or project with much energy, you can say you jumped in with both feet.
Sam works hard with ski slope designers and engineers. At the end of each day, all of them are dead on their feet. They are so tired that they have trouble standing up. So, Sam and his team decide to put their feet up. They rest and take it easy.
Finally, Sam faces opening day – the day he has been dreaming about.
But the night before his business is to open, Sam gets cold feet. He is so nervous that he wants to call everything off. He's afraid that his resort will be a total failure. To get cold feet means to become afraid about something at the last minute.
But then, Sam takes a deep breath and calms down. He gets his feet back under him. He decides that his opening day will be wonderful!
However, there is a problem.
The ski lift is broken. This makes Sam really angry. He wants to know what went wrong. So, he holds the mechanic's feet to the fire. This expression means to make someone take responsibility for a mistake. Sam instructs the mechanic to fix the ski lift. But she drags her feet. This means she is slow to fix it. So, Sam fires her and hires another mechanic to fix the ski lift.
After it is fixed, Sam is able to land on his feet. To be back on your feet or to land on your feet is to recover from trouble.
Soon skiers are happily skiing down the slopes! It is a great success!
Sam's ski resort has been open for three seasons. And every year it is easier for Sam to find his feet in this new and exciting career. It is easier for him to get used to his new situation.
Now, Sam's ski resort is popular with skiers and he has a successful new career.
To thank his friends and family who helped him during that difficult first year, he invites them to the resort for a weekend of skiing. And, of course, he footed the bill. This means he paid for everything!
And that is Words and Their Stories. Hopefully this story has given you a firm foothold on using feet and foot expressions.
I'm Anna Matteo.
重点解析
1.get used to 习惯于；适应；习惯一件事情的过程
When Chen first arrived three years ago, she was overwhelmed. There was simply too much to get used to for a girl fresh out of college.
当Chen三年前第一次来到这里的时候，她不知所措。对于一个刚刚走出大学的女孩子来说，有太多的东西要适应。
2.opening day 开幕日；开放日
Ominously for the locals, though, the biggest splash on opening day was made by a Volkswagen saloon, which is to be built in a new factory in Tennessee.
对于当地厂商来说，这可不大妙，因为在开放日最引人夺目的成就由大众汽车公司在田纳西的一家新工厂制造。
3.call off 取消；依次叫名；叫走
He has called off the trip.
他取消了这次旅行。
参考译文
这里是VOA学英语《词汇掌故》节目。
我们的节目探讨美式英语里的常用表达。
今天，我们要聊聊一个我们使用频繁的身体部位——我们的脚（feet）。
脚帮助我们行走，奔跑，跳舞和跳跃。单词“feet”和“foot”也经常出现在我们的日常交流中。
例如，英语用“feet”相关的习语来形容各色的人。
“be under someone's feet（站人脚跟前）”意味着讨人厌。换句话说，你站得离人太近并且挡道了。一些大人会批评孩子站人脚跟前。
说到孩子，如果某人说他们家很快就会有啪嗒啪嗒的小脚声（pitter-patter of tiny feet），那意味着他们家很快就会有一个小宝宝了。
现在，积极的人不会错过机会（let grass grow under one's feet）。他们从不在一个地方待太久。
那种边思考边采取行动的人据说能够用脚思考（think on one's feet）。
有些人看似啥都不缺。他们有钱，有文化，有相貌，有好的家庭以及一大堆朋友。你可以说世界就在他们脚下（the world at their feet）。这意思是他们想要什么似乎就会有什么。
脚踏实地的人现实且实际。他们不会做白日梦。你也许会说这样的人踏实。（well grounded）
如果你跳舞不好，你可能会被指责笨手笨脚（have two left feet）。想要舞跳得好，最好是有一只右脚，一只左脚。
除了形容各种人，“feet”相关的表达还可以应用在职场话题里。
让我和你们说个叫山姆的男人的故事。他在政府工作多年。但现在他想寻找新的职业生涯。他想做一些他热爱的事情——一些令他兴奋的事情。
山姆喜欢滑雪。他认为在高山拥有一个自己的滑雪场会很有趣。但他对滑雪行业一窍不通。所以，他决定开始涉足（get one's feet wet）这方面。换句话说，他想适应新形势。
他加入了滑雪场股东的组织并且出席他们的会议。他参观了美国所有滑雪场。这些帮他取得了初步的成功（get one's foot in the door）。
“取得初步的成功”就是一个新的起点，一个机会。这个表达出自上门推销的推销员。他们会用脚堵住门，这样人们就不能关上门了。
山姆对滑雪业了解得越多，他就越开心。
所有这些消息都是一个好的开始。但这些不足以令他梦想成真。当他在西弗吉尼亚州发现一些山顶房产出售时，他才算终于站稳了脚跟（get a firm foothold）。他从银行贷款买下了那块地！“找到立足之处（get a foothold）”是发现一个能够可能取得更多进步的立足点。
山姆太兴奋了，他决定全力以赴（jump in with both feet）。如果你热血沸腾地开始你的新工作或者新项目，你可以说你全身心投入了。
山姆与滑雪斜坡设计师和工程师一起努力工作。每天工作完，他们全都精疲力竭（be dead on one's feet）。他们累到直不起身。所以，山姆和他的团队决定休息（put one's feet up）。他们休息了并放松了下。
终于，山姆迎来了开业的那天——他一直梦想的那天。
但是开业的前一晚，山姆临阵退缩（get cold feet）了。他太紧张了，他想取消一切。他害怕他的滑雪胜地会经营惨淡。“临阵退缩”是指在事情发生前一秒害怕了。
但是最后，山姆深吸了一口气镇定下来。他重新找回了自信（gets one's feet back under sb）。他确信他的开幕日一定会很完美！
但是，有一个问题。
滑雪缆车坏了。这真得让山姆很生气。他想知道哪里出了问题。所以，他找来了机修工问责（hold one's feet to the fire）。这个表达的意思是让某人为错误的错负责任。山姆命令机修工修理好滑雪缆车，但她磨磨蹭蹭（drags one's feet）。这意思是她修理得很慢。所以，山姆开除了她并另雇了一个机修工来修理缆车。
缆车修好后，山姆就算化险为夷了。“To be back on your feet”或“to land on your feet”意思是摆脱困境。
很快，滑雪者开心地从滑坡上滑下来！滑雪场很成功！
山姆的滑雪者三季开放。每年山姆都更容易在这个新鲜而又刺激的职业生涯中站稳脚跟（find one's feet）。他也更容易适应新形势。
现在，山姆的滑雪场很受滑雪者欢迎，他有了一个成功的新事业。
为了感谢在他第一年里帮助他度过困难的朋友和家人，他邀请他们周末来滑雪场滑雪。当然，他买单（foot the bill）。这意味着他付所有的费用！
这就是今天的《词汇掌故》。希望这个故事能让你有信心使用“feet”和“foot”相关的表达。
我是安娜·马特奥。
