(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Now, it's time for Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
On this program we talk about words and expressions that we use in everyday conversation.
Today, we will talk about the word "smart". Like many words, "smart" has lots of different meanings, depending on how and when you use it.
For example, "smart" can describe someone who is very neat-looking. A person wearing an official uniform with shiny shoes and buttons can look very smart.
We can also use "smart" as a verb. Used this way, it means "to feel pain." That pain could be physical or emotional.
So, if you hit your thumb with a hammer by accident, you might yell out, "Ow, that smarts!" This would be a very polite thing to yell when you experience extreme physical pain. Many of us probably wouldn't be that polite. We would probably yell something quite different.
Okay, so that's the physical part. But a hurtful comment or remark can also smart. Those hurt in an emotional way.
In another use of the word, we add "smart" to the names of devices and tools. This means that they are enabled by computers -- like a smartphone.
But, by far, the most common definition of "smart" is to be very good at learning and understanding things. So, when students do well at school and get good grades, we can call them "smart."
Being smart, however, goes beyond the classroom. People can be smart in different ways.
If you have attended school for many years and have many degrees, people might call you book-smart. Book-smart people are well-read. They often know the names of great thinkers, scientists and other famous people in history. They have read classical literature. They know facts and information that many other people don't. Usually people with book-smarts are good at things like trivia games and crossword puzzles.
However, being book-smart is not everything. Sometimes people who are very educated are not so smart when it comes to life skills and people skills.
On the other hand, people who are good at dealing with practical life problems have lots of street-smarts.
People who have street-smarts may not have read as many books or earned college degrees. But they have something just as valuable – the ability to use their experiences in many different situations. They are very aware of their surroundings.
Okay, so whether you are book-smart, street-smart or both, being smart is a good thing.
Usually.
It may surprise you, but getting smart is not good.
In conversation, "getting smart" does not mean gathering knowledge. It means you are being rude or impolite. It is very common to hear parents say to their children, "Do NOT get smart with me!"
And that's not the only "smart" expression that can get you into trouble.
We often pair "smart" with "off" to make a very useful phrasal verb -- to smart off. Smarting off to someone means you are saying rude comments and showing a lack of respect.
In this context, the adjective "smart" is not good. If a child has a smart mouth, they often say disrespectful, rude things. In the classroom, students who give smart answers are trying to be funny by saying rude or inappropriate things.
Let's say there is a student who has a really smart mouth. She gives the teacher a smart answer in class one too many times. The teacher may say to her, "Do not get smart with me, young lady!" Or "Do NOT smart off in class!" Both mean, "Do not be rude!"
There is another type of "smart" that is bad.
Okay, we have all met someone who thinks they know everything about everything! Well, you can call that person a smarty-pants. These know-it-all types can be really annoying.
But please note that this insult can sound a bit childish.
So, being smart -- whether book-smart or street-smart -- is a great thing to be ... except when it's not!
And that's it for this Words and Their Stories.
I'm Anna Matteo.
重点解析
1.by far 到目前为止
The economy is the number one issue by far.
到目前为止，经济是头等大事。
2.be aware of 意识到，知道
We must be aware of the whole circumstances.
我们一定要了解全部情况。
3.a lack of 缺乏
I was hampered by a lack of information.
我受到了信息不足的牵累。
参考译文
现在是VOA学英语《词汇掌故》时间。
在这个节目中，我们会谈论我们在日常对话中用到的单词和表达。
今天，我们将讨论单词“smart”。和许多单词一样，“smart”有多种含义，它的含义取决于你的使用方法以及使用的时机。
例如，“smart”可以形容穿着整洁的人。穿着正装、鞋子和纽扣都很锃亮的人看起来会很整洁。
我们也可以将“smart”用作动词。这种用法的“smart”意思是“感觉疼痛”。这种疼痛可能是身体上的或是情感上的。
因此，如果你的拇指被锤子意外砸到了，你可能会大叫道：“噢，好疼！”当经历极度的身体疼痛时，你喊出来不会是多失礼的事情。我们许多人很可能不会那么有礼，我们可能会对着截然不同的事物喊叫。
好的，那这就是身体疼痛的部分。但是一句伤人的评论或者一句言语也会让人疼。这些疼痛是情感方面的伤害。
在这个单词的另一种用法里，我们将“smart”加到设备和工具的名字里。这种“smart”用法的意思是这些设备和工具能被电脑启用，如智能手机（smartphone）。
但到目前为止，“smart”最常见的定义是非常擅于学习和理解事物。因此当学生们在学校表现好，取得好成绩，我们可以说这些学生“聪明（smart）”。
但“聪明”不局限于在课堂上。人们可以在许多方面很聪明。
如果你已经上了很多年学并且得到了很多学位，人们可能会说你读书聪明（book-smart）。读书聪明的人博览群书（well-read）。他们一般知道伟大的思想家、科学家和历史上名人的名字。他们读过经典文学作品。他们知道许多人不知道的事实和信息。通常情况下，读书聪明的人擅长益智猜谜和填字游戏之类的。
但是，读书聪明并不意味着一切都厉害。有时候，受过良好教育的人在生活技能和社交技能方面并不擅长。
另一方面，擅长处理实际生活问题的人有许多的“处世智慧（street-smarts）”。
有“处世智慧”的人可能没读过许多书或获得过大学学位。但是他们同样有珍贵的东西——在许多不同场合下利用他们的经验的能力。他们对自己周遭的环境非常了解。
好的，所以无论你是读书聪明还是处世聪明或是两者兼备，学聪明点（be smart）是一件好事。
通常情况下是这样。
这可能让你感到意外，但是“get smart”不是好事。
在交际中，“get smart”不是积累知识的意思。它意思是粗鲁或者无礼。经常能听到父母对孩子说“不要对我没礼貌！”
这并不是唯一一个会让你陷入麻烦的“smart”表达。
我们经常将“smart”和“off”组成一个非常好用的动词短语使，“ smart off”。“ smart off to sb”意思是你对某人说出一些粗鄙的言论，显得不敬。
在这个语境下，这个形容词“smart”不是褒义。如果一个孩子耍嘴皮子，他们经常说些不敬和无礼的话。在教室里，如果学生耍嘴皮子，他们说出一些无礼或者不合适的话语来达到搞笑的意图。
假设有一个超爱耍嘴皮子的学生，她在一班很多次回答老师问题时耍嘴皮子。这个老师可能会对她说，“不要对我无礼，小姑娘！”或者“不要在班上说话无礼！”两句话的意思都是“不要无礼！”
还有另一种类型“smart”的含义也不好。
好吧，我们都曾遇见过那种认为自己什么都知道的那种人，你可以称呼这种人为“自作聪明的人（smarty-pants）”。那类“自以为无所不知的人（ know-it-all）”真得很烦人。
但请注意这种侮辱听上去有点孩子气。
所以，不管是“读书方面聪明”还是“处世方面聪明”都很好，除了自作聪明的时候！
这就是本期《词汇掌故》的全部内容了。
我是安娜·马特奥。
