(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Now, it's time for Words and Their Stories.
On this program we explore common expressions in American English.
Today, we talk about expressions that began behind the wheels of automobiles. Now they are common expressions that we use in everyday conversations.
Well, let's not delay any longer. Let's get this show on the road!
"To get the show on the road" means to begin something as soon as possible. It's a casual expression that we use when we want to start something, anything -- an activity or project or an actual road trip.
Well, not any activity. You would not likely use this expression to begin something sad, such as a funeral. It is a lighthearted expression.
Word experts say that the phrase comes from traveling circuses and other shows of the early 1900s in the United States. These entertainers would travel from town to town bringing their performances to people not able to travel to big cities for entertainment.
So, the person who says "hey, let's get this show on the road!" is taking charge. They want to start things. They want to get things going. You could say they are in the driver's seat. Just as the driver is in control of their vehicle, the person in the driver's seat of an activity, event or project is also in control. They are the leader. Feel free to use this phrase in any situation, formal or informal.
Speaking of free, most rides are not. They cost money. When you take a taxi you must pay for it. If you drive a car, you must pay for gas, repairs and insurance. It is great when you get a free ride to where you are going.
However, in life, to get a free ride means to gain from something without having to do anything in exchange. It can be annoying to have a friend or co-worker who is always trying to get a free ride. They do not give. They just take, take, take!
Now, when we are actually driving, the phrase go down that road simply means to drive down a road. We would say this when we give directions. "Go down that road for about a mile and you'll see your destination on the right."
But in conversation it has an interesting meaning.
To go down that road means to make a decision. But it's more than that. It also means that this decision may bring trouble or leave you in a difficult place. We often use this phrase as a warning or when we give advice to someone.
Let's say a good friend, Veronica, has a neighbor who likes causing trouble. He has loud parties every weekend until the wee hours of the night. The trash from his parties often spills out into her lawn. Veronica tells you she is going to get even with this neighbor. She plans to play opera music very loudly very early every morning until his late, loud parties stop!
You might tell her, "Are you sure you want to go down that road? It could lead to trouble."
Maybe you have made the same mistake. You could advise your friend, "I've been down that road before and it did not go as I had planned!"
Where the rubber meets the road is another interesting phrase.
Here rubber refers to the tires of a vehicle. Where the rubber meets the road is the point of contact between automobile tires and the road. It's when and where the car actually moves. It's also when you find out how the car performs.
So the expression rubber meets the road means the point at which a product, idea or method is tested.
Imagine you have been studying different methods of teaching people English. So far, it has all been theories. Where the rubber meets the road will be in a class full of students. That will be the real test! Will those theories actually help your students learn English? We shall see!
Some driving behaviors are really dangerous and can lead to accidents.
For example, when you cut someone off in traffic you turn your car into their lane in a dangerous way, nearly hitting them!
You can also cut people off in conversation. Used in this way, to cut someone off (or cut off someone) means to interrupt what they are saying. It is not dangerous but it is extremely annoying.
Driving in the middle of the road is really dangerous. You could crash into oncoming traffic! But in conversation, being in the middle of the road is actually a really safe place. It means you are taking a moderate position on some issue. You are not at or near one extreme or the other.
The most dangerous driving behavior is not paying attention to the road. Many wrecks happen when people do not pay attention. The worst thing, by far, is to fall asleep at the wheel.
We also use this expression in our conversations. To be asleep at the wheel means you are not paying attention to something that should have your attention. If the leader of a project is asleep at the wheel it means she's not paying attention to the project. Something bad will probably happen.
We here at Learning English are definitely not asleep at the wheel.
That's right. We pay very close attention to our audience!
And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories!
I'm Bryan Lynn.
And I'm Anna Matteo.
重点解析
1.take charge 掌管；弄糟
The company needs someone capable to take charge.
这家公司缺少有能力的人来掌舵。
2.give advice 提出忠告；提出建议
His job was to give advice to the emperor.
他的职责是向国王进谏。
3.get even with 跟……算账；与……扯平；向……报复
I'm going to get even with you for this
我会跟你算这笔账的。
参考译文
现在是VOA学英语《词汇掌故》时间。
本节目探索美式英语里的常用表达。
今天我们要从汽车车轮的后面开始讲起。现在它们是我们日常交际中的常用表法。
嗯，我们不耽搁了。让我们马上开始本期节目吧！
“get the show on the road”意思是尽快开始某事。这是一个非正式表达，用于当我们想开始某事或是任何事物的时候，一项活动或是一个项目或是一场实际的旅行。
呃，不是什么事项都可以。你不太可能把这个表达用于一件悲伤的事情，如在葬礼上。这是一个趣味表达。
文字学专家说这个短语源自美国20世纪初的巡回马戏团和其他表演。这些表演者们会从一个城镇走到另一个城镇，给那些不能去大城市娱乐的人们带去表演。
所以，说出“嘿，让我们马上开始表演”的人是负责人。他们希望表演开始。他们希望一切开展起来。你可以说他们处于司机的位置。和司机控制车辆一样，一个活动，大型赛事或是项目的“司机”同样也是负责掌控的。他们是领导。可以在任何正式或者非正式场合自由（free）使用这个表达。
说到“free（免费的）”，大多数旅程不是免费的，是需要花钱的。当你打出租的时候，你必须要付钱。如果你开车，你必须为汽油、修理和保险付钱。如果你能搭便车去你要去的地方，那真是太棒了。
但在生活中，“get a free ride”意思是不需要做任何事情用来交换就可以得到某物。如果有个总想占便宜（get a free ride）的朋友或者同事会是一件让人很困扰的事情。他们不给予。他们只是索取，索取，索取！
当我们真正开车的时候，短语“go down that road”单纯意味着沿着路往下开。当指引方向的时候，我们会用到这个表达。“沿着那条路开大约一英里，你就能在右手看见你的目的地。”
但是在交谈中，它的含义很有趣。
它的意思是“做决定”。但它的含义不止于此。它也表示这个决定也许会给你带来麻烦或者让你处于一个很困难的境地。我们经常把它当作一种给别人的警告或是对别人的建议。
假设你有个好朋友，叫韦罗妮卡。她有个喜欢惹麻烦的邻居。那个男人每周末开派对开到深更半夜。派对上的垃圾经常被扔到她的草坪上。韦罗妮卡和你说她要报复这个邻居。她打算大清早大声放歌剧，直到他的深夜吵闹的派对不再开为止！
你也许会和她说：“你确定你要这样做？这可能会惹来麻烦。”
也许你也做过同样的决定。你可以这样建议你的朋友：“我以前也做过那样的决定，但事情并不是按照我计划的那样进展的！”
“where the rubber meets the road”是另一个有趣的短语。
这里的“rubber”指的是车辆的轮胎。轮胎接触地面的地方就是汽车轮胎和地面的接触点（point of contact）。在产生接触点时，正是在接触点处，汽车开始移动。
因此表达“rubber meets the road”指的是测试一个产品、主意、或是方法的时间点。
假设你一直在研究不同的教英语的方法。到目前为止，你都还是理论上的研究。你会在一个坐满学生的课堂上检验这些理论。那将是一场真正的考验！那些理论真得能帮助你的学生们学习英语吗？我们拭目以待（we shall see）！
有些驾驶行为真得很危险而且会导致事故的发生。
例如，当你变道超车（cut someone off in traffic）的时候，你以一种很危险的方式把你的车开进别人的车道，差点撞到他们的车！
你也可以打断（cut people off）别人的谈话。这种用法的“cut someone off”（或者“cut off someone”）意思是打断大家的谈话。这种行为没有危险性，但是极其烦人。
在路中央开车真得很危险。你会撞上迎面而来的车流（oncoming traffic）！但在谈话中，“保持中立（being in the middle of the road）”实际上是一个很安全的立场。它的意思是你在某个问题上持温和观点。你不会持有或者倾向其中一种极端或是另一种观点。
最危险的驾驶行为是不看路。很多事故都发生于人们不看路的时候。目前最糟糕的情形就是开车时睡着了（fall asleep at the wheel）。
我们在交谈中也用到这个表达。“be asleep at the wheel（工作时心不在焉）”意思是你没有注意你该注意的事情。如果一个项目的领导工作时心不在焉，这意味着她没有关注项目，那很可能会有一些坏事发生。
我们学英语的人绝对没有工作时心不在焉。
对哒。我们非常关注我们的听众！
这就是本期《词汇掌故》的全部内容了！
我是布莱恩·林恩。
我是安娜·马特奥。
