(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 common expressions in American English.
Today we explore the human body. Specifically, we take a tour of our largest organ: the skin.
Skin is not only large; it is important.
One of its jobs is to protect us. It keeps bad things out. But sometimes it fails. Extremely small bugs, called mites, can get under our skin. And when they do, they cause itching and great discomfort.
So, to get under someone's skin means to annoy them or, better still, to bug them. Get it? Mites are small bugs.
Okay, moving on!
That's just one definition of the expression "to get under someone's skin." It can also mean that someone is very attractive to you. You can't stop thinking about them. You might even be obsessing about them.
Cole Porter used the expression this way in his 1936 love song "I've Got You Under My Skin."
Frank Sinatra singing "I've Got You Under My Skin"
I've got you under my skin.
I've got you deep in the heart of me.
So deep in my heart that you're really a part of me.
I've got you under my skin.
Let's hear the same expression used different ways in two short examples.
A: Can you stop popping your gum? I need to study and it's really annoying.
B: Sure.
A: And can you stop whistling, please?!
B: Anything you say.
A: Please stop drumming your pencil on the table! Look, you're really getting under my skin today. Can you just ... be somewhere else?
B: Mm-k. (Okay)
That was an example of the annoying situation. Now, let's move to obsession!
A: Hey, have you seen Jacob recently?
B: He met this new woman at a party last month. So, no. I haven't seen him.
A: What do you mean?
B: I mean, he's fallen hard for her. He's either with her or at home waiting for her call.
A: Wow, she's really gotten under his skin.
B: That's one way to put it. I just tell him that he's obsessed with her.
Now, let's get back to skin as a protector.
Our skin fits tightly on our bodies. It holds in important things while keeping out harmful things. So, we can use a "skin" expression to describe very tight clothing. We can say that the outfit fits like a second skin.
There are many ways to describe people using the word "skin."
If someone is thick-skinned they are not easily hurt emotionally. You can criticize them or be unkind to them and it simply rolls off their back.
Thin-skinned people, however, are easily hurt by criticism, even if it is not too severe. You have to be careful what you say to thin-skinned people so as not to hurt their feelings.
If someone is suddenly very scared, you can say they nearly jumped out of their skin! For example, one day I saw my friend Sierra waiting at a bus stop. She was wearing headphones and did not hear me come up behind her. So, when I touched her shoulder, she nearly jumped out of her skin!
If someone is too thin and looks sickly, you can say they are all skin and bones. It appears they have no meat or muscle on their bodies. For example, let's imagine that two hikers get lost in the woods. When rescuers find them weeks later, they are all skin and bones.
Now, let's say you meet someone who is very strange and creepy. You get a very bad feeling around them. You can say they make your skin crawl.
But if you meet someone who is very confident, you can say they are comfortable in their own skin. These people have accepted themselves as is – flaws and all!
And if you meet someone who is beautiful on the outside but is not very nice on the inside, you can say, "Well, beauty is only skin deep."
And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories! Let us know what you thought of today's program. And don't worry if you have more criticism than praise. We have thick skin and can take it!
I'm Anna Matteo.
重点解析
1.better still 更甚者；更好是；尤为可观
Better still, he said, take a friend along, to sit with you for half an hour of minor bliss.
他说，如果能叫上一个朋友陪你一起蹲上半个小时，那就更好了。
2.be obsessed with 昼夜萦绕在…心头;被…缠住;埋头研究
Some girls might be obsessed with their fantasy and refuse to wake up.
有些女孩沉迷于幻想不愿醒来。
3.jump out of one's skin 欣喜若狂；吓得魂不附体；魂飞魄散
I didn't hear you come into the room and you made me jump out of my skin.
我没听见你走进房间，你吓了我一大跳。
4.as is 照现状；不予改变；照原样
We bought the clock at an auction as is.
那只钟我们从拍卖行买来时就是这个样子。
参考译文
现在是VOA学英语《词汇掌故》节目。
节目探讨美式英语里的常见表达。
今天我们来探究身体。具体地说，我们要一览我们最大的器官：皮肤（skin）。
皮肤不仅面积大；而且很重要。
它的职责之一就是保护我们。它帮我们抵御对身体有害的事物。但有时候也会抵御失败。被称为螨虫的极小虫子，能深入我们的皮肤。当它们进入皮肤后，会引起瘙痒，带来极大的不适感。
因此，“get under someone's skin（惹怒某人）”意思是惹恼某人或者，更甚者，去骚扰他们。明白了吗？螨虫是小虫子。
好的，继续说！
这只是“get under someone's skin”的含义之一。它也可以表示让你非常着迷的人。你情不自禁地想起那个人。你也许甚至正迷恋那个人。
科尔·波特在他1936年的情歌《I've Got You Under My Skin（爱你爱到心坎里）》中的这个表达的意思就是这样。
法兰克·辛纳屈演唱《I've Got You Under My Skin》。
我为你着迷。
我把你放在我的内心深处。
我对你如此深情，我已离不开你。
我爱你爱到心坎里。
让我们来听两段关于这个表达的不同用法的短对话。
A：你能别嚼口香糖了吗？我要学习，那声音真得很烦人。
B：当然。
A：你能别吹口哨吗？！
B：你说不吹那就不吹。
A：请不要把你的铅笔在桌子上敲！你今天真得惹到我了。你就不能去别的地方吗？
B：好的。
这是关于“恼怒”的情景。现在，让我们转到“迷恋”的例子！
A：嘿，你最近见过雅各布吗？
B：他上个月在一个聚会上新认识了这个女人。所以，没有。我没有见过他。
A：你什么意思？
B：我是说，他很为她着迷。他不是和她在一起就是在家等着她的电话。
A：哇，她真得让他很迷恋。
B：那是一种说法。我就和他说他迷上了她。
让我们回到皮肤是保卫者的话题。
我们的皮肤紧紧附着在我们的身体上。在抵御对身体不利的事物方面起着重要作用。因此，我们可以用一个“skin”表达来形容非常紧身的衣服。我们可以说这套衣服很贴身（like a second skin）。
有很多种使用单词“skin”来形容人的方式。
如果某人“脸皮厚（thick-skinned）”，那这个人不容易被情感伤害。你可以批评这类人或者对他们不好，他们完全不受其扰（roll off one's back）。
然而"脸皮薄的人（thin-skinned people）"很容易因批评受伤，即使不是很严厉的批评。你和脸皮薄的人说话要注意，以免让他们情感上受伤。
如果某人突然被吓到，你可以说他们差点吓得魂不附体（jumped out of their skin）！例如，有一天我看见我的朋友西拉在公交站等车。她戴着耳机，没有听见我从后面走来。所以，当我碰她肩膀的时候，她魂都吓掉了！
如果某人特别瘦弱，你可以说他们瘦得皮包骨（all skin and bones）。似乎他们身上没肉或肌肉。例如，假设两个远足者在森林里迷路了。当救援人员几周后找到他们的时候，他们已经瘦得皮包骨了。
现在假如你遇到了很奇很怪的人。你对他们感觉很不好。你可以说那些人让你毛骨悚然（skin crawl）。
但如果你遇见一个非常自信的人，你可以说他们很自信（be comfortable in one's own skin）。这些人已经完全接受了自己——缺点和所有！
此外，如果你遇见一个人外表很美丽但心却不怎么美，你可以说：“好吧，美貌只是肤浅的东西。”。
这就是今天的《词汇掌故》节目了！把你对于今天节目的想法都告诉我们吧。如果你的批评比赞扬多，请不用忧心。我们脸皮厚，能受得住！
我是安娜·马特奥。
