(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.
On this show, we talk about expressions that Americans use in every day speech.
Today we shine the spotlight on terms that demand our attention.
Andy Warhol was an American artist. He was in the limelight of the pop art movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Warhol once said that "everybody will be famous for 15 minutes." And he said this long before the arrival of social media and YouTube.
Today, you can do anything to become famous.
Just look at the Kardashian family. Reality television made the Kardashians famous for just being themselves. It helps that nearly every member of the family seems to like being in front of the camera. They enjoy being in the spotlight. And they have been in the limelight for a lot longer than 15 minutes.
They have become household names. This terms means exactly as it sounds – names that are well-known in many households. In other words, they are very famous.
But enough of the Kardashians! Let's go back to those terms.
Both "limelight" and "spotlight" come from the world of theater.
"Spotlight" is easy to understand. Spotlights are the bright lights used in a theatrical production. They shine light on the most important action in a play. It is where people should be looking.
For the history of "limelight," we turn to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary. Its explanation is more interesting.
A limelight is a lighting instrument. It was used in theaters to light the front of the stage. The light came from a fire. The fire was directed at a box filled with the mineral lime. Then a lens, a piece of glass, would concentrate the brightness, making the light more intense.
Merriam-Webster notes that Thomas Drummond, an engineer, invented limelight in 1816. He wanted to make boating safer by lighting dark coastlines. But limelight was too dangerous to be used in lighthouses. In fact, it is a wonder that more of those early theaters equipped with limelight did not burn to the ground.
When used as a noun, "limelight" and "spotlight" are interchangeable. One word can be used in place of the other. However, "spotlight" is probably the more common term.
The big difference is that English speakers use "spotlight" as both a noun and a verb. "Limelight" is only used as a noun. So you could not use "limelight" in these examples.
The teacher spotlighted a period of ancient history to his students.
While the owner of the company is in town, it is important to spotlight any problem that requires her attention.
Now, spotlight and limelight may have both come from the theater, but we use them everywhere.
The basketball player stole the limelight from her teammates with her amazing three-point shots.
A wealthy businessman did not want to be in the spotlight of the project and chose to remain in the background.
Situations, issues and problems can all be spotlighted or can all be in the limelight. Here are two examples:
The real estate agent made sure to spotlight the fact that the house was located in a safe neighborhood with highly-rated schools.
On the campaign trail, the politician's personal scandals were very much in the limelight.
To be in the limelight or the spotlight means that you are the object of public attention. As the expression goes, ‘all eyes are on you.' You have taken center stage. This is also a theater term.
In the theater, the center of the stage is usually a place everyone can see. The actor taking center stage is easy to recognize. However, that does not mean that the actor taking center stage can't be upstaged by another actor.
"Upstaged" means to direct attention away from something.
People can be upstaged.
For example, when two people are married, the bride is supposed to be in the limelight. She often wears a beautiful, white gown. It would be in very poor taste to upstage the bride by wearing something white and even more eye-catching. No one is supposed to upstage the bride!
An issue can also upstage another.
For example, let's say the main issue of the parent-teacher meeting was supposed to be raising money for the school. But that issue was upstaged by the discovery that the principal was fired! All the parents wanted to know more about the scandal!
So, just remember, anything that has been upstaged is no longer center stage. It's no longer in the limelight or spotlight.
And that's Words and Their Stories for this week.
Have you ever found yourself in the limelight? Or were you responsible for shining the spotlight on something that needed attention? Have you ever been upstaged? Let us know in the Comments Section.
I'm Anna Matteo.
重点解析
1.turn to 向(某人)求助；求助于
Nobody seems to understand. I don't know who to turn to.
看来没人明白这个，我不知道该向谁求助。
2.burn to the ground 烧毁；全部焚毁；彻底毁灭
Before I lose it, I will burn it to the ground.
城破之前，我定将其付之一炬。
3.be responsible for 对……负责；为……负责；对……负责任
Employees who used to be responsible for decisions, now have to run it by their boss or their colleagues.
过去愿意承担责任的员工，现在更愿意把责任推给老板或是同事。
参考译文
现在是VOA学英语《词汇掌故》节目时间。
在这档节目中，我们交流美国人日常交际中的表达。
今天我们来聚焦（shine the spotlight on）那些需要我们关注的词语。
安迪•沃霍尔是一位美国艺术家。他是20世纪六七十年代流行艺术运动的灵魂人物。沃霍尔曾说：“每个人都会有令人瞩目的15分钟。”他的这句话是在社交媒体和YouTube出现很早之前说的。
今天，你可以凭借任何事情出名。
看看卡戴珊家族。卡戴珊家族只是因为在真人秀节目中做自己就出了名。这让他们家族中的每个人似乎都喜欢出现在镜头前。他们喜欢成为公众关注的焦点（in the spotlight）。他们在聚光灯下的时间可要比15分钟要长得多。
他们的名字已经家喻户晓（household names）。这个短语真得是顾名思义：许多家庭都熟知的名字。也就是说，他们很出名。
但卡戴珊家族的话题就到此为止吧！让我们回到那些表达。
“limelight”和“spotlight”都出自戏剧界。
“spotlight”很好理解，指的是戏剧作品中用到的明亮的灯光。这些灯照亮戏剧中最重要的表演。它会照在人们该关注的地方。
为了查询“limelight”的根源，我们求助于线上版韦氏词典。它上面的解释更有意思。
“limelight”就是照明设备。它用于照亮剧场的舞台前方。它的光源是火。火正对着一个装满矿物石灰的盒子。然后一块玻璃镜片会将光集聚在一起，使得光更强。
韦氏词典指出工程师托马斯•朱蒙德于1816年发明的石灰光。他希望通过照亮黑暗的海岸线使航船更安全。但在灯塔上使用石灰光太危险了。实际上，多数那些早期配备了石灰光的剧院没有被烧成灰烬真是一个奇迹。
当被用作名词时，“limelight”和“spotlight”是可以相互替换的。一个词能代替另外一个词。但“spotlight”也许是更常见的词。
主要的差异在于母语是英语的人既将“spotlight”用作名词，也用作动词。“limelight”只用作名词。因此，在（下面）这些情景中，你不能使用“limelight”。
老师向学生们着重讲解了一段古代史。
当公司老板在城里的时候，让她关注任何她需要关心的问题是很重要的。
“spotlight”和“limelight”也许都源于剧场，但如今我们会在任何地方运用它们。
那个篮球运动员凭借精彩的三分球抢走了她队友的风头（stole the limelight from）。
一位富有的商人不想成为该项目的焦点，他选择留在幕后。
形势、话题以及问题都可能被人们关注或者说都能成为人们的焦点。这儿有两个例子：
房产经纪人一定要强调这所房子位于一个有多个口碑很好的学校的安全社区。
在竞选过程中，那位政客的个人丑闻很受大家的关注。
“be in the limelight”或者“be in the spotlight”意思是公众关注的对象。正如这句话所说 ：“all eyes are on you（成为全场的焦点）”。你被万众瞩目（take center stage）。这也是一个出自戏剧的表达。
在剧场中，舞台的中间通常是大家都能看见的地方。站在舞台中间的演员很容易被认出。但是，那不意味着站在舞台中央的演员不会被其他演员抢风头（be upstaged）。
upstaged“”意思是从某物上转移注意力。
人们可能会被抢风头。
例如，当两个人结婚的时候，新娘理应是全场的焦点。新娘往往穿着美丽的白色婚纱。穿白色的衣服或者穿得比新娘更抢眼以此来抢新娘的风头，那会非常不得体的。没人该抢新娘的风头！
一个话题也能抢另一个话题的风头。
例如，假设家长会的主要议题应该是为学校募捐。但校长被开除的话题盖过了那个议题。所有的家长都想了解更多关于这个丑闻的信息！
因此，就请记住：任何被抢风头的事物都不再是舞台焦点。它再也不引人注目或者受人瞩目。
这就是本周的《词汇掌故》节目。
你是否曾成为焦点？或者你是否有责任让人们聚焦那些需要人们关注的事物？你曾经被抢过风头吗？在评论区告诉我们吧。
我是安娜•马特奥。
