(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 are talking about two things that at first seem unrelated -- changing your mind, and shoes.
Okay, first shoes.
In the summertime, many people around the world wear a kind of casual shoe known as "flip-flops." They are completely open. So, they keep feet cool in warm weather. They are also good to wear in the shower, at the beach or by a swimming pool – anywhere wet.
Word and shoe experts both agree that flip-flops come from Japan.
An article in the New York Times explains that after the Second World War ended, Japan increased its production of rubber. Among other things, workers used rubber to make a version of a traditional Japanese sandal, called the zori. Japan exported these rubber zoris all over the world.
But the public did not keep the name zori. The rubber sandals became known as flip-flops. Can you hear why?
"Flip-flop" is the sound the shoes make when you walk in them.
So, that's some information about the flip-flop we wear on our feet. But another way we use the word "flip-flop" in American English has nothing to do with shoes.
When you flip-flop, you completely change your mind on an issue. Not only do you adjust your thinking, but you adopt the exact opposite position.
For example, maybe one day you announce to your roommates that you have become a vegetarian. You plan to eat only vegetables, beans, rice and pasta. But at the end of the week, you make another announcement. You say you've changed your mind. And now, you will only eat meat.
You have flip-flopped.
Word historians say this usage of "flip-flop" began around 1930 and comes from the world of electronics. "Flip-flop" referred to switching circuits that alternate between two states.
Today, we most commonly use the term "flip-flop" in politics.
Being accused of flip-flopping is usually not good. Let's say you are running for a political office. Early in your political career perhaps you supported a popular issue – such as tax breaks for businesses. But now supporting that issue is not popular.
So, during the campaign, you tell voters that you've changed your mind. You are now against tax breaks for businesses. Your opponent could accuse you of being weak, of not knowing what you believe in, or of changing your position to get more votes.
A candidate who flip-flops for political gain usually gives a bad impression. Voters come to know you as a flip-flopper.
Another, more neutral expression that means about the same as "flip-flop" is "to do a 180." (By the way, you can spell "one-eighty" with either numbers or letters. The pronunciation is the same.)
If you turn 180 degrees around a circle, you will be facing in the opposite direction. So, you can use this term simply to mean turn around. For example, you could say that when your friend saw her ex-boyfriend coming toward her at a party, she did a 180 and quickly walked away.
That is the literal meaning.
Figuratively, doing a 180 means you completely change your opinion, or you make a big change in your lifestyle.
In our earlier example about flip-flopping from being a vegetarian to eating meat, you could also say you did a 180. That expression sounds less critical than "flip-flop."
At work, you may not want to say that your boss flip-flopped on an important issue. Saying she did a 180 is more polite.
You could also say that she reversed her earlier opinion. Better still, you can say her opinion evolved. Using the word "evolved" gives the impression that she changed her opinion over a long period of time and after thinking about it very carefully.
In other words, if you do not want to offend someone, you might want to save your flip-flops for the beach.
And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories. I'm Anna Matteo.
重点解析
1.among other things 其中;除了别的以外;除了别的之外;此外;除了其他事情之外
That's what I AM here for, among other things, to be a good listener.
这就是我在这儿的原因，此外，我会做好一个倾听者。
2.tax breaks 赋税优惠;减税
Today they'll consider tax breaks for businesses that create jobs in inner cities.
现在，他们会考虑给那些在市中心创造了就业机会的企业提供减税优惠。
3.political gain 政治利益;政治获利
This is a cynical manipulation of the situation for short-term political gain.
这是为了获取短期政治利益而损人利己地对局势进行操纵。
参考译文
现在是VOA学英语《词汇掌故》时间。
本节目探讨美式英语里的常见表达。
今天我们要谈论两件乍一看似乎毫无关联的事情——change your mind（改变主意）、shoes（鞋子）。
好的，先说说“shoes（鞋子）”。
夏季的时候，世界上的许多人都会穿一种叫做“人字拖（flip-flops）”的休闲鞋。这种鞋是完全敞开的。因此，在热天里穿这种鞋能让脚保持凉爽。这鞋子在洗澡的时候、沙滩上或者泳池边、任何湿漉漉的地方都很好穿。
文字和鞋类专家都赞同人字拖来源于日本。
《纽约时报》的一篇文章对此解释道：二战结束后，日本增加了橡胶产量。除此之外，工人们用橡胶做了一种日本传统凉鞋的翻版，称作草屐。日本向全世界出口这些橡胶草屐。
但是大众没有保留草屐的名称。这种橡胶凉鞋后来被称为人字拖。你能听出来是为什么吗？
“flip-flop”指的是你穿着这种鞋走路时，鞋子所发出的声音。
那么，这是我们脚上所穿的人字拖的一些信息。但是我们在美语里使用“flip-flop”的另一种方式是和鞋子毫无关联的。
当你“flip-flop”的时候，你彻底改变了一个问题的观点。你不仅调整了你的想法，而且你接受了完全相反的立场。
例如，也许有天你和你的室友宣称你已经是一名素食主义者了。你计划只吃蔬菜、豆类、米饭和意大利面。但是一周之后，你宣布了另一件事。你说你改变了主意。现在，你将只吃肉。
你来了个180度大转变（flip-flop）。
文字史学家说“flip-flop”的这种用法起源于1930年左右，来源于电子界。“flip-flop”指在两种状态之间交替的开关电路。
今天，我们在政治方面最常用这个术语。
被谴责“改变主意”通常不是件好事。假设你在竞选一个政治职位。在你的政治生涯早期，你也许支持一个热门问题——例如企业减税。但现在，支持那个问题热度不高了。
因此，在竞选期间，你告诉选民你改变了主意。你现在反对企业减税。你的对手会谴责你软弱、没有自己的信仰、为了获得更多的选票而改变自己的立场。
一个为政治利益而改变立场的候选人通常会给大家留下不好的印象。选民们会认为你是一个出尔反尔的人（flip-flopper）。
另一个和“flip-flop”意思相同却更加中立的表达是“do a 180（180度大转变）”。（顺便提下，你可以将“180”拼写成数字或者字母。它的发音都是一样的。）
如果你绕着一个圆转180度，你将面对相反的方向。因此，你可以就用这个短语表示转身的意思。例如，你可以说当你的朋友在派对上看见她的前男友朝她走过来的时候，她快速转身走开了。
这就是字面意思。
“”do a 180”比喻性的意思是你完全改变了自己的主意，或者你的生活方式有了很大的改变。
在我们之前的关于从一个素食者转变为一个肉食者的例子中，你也可以说你完全改变了主意。那个表达听起来比“flip-flop”少些批判意味。
在工作中，你也许不想说你的老板关于一个重要的问题改变了主意。说她来了个180度的大转变更有礼貌。
你也可以说她彻底转变了之前的观点。更好点，你可以说她的观点演变了。使用单词“evolved”给人的印象是她经过很长时间并在仔细考虑之后才改变了她的观点。
也就是说，如果你不想得罪人，你可能想将你的“flip-flop（人字拖）”留到沙滩上用。
这就是本期的《词汇掌故》节目。我是安娜·马特奥。
