VOA慢速英语2011--Words and Their Stories: Nuts and Bolts

Words and Their Stories: Nuts and Bolts

词汇典故：细节决定成败
Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇典故。
(MUSIC)
Every machine is held together by its nuts and bolts. Without them, the machine would fall apart. That is also true of an organization. Its nuts and bolts are its basic, necessary elements. They are the parts that make the organization work.
每台机器都是由螺母和螺栓连接到一起。如果没有它们，机器就会散架。对一个组织来说也是这样。一个组织的nuts and bolts是指其基本的、必要的组成部分，它们是组织得以正常运转的一部分。
In government, industry, diplomacy¹ -- in most anything -- those who understand the nuts and bolts are the most important. Success depends more on them than on almost anyone else.
在政府、行业与外交，乃至几乎所有事情中，最重要的是那些了解具体细节（nuts and bolts）的人。与其他人相比，成功与否更取决于这些了解细节的人。
In government, the president or prime minister may plan and shape programs and policies. But, it takes much more work to get them approved and to make them successful.
在政府中，总统或首相可能会计划或制定方案和政策。但是，需要付出更多努力才能使其得以通过并取得成功。
There is a mass of detailed² work to be done. The nuts and bolts. This is often put into the hands of specialists. The top leaders are always well-known, but not those who work with the nuts and bolts.
有大量细致的工作要做，也就是nuts and bolts(细节工作)。这些工作往往交给专家来完成。通常被大家熟知的是最高领导人，而不是那些做具体工作的人。
This is equally true in the day-to-day operation of Congress. The majority leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, together with the chairmen of committees, keep the business of Congress moving.
国会的日常运转中也是如此。参议院多数党领袖和众议院议长，连同委员会主席共同维持国会业务正常进行。
Behind every Senator and Congressman³, however, are assistants. These people do all the detailed work to prepare congressmen to vote wisely on each issue.
然而每位参议员或众议员的背后都有助理人员。这些人进行所有细致工作，以使国会议员在每个问题上做出明智的选择。
In diplomacy, the chief ministers are unquestionably important in negotiations⁴. But there are lesser⁵ officials who do the basic work and preparations on the different issues to be negotiated.
在外交上，首席部长在谈判中的重要性无可厚非。但还是有一些较低级别的官员会针对要谈判的不同问题来做基本的准备工作。
A recent book tells of a British prime minister who decided⁶ to send an ambassador to Washington to learn if details could be worked out for joint⁷ action on an issue. The talks in Washington, the minister said, would be "of nut and bolts." He meant, of course, the talks would concern all the necessary elements to make joint action successful.
最近一本书讲述了英国首相决定特使到华盛顿去了解在一次有关问题的联合行动中是否已经万事具备。首相称，华盛顿的会谈就是nut and bolts。他的意思当然是说，这次会谈牵涉了联合行动是否能够取得成功的所有必要因素。
In a military operation, strategy decisions are important. But much more time is spent on the nuts and bolts -- generally called logistics -- of how to transport and supply an army. It has been said that Napoleon was successful because he knew the field position of every one of his guns. He gave careful attention to the nuts and bolts of his operations.
在军事行动中，战略决策非常重要。但更多时间花费在细节上---通常被称为后勤，即如何给军队提供运输和补给。据说拿破仑之所以成功是因为他知道每支枪的实际位置。他非常关注行动的细节问题。
The extreme importance of nuts and bolts was expressed by the Elizabethan poet, George Herbert. He wrote:
伊丽莎白女王时代的诗人乔治·赫伯特描写了细节的极端重要性。他写道：
For want of a nail, the shoe is lost
一只马蹄钉断了 失去了马蹄鞋
For want of a shoe, the horse is lost
马蹄鞋没了 绊倒了战马
For want of a horse, the rider is lost.
战马绊倒了 摔伤了将军
Benjamin Franklin carried these lines even further. He wrote:
富兰克林将此表达地更为深刻，他写道：
For want of a rider, the battle was lost
将军摔伤了 输掉了战争
For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost
战争输掉了 最后亡了国家
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
这一切的一切 都是由于一颗小小的马蹄钉
(MUSIC)
This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Marilyn Christiano. The narrator was Maurice Joyce. I'm Warren Scheer.

1 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

2 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

3 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

4 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

5 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。