For All Book Lovers: Chapter 1

For All Book Lovers¹: Chapter 1

Now, the VOA Learning² English program Words and Their Stories.

When you learn a foreign language, it can be very difficult to know the best word to use in a situation. This show can help you learn how and when to use American expressions.

Today, we will explore a seemingly³ simple word: book.

Everyone knows what a book is. We read books to get information. We read books for stories. A book can be like a time machine that takes a reader on a trip into the past or future.

People who love to read and love books are called bookworms. Like the actual insects that feed on the pages and paste⁴ of books, bookworms eat up every word on the printed page. Even with the invention of electronic⁵ books, or e-books, book lovers are still called bookworms.

Parts of a book

Besides pages and paste, a book is made up of several parts.

Let’s begin with what we usually see first – the cover. In American English we like to say do not judge a book by its cover. This means⁶ you should not judge something or someone simply by how it looks on the outside. The cover of a book may look appealing. But that does not mean the inside is well written. This expression is usually used with people.

Another part of a book is the page. If we say a book is a real page-turner it means it is very well written and very suspenseful⁷. You cannot wait to turn the page to find out what happens next!

However, to turn the page means something different. This means to stop thinking or dealing⁸ with something unpleasant⁹. A chapter is also part of a book. It can also mean a part of history or a person’s life.

Sometimes these two are used together as in this example, “It is time to turn the page on that dark chapter in history.” This can also be used in a personal example, “She needed to turn the page on the sad chapter in her life.”

Instead of turning the page or starting a new chapter, you can be on the same page with someone. To be on the same page means you agree about something. It is as if the two of you are reading from the same book and have stopped at the same place.

When you do stop reading in a book, especially a borrowed book, you may want to think twice before dog-earring the page to mark your spot. To dog ear the page of book means to bend the top corner slightly like a dog’s ear. And this upsets many book lovers.

So, do not dog ear someone else’s book and definitely¹⁰ do not tear a page out it … except if you are using the idiom. Taking a page out of someone’s book means to do something they would do. This can be used for people and for organizations. For example, some people feel the government should take a page out of the private sector’s book and operate more efficiently¹¹.

Besides reading books, did you know you can also read people?

To read someone like a book means you are able to understand someone very clearly. It is easy to read someone like a book when they are an open book. A person who is an open book shares their thoughts and shows their feelings very easily.

A closed book is the opposite. It describes something that is difficult to understand or a person who does not share personal details. This expression can also mean something that has completely¹² ended. For example, if you have a friend who went through a difficult divorce¹⁴ you could say her marriage is a closed book. And one she does not want to read again.

All this opening and closing of book, makes me think of studying. Students facing a tough exam must hit the books. This sounds violent¹⁵. But, it simply means to study long and hard. No one has to physically¹⁶ attack the books, although after hours and hours of studying, a student may want to.

Now, let’s listen to some of these expressions in a conversation.

What are you doing this weekend?

Richard and I are hitting the books. We need to study for the big exam.

Richard, the new student? He’s always so cheery. He must have a really easy life.

You should not judge a book by its cover. I’ve known¹⁷ Richard a long time. And, actually, he has had a really rough¹³ year.

Really? I’m surprised to hear that. He is always smiling and is so pleasant with everyone.

He has always been a bit of a closed book. He never talks about his personal life, especially the bad times.

I should take a page out of Richard’s book and be happy even when times are tough.

We’re on the same page there. I’m trying to keep a good attitude too. But he said that he’s finally turned the page on a difficult chapter in his life.

Glad to hear it. He seems like a really nice guy.

And now it’s time for us to turn the page and end this chapter of Words and Their Stories. But join us again next time as we talk about more words and expressions in American English.

Words in This Story

shabby¹⁸ – adj. in poor condition through long or hard use or lack of care.

efficient – adj. capable of producing desired results without wasting materials, time, or energy : efficiently is the adverb

1 lovers   

爱好者( lover的名词复数 )； 情人； 情夫； 情侣

参考例句：

• They were off-screen lovers. 他们是真实生活中的情侣。
• Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet 罗密欧和朱丽叶这一对莎士比亚笔下命运多舛的恋人

2 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

3 seemingly   

adv.从表面上看起来，似乎是

参考例句：

• Seemingly,we can do nothing to prevent this from happening.我们似乎没有什么办法阻止这件事发生。
• For several seemingly interminable seconds no one spoke.有几秒钟没有人讲话，这几秒钟似乎十分漫长。

4 paste   

n.糊，浆糊，铅制玻璃；vt.粘贴，覆盖，猛击

参考例句：

• Please paste these sheets of paper together.请将这几张纸粘在一起。
• Stick the paper with paste.用糨糊粘纸。

5 electronic   

adj.电子的；n.[-s]电子学，电子设备

参考例句：

• It is an electronic device with many uses.这是一部具有多种用途的电子仪器。
• Father needs a new electronic shaver.爸爸需要一个新的电子剃须刀。

6 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

7 suspenseful   

adj.悬疑的，令人紧张的

参考例句：

• If his experiences then had been carefully recorded, it would undoubtedly have made a suspenseful and moving book. 若是把他所经历的事实记录下来，那就是一部充满着大智大勇，惊心动魄的小说。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Lily is an atmospheric and suspenseful tale of love, loss and obsession. 这是一个关于爱情、失落与迷恋的故事，充满情调与悬疑色彩。 来自互联网

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 unpleasant   

adj.使人不愉快的，使人厌恶的，煞风景的

参考例句：

• A very unpleasant thing has happened.一件令人很不愉快的事发生了。
• The kind advices are often unpleasant to the ear.好言常常不入耳。

10 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

11 efficiently   

adv.高效率地，有能力地

参考例句：

• The worker oils the machine to operate it more efficiently.工人给机器上油以使机器运转更有效。
• Local authorities have to learn to allocate resources efficiently.地方政府必须学会有效地分配资源。

12 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

13 rough   

adj.粗糙的；粗略的，大致的；粗野的，粗暴的

参考例句：

• It's just a very rough translation.这只是一篇非常粗糙的译稿。
• His reply was a bit rough.他的答复过于粗鲁了一点。

14 divorce   

n.离婚；分离；vi.离婚；vt.离婚；脱离

参考例句：

• Did he divorce his wife or did she divorce him?是他要和妻子离婚，还是妻子要和他离婚？
• None of us like the divorce of word and deed.我们都不喜欢言行不一。

15 violent   

adj.暴力的，猛烈的，激烈的，极端的，凶暴的，歪曲的

参考例句：

• The madman was violent and had to be locked up.这个精神病患者很凶暴，不得不把他锁起来。
• They caught him and gave him a violent beating.他们抓住了他，把他狠狠打了一顿。

16 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

17 known   

adj.大家知道的；知名的，已知的

参考例句：

• He is a known artist.他是一个知名的艺术家。
• He is known both as a painter and as a statesman.他是知名的画家及政治家。

18 shabby   

adj.衣衫褴褛的，不体面的，破旧的，吝啬的，卑鄙的

参考例句：

• You look rather shabby in those clothes.你的衣着显得有点寒酸。
• The old house has grown shabby with age.那座老房子因年代久远而变得破旧。