The Strange Way 'Birds and Bees' Help Us

 

Now, it’s time for Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning¹ English.

Spring is in the air! Well, at least, in half of the world. The amount of daylight in the northern half is increasing, day by day. And air temperatures are slowly rising.

Spring is a season for growth and rebirth. Many insects, plants and even some animals are coming out of a deep, deep sleep. Bees and birds are especially active.

All around life is buzzing².

And for many people, spring is a time for love. All this talk of love and rebirth might get some people thinking about sex. And children, who seem to overhear⁴ everything interesting, might start asking questions. A few of these questions adults sometimes have trouble answering, such as “Where do babies come from?”

It is important for parents to talk with their children about sex. But such discussions⁵ can be uncomfortable and even embarrassing⁶. To make this subject easier to talk about, adults sometimes explain sex and sexual⁷ reproduction by telling the child how animals reproduce⁸.

Years ago, parents and even schoolteachers would call the subject of human sexuality and reproduction “the birds and the bees.” This gave them a way to avoid saying the word “sex.”

Several language websites give the English writer Samuel Taylor Coleridge credit⁹ for this expression. Let’s listen to a reading from his poem "Work Without Hope."

All nature seems at work … The bees are stirring--birds are on the wing … and I the while, the sole¹⁰ unbusy thing, not honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing.

Literary¹¹ experts say that when Coleridge writes of bees “stirring” and birds “on the wing,” he means they are having sex. And he is suggesting that he is not.

The expression “the birds and the bees” is unclear. It can lead to more questions and misunderstanding in a child. More often than not, it does lead to a lot of embarrassment¹².

This is an old expression and it may sound dated. But Americans still use it, usually in a humorous way.

Let’s hear how a teenager might use the term.

“Last night, my mother took me to my favorite restaurant. I thought it was to celebrate my good grades. But as it turns out, she said that just wanted ‘to talk about the birds and the bees.’ She actually said, ‘the birds and the bees!’ And the waiter heard! I’ve never been so embarrassed in my whole life!!”

But we have another expression that is a little more serious. And you can also use when you still want to avoid the actual words “sex education.” You can simply call those details the facts of life.

You take the good, You take the bad

You take them both and there you have

The facts of life, The facts of life

There's a time you got to go and show 

You're growin' now you know about 

The facts of life, the facts of life.

That song opened the 1980s television show “The Facts of Life.” Set at a private girl’s school, the coming-of-age show was funny. But it also dealt with teenage girls and the issues they face, such as sex and relationships.

So, “the birds and the bees,” and “facts of life” are both expressions that let you avoid saying the word “sex.”

We have another evasive expression involving the word “bird.” But this one lets you avoid telling from where you heard something.

Let’s say you overheard¹³ something you were not supposed to hear or you learned¹⁴ some news but don’t want to say who told you. You could say “a little bird told me.”

But be warned. This expression may be a bit too sweet for some people.

Now let’s hear how to use these expressions.

A: Hey, I heard that you’re going on a trip for a few days.

B: Yes, I’m visiting my sister out in California. But how did you know? I’ve only told one or two people here at work.

A: Oh, a little bird told me. Anyway, don’t worry. I won’t say a thing. How long will you be gone?

B: A week! I love spending time with my sister and her children. Those kids are so intelligent.

A: Children these days seem so much more like adults than we were at that age. For example, they really know their way around computers and technology.

A: Don’t get me started about the birds and the bees! I think my 12-year-old niece knows more about human reproduction than I did in my 20s!

B: And I suspect she doesn’t call it “the birds and the bees,” does she?

A: No, she does not In fact, when we talked about the facts of life, she uses all the scientific terms. Very specific language. It was a little uncomfortable.

B: For who? You or her.

A: Me, naturally. .

And that’s Words and Their Stories. Join us again next week when we explore the meaning of other expressions in American English.

I’m Anna Matteo.

Let me tell you 'bout³ the birds and the bees

And the flowers and the trees

The moon up above, and the thing called love

Let me tell you 'bout the stars in the sky

The girl and the guy

And the way they could kiss

On a night like this...

Words in This Story

buzzing – v. making a sound like that of a bee

uncomfortable – adj. feeling uneasy¹⁵

embarrassing – adj. feeling foolish in front of other people

honey – n. a sweet, sticky¹⁶ material made by bees

evasive – adj. done to avoid harm, an accident, etc.

niece – n. the daughter of one’s brother or sister, or someone married to your brother or sister

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1 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。

2 buzzing   

adj.嗡嗡响的v.发出嗡嗡声( buzz的现在分词 )；（发出）充满兴奋的谈话声[闲话，谣言]；忙乱，急行；用蜂鸣器（发信号）

参考例句：

• The computer made a buzzing noise that she found off-putting. 计算机发出的嗡嗡声让她心烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Bees are humming [buzzing] around from flower to flower. 蜜蜂在花丛中嗡嗡地飞来飞去。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 bout   

n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛

参考例句：

• I was suffering with a bout of nerves.我感到一阵紧张。
• That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her.那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。

4 overhear   

vt.无意中听到，偷听到

参考例句：

• I happened to overhear what he said.我碰巧听到他说的话。
• They stepped aside so that their child could not overhear their conversation.他们走到一边去，不让孩子听见他们的谈话。

5 discussions   

n.讨论( discussion的名词复数 )；商讨；详述；论述

参考例句：

• Discussions are held on an informal basis within the department. 讨论限于在本部门内非正式地进行。
• Her specialist input to the discussions has been very useful. 她在这些讨论中提供的专家建议很有助益。

6 embarrassing   

adj.使人尴尬的，令人为难的v.（使）窘迫，（使）局促不安( embarrass的现在分词)

参考例句：

• His jokes didn't even raise a smile, which was embarrassing. 听了他讲的笑话，都没人笑一下，真是太尴尬了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I was in the embarrassing position of having completely forgotten her name. 当时我完全忘记了她的名字，很是尴尬。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 sexual   

adj.性的，两性的，性别的

参考例句：

• He was a person of gross sexual appetites.他是个性欲旺盛的人。
• It is socially irresponsible to refuse young people advice on sexual matters.拒绝向年轻人提供性方面的建议是对社会不负责任。

8 reproduce   

v.生育，繁殖，复制，重做

参考例句：

• The machine can reproduce a key in two minutes.这机器能在两分钟内复制一把钥匙。
• The picture will reproduce well.这照片会印得很清楚。

9 credit   

n.信用，荣誉，贷款，学分；v.归功于，赞颂，信任

参考例句：

• I credit him with a certain amount of sense.我认为他有一定的见识。
• He got the credit,and we did the dirty work.他得荣誉，我们做不讨好的工作。

10 sole   

adj.惟一的；独一无二的，专用的；独占的

参考例句：

• She is my sole trust.她是我惟一信赖的人。
• My sole purpose is to help you.我唯一的目的是帮助你。

11 literary   

adj.文学（上）的

参考例句：

• Literary works of this kind are well received by the masses.这样的文学作品很受群众欢迎。
• The book was favourably noticed in literary magazines.这本书在文学杂志上得到好评。

12 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

13 overheard   

adj. 串音的, 偶而听到的 动词overhear的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• We talked quietly so as not to be overheard. 我们低声交谈，以免别人听到。
• I told Lucy the news under my breath, but Joyce overheard me. 我低声地把这个消息告诉露西，可还是被乔伊斯听到了。

14 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

15 uneasy   

adj.心神不安的，担心的，令人不安的

参考例句：

• He feels uneasy today.他今天心里感到不安。
• She had an uneasy feeling that they were still following her.她有一种他们仍在跟踪她的不安感觉。

16 sticky   

adj.粘的，闷热的，困难的，令人不满意的

参考例句：

• This paste is not sticky enough.这糨糊不黏。
• Here is a sticky business!这事真难办！