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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Now, the VOA Learning1 English program Words and Their Stories.
Today we will talk about two of the world’s most popular drinks -- coffee and tea.
Now, many people are loyal2 coffee drinkers. They cannot imagine starting their morning without -- what some call -- a hot “Cup of Joe.” Some people hate coffee and prefer to drink tea. Others enjoy drinking both!
Whichever you prefer, know that English has some useful expressions using tea and coffee.
Let’s start with things around the home.
The table sitting in the middle of the living room (and usually in front of a sofa) is called a coffee table. We never call it a “tea table.” There is no such thing. Even if you hate the taste of coffee and never set a coffee cup on that table, you would still call it a "coffee table."
Naturally, a coffee table is the perfect place for a few coffee-table books. These large books usually have beautiful pictures and are meant to entertain3 people or make an impression on them. They are among the first things visitors see when sitting down in the living room. Many people use them as conversation pieces -- you know, items4 that start people talking about something.
Coffee, as you know, can help you feel more energized5. In fact, many people use coffee to wake up in the morning.
Pace the floor, stop and stare
I drink a cup of coffee and start pulling out my hair
I'm drinking forty cups of coffee
Forty cups of coffee
Forty cups of coffee, waiting for you...
[Ella Mae Morse singing “40 Cups of Coffee” from 1953]
And that is where we get the idiom “Wake up and smell the coffee!”
We say this to people who are not accepting a situation as it really is. They are not being realistic6. They need to face facts. You can say it to someone or about someone.
If you tea drinkers out there want to stay away from coffee expressions, you can also tell someone to simply “get real” or as we said earlier, “face facts.”
These two are more direct7. And while "wake up and smell the coffee" can be used in a lighthearted, funny way, "get real" and "face facts" both sound more serious.
Let's hear how these expressions can be used.
A: Um, who was at the door?
B: It was Helen.
A: Ugh. Did she ask to move back in with us … again?!
B: Yes. She did.
A: That’s the third time this week!
B: She apologized again for destroying some of the furniture during that party she threw. And she made us something to eat -- this cake. She really wants to move back in with us.
A: That woman is unbelievable! Does she have any idea how much damage she did? Our neighbors are still unhappy about that party. Next time she asks to move back in, let me deal with it.
B: What are you going to say to her?
A: I'm going to tell her to wake up and smell the coffee!
B: Uh, I don't think she drinks coffee.
A: You know what I mean. She needs to face facts. She is never, ever, EVER moving back in with us!
B: But she makes really good cake.
A: Ugh. Get real, Meredith. If you think for one minute that I would live with her just because she makes good cake, then you need to wake up and smell the coffee, too!
B: Mm. Coffee and cake are great together. I'll start making a pot of coffee now.
A: (sighs) Well … she does make good cake.
Even if you love tea, we just don't say, "Wake up and smell the tea." But don't worry. For all of you tea drinkers, we have a great expression for you!
I like a nice cup of tea in the morning
For to start the day you see
And at half past eleven
Well my idea of heaven
Is a nice cup of tea
[Binnie Hale singing “I Like a Nice Cup of Tea” from 1937]
If you really like something or are really good at something, it is your cup of tea.
But not so fast. That’s not really the way we use today. Yes, many years ago when the expression came into the language it was used in a positive way. But these days we almost always use this expression in a negative way.
So, you don’t say that something is your cup of tea -- even if you are talking about your beloved8 cup of tea.
If something is not your cup of tea, you simply don’t like it or are not good at it. The cup of tea in the expression can mean anything. If you don’t like to go camping, you could say camping is not your cup of tea. If you’re not good at dancing, it is not your cup of tea.
In fact, if you don’t like coffee, you could say it's not your cup of tea. And actually, that would be a funny way to use this expression.
Now, some places are known9 for their coffee and others for their tea. For example, Japan and China are famous for their tea. Their tea culture has a long history and tradition. And that is where we get our final expression for today.
Some famous Chinese teas are very pricey. If you gathered all the tea in China, it would be worth a lot of money.
So, if you want to say that you are unwilling10 to do something ... at any cost, you could say, "I wouldn't do it for all the tea in China." For example, if you are deathly afraid of heights, you could say "I would not skydive for all the tea in China."
This expression is simply an exaggerated12, or larger than life way of saying, "No way! I won't do it! I don't care what you offer me!"
Okay, we don't want anyone to accuse13 us of playing favorites. We already heard a conversation using a popular coffee expression. So, here is a short conversation with the tea expressions we just heard.
A: Tomorrow night I'm going out to a spoken word event. Want to join me?
B: Spoken word? You mean like a poetry reading?
A: Yeah! It’s really awesome14.
B: Um … no thanks. Spoken word really isn't my cup of tea.
A: Oh. So, you probably won't be interesting in going to a three-day Spoken Word Festival next month.
B: Not for all the tea in China.
A: So … that’s a no?
B: Yes. That’s a big N-O.
And that brings us to the end of this Words and Their Stories.
Choose one of the expressions heard here and try using it. Or share with us a coffee or tea idiom from your language. You can do both in the Comments Section!
I'm Anna Matteo.
Words in This Story
impression – n. the effect or influence that something or someone has on a person's thoughts or feelings
muscle15 car – n. any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful16 engines designed for high-performance driving
positive – adj. good or useful
negative – adj. harmful or bad : not wanted
exaggerate11 – v. to think of or describe something as larger or greater than it really is : to make (something) larger or greater than normal
playing favorites – phrase : to give preferable treatment to someone or something one likes or favors more than others
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learning
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| n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词 | |
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loyal
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| adj.忠诚的，忠心的 | |
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entertain
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| vt.招待，款待；使欢乐，使娱乐；vi.款待，请客 | |
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items
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| n.物料项目 （任何一种自制或采购的零部件或组装件，如最终产品、部件、子部件、零件或原材料）；条( item的名词复数 )；一项；一则；一件商品（或物品） | |
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energized
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| v.给予…精力，能量( energize的过去式和过去分词 )；使通电 | |
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realistic
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| adj.现实的，逼真的，现实主义的，实在论的 | |
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direct
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| adj.直接的；直达的；v.指挥；知道；监督；管理 | |
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beloved
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| adj./n.受爱戴的，敬爱的；爱人，被心爱的人 | |
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9
known
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| adj.大家知道的；知名的，已知的 | |
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10
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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exaggerate
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| v.夸大，夸张 | |
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12
exaggerated
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| adj.言过其辞的 | |
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accuse
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| vt.指责，控告，归咎于；vi.指责，控告 | |
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14
awesome
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| adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的 | |
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muscle
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| n.肌肉，膂力；v.硬挤 | |
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powerful
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| adj.有力的，有权力的，强大的 | |
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