VOA慢速英语2021--豹岂能改变斑点呢

A Leopard¹ Doesn't Change Its Spots

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning² English.

Today we talk about change. The world changes. Situations change. But what about people? Do we ever really change?

To answer this, we turn to the animal world to describe changes in personality³ and behavior.

A common expression states that as we get older it gets harder to change and harder to learn new behavior. That expression is: You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

This expression does not mean that it is impossible for an older person to learn something new. Anyone can learn a new skill later in life -- from speaking a new language to playing an instrument.

But sometimes as a person gets older, they get used to doing things in a certain way. It is more difficult for them to learn a new way of doing things.

Some people, this expression claims, get very set in their ways. They do not like to change. They like to wake up at the same time, eat the same thing for lunch, and watch the same news program. People who fit this description take comfort in routines⁵.

Of course, this is not true for everyone. Many older people adapt and change very easily to new situations. But perhaps they were always like that, even when they were younger. They are just staying true to their nature.

And that brings us to our next expression: A leopard doesn't change its spots.

This expression means⁶ that a person will stay true to their nature. They are who they are and cannot change -- even if that person claims otherwise.

We often use this expression when talking about someone who says they have changed their ways. They no longer do something bad that they used to do.

Here is a very short story using these expressions. Listen for other expressions that relate to a person not changing.

Years ago, I lived in a beautiful apartment. But it was too big for me. So, to save some money, I invited a woman to move in. She was a friend of a friend of a friend. So, I did not know her. But I was told she would be a very good roommate.

And at first, she was. Then her "true colors" came out.

First, she was messy⁷. She left her stuff⁸ everywhere. When I told her to pick up after herself, she just laughed and said. "I was messy as a little girl, and I'm still messy. You know what they say, ‘you can't teach an old dog new tricks.'"

Well, I didn't think that was very funny. Besides she was too young to be an "old dog" stuck in her ways.

Then she starting doing other things – worse things. She would take my stuff and lie about it. She would eat all of my food and not buy any food herself. Finally, she started throwing loud, all-night parties and inviting⁹ all kinds of strange people to the apartment.

That was the last straw¹⁰! I had had enough. I told her she had to find a new place to live.

Well, after only a week of looking she said she could not find one. This I found hard to believe. There were always "apartment for rent" signs around town. But we had a serious talk and she promised me that she would change her ways. She would turn over a new leaf. She would clean up her act, so to speak.

So, I let her stay. That was a mistake. She soon fell back into her old ways. It turns out the old saying is true: A leopard doesn't change its spots.

In the end, I found her another place to live. She is now living with that friend of a friend of a friend. Problem solved!

Words in This Story

personality – n. he qualities (as moods or habits) that make one human being different from others

comfort – n. a state or situation in which you are relaxed and do not have any physically¹¹ unpleasant¹² feelings caused by pain, heat, cold, etc.

routine⁴ – n. a regular way of doing things in a particular order

adapt – v. to change your behavior so that it is easier to live in a particular place or situation

apartment – n. a usually rented room or set of rooms that is part of a building and is used as a place to live

roommate – n. one of two or more persons sharing the same room or living quarters

messy – adj. not clean or tidy

last straw – expression the last of a series (as of events or insults) that brings one beyond the point of endurance

turn over a new leaf – expression turn over a new leaf

1 leopard   

n.豹

参考例句：

• I saw a man in a leopard skin yesterday.我昨天看见一个穿着豹皮的男人。
• The leopard's skin is marked with black spots.豹皮上有黑色斑点。

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 personality   

n.个性，人格，名人

参考例句：

• Einstein was a great personality.爱因斯坦是个伟大的人物。
• She has a powerful personality.她有坚强的个性。

4 routine   

n.例行公事，惯例；adj.例行的，常规的

参考例句：

• It is everyday routine.这是每天的例行公事。
• She found the hospital routine slightly dull.她感到医院的工作有点枯燥乏味。

5 routines   

n.[计算机]程序( routine的名词复数 )；例行公事；日常工作；固定节目

参考例句：

• The artists were going through their daily routines. 艺术家们正进行日常的练习活动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hospital routines for nurses are very rigid. 医院中护士的日常工作非常刻板。 来自辞典例句

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 messy   

adj.散乱的，污秽的，麻烦的

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She found herself in a messy spot.她发现自己陷入了窘境。

8 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

9 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

10 straw   

n.稻草，麦杆，吸管；adj.用稻草做的，用来作稻草的，麦杆色的，无价值的，象稻草人的，非正式民意测验所发现的

参考例句：

• The old peasant is twisting pieces of straw into a rope.这位老农民正把稻草搓成绳子。
• May I have a straw for my drink?给我一根喝饮料的吸管好吗？

11 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。

12 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。