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VOA慢速英语2012 Words and Their Stories: Insect Expressions

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(单词翻译)

 

Words and Their Stories: Insect Expressions

词汇典故:关于昆虫的美式表达

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

现在是美国之音慢速英语词汇典故节目。

There are many American expressions about insects -- like bees, for example. Bees are known as very hard workers. They always appear to be busy, moving around in their homes, or hives. So you might say you were as busy as a bee if you spent your weekend cleaning your house.

美式英语中有许多关于昆虫的表达,例如说蜜蜂。蜜蜂被认为是一种勤劳的昆虫。它们总是显得非常忙碌,在蜂箱附近飞来飞去。如果你周末打扫了自己的房子,你可以说,你忙得不可开交(as busy as a bee)。

In fact, you might say your house was a beehive of activity if your whole family was helping1 you clean. You also might say you made a beeline for something if you went there right away. When we go to see a movie, my friend always makes a beeline for the place where they sell popcorn2.

事实上,如果全家在帮助你打扫房子,你可以说,你的房子是一个忙碌的蜂箱(a beehive of activity)。如果你直接会某个地方,你可以说,你径直(made a beeline)做某事。

Here is an expression about bees that is not used much any more, but we like it anyway. We think it was first used in the nineteen twenties. If something was the best of its kind, you might say it was the bee's knees. Now, we admit that we do not know how this expression developed. In fact, we do not even know if bees have knees!

以下是一个已经不常被用到的关于蜜蜂的表达,但无论如何我们喜欢这个表达。我们认为它的首次应用是在上世纪二十年代。如果某物是同类中最好的,你可以说,它是出类拔萃的(the bee's knees)。我们现在承认自己不知道这个表达如何出现的,事实上我们甚至不知道蜜蜂是否有膝盖。

If your friend cannot stop talking about something because she thinks it is important, you might say she has a bee in her bonnet3. If someone asks you a personal question, you might say "that is none of your beeswax." This means none of your business.

如果你的朋友无法停止谈论一些东西,因为她认为它是非常重要的。你可以说,她脑子里有怪念头(a bee in one's bonnet)。如果有人问你一个私人问题,你可以说,不关你的事(that is none of your beeswax)。

Speaking of personal questions, there is an expression people sometimes use when their children ask, "where do babies come from?" Parents who discuss sex and reproduction say this is talking about the birds and the bees.

谈到私人问题,有一个父母有时在孩子提问时用到的表达。孩子问“婴儿从哪里来的?”讨论性和生殖的父母会说,这有关两性的基本常识(the birds and the bees)。

Hornets are bee-like insects that sometimes attack people. If you are really angry, you might say you are mad as a hornet. And if you stir up a hornet's nest, you create trouble or problems.

黄蜂是一种类似蜜蜂的昆虫,有时会攻击人类。如果你真的生气了,你可以说,你非常愤怒(mad as a hornet)。如果你捅了马蜂窝(Stir up a hornet's nest),就是说你惹了麻烦。

Butterflies are beautiful insects, but you would not want to have butterflies in your stomach. That means to be nervous about having to do something, like speaking in front of a crowd. You would also not want to have ants in your pants. That is, to be restless and unable to sit still.

蝴蝶是一种美丽的昆虫,但你不会希望have butterflies in your stomach,这意味着做某事时非常紧张,像在人群面前发言。你也不会希望 ants in your pants,它的意思是说坐立不安。

Here are some expressions about plain old bugs5, another word for insects. If a friend keeps asking you to do something you do not want to do, you might ask him to leave you alone or "stop bugging6 me." A friend also might tell you again and again to do something. If so, you might say he put a bug4 in your ear.

以下有一些关于plain old bugs的短语。plain old bugs是昆虫的另一种说法。如果你朋友一直让你做你不想做的事情,你可能会要求他,让我一个人呆会,别烦我(stop bugging me)。朋友还可能一再告诉你做某事,如果这样,你可以说他提醒了我(put a bug in your ear)。

If you were reading a book in your warm bed on a cold winter's day, you might say you were snug7 as a bug in a rug. And if you wish someone good night, you might say, "sleep tight -- don't let the bed bugs bite."

如果寒冬的一天,你正在温暖的被窝里看书,你可以说,你非常舒适( snug as a bug in a rug)。如果你祝某人晚安,你可以说,睡个好觉(sleep tight -- don't let the bed bugs bite.)

(MUSIC)

This VOA Special English program was written by Shelley Gollust. I'm Faith Lapidus. You can find more WORDS AND THEIR STORIES at www.voanews.cn.

as busy as a bee:忙得不可开交,像蜜蜂一样忙碌

a beehive of activity:忙碌的蜂窝

made a beeline: 径直

the bee's knees:杰出,出类拔萃

a bee in her bonnet:bonnet 指的是古代外国妇女带的一种宽沿圆形大帽子,有带子可以系在脖子上,如果有蜜蜂飞进去是很难出来的。a bee in one's bonnet 指的是头脑中的固执的念头,而且往往是难以摆脱的异乎寻常的怪念头,经常说 have a bee in one's bonnet about sth 。“He has a bee in his bonnet about constructing a yacht8 of his own design. 他脑中一直有个想法,要自己设计构造一艘游艇。

that is none of your beeswax:不关你的事

the birds and the bees:(对孩子解释的)有关两性关系的基本常识,初步的性教育

mad as a hornet:像黄蜂样愤怒(意指非常生气、愤怒)

Stir up a hornet's nest:相当于中文的捅了马蜂窝。惹了麻烦

have butterflies in one's stomach,从字面上来解释就是,一个人的胃里有蝴蝶.可是,这个说法的真正意思是一种持续不断的恐惧、紧张或忧虑的心情,和中文里说的“心里感到七上八下”很相似.

ants in your pants,Ants 就是蚂蚁, pants 就是裤子。蚂蚁钻进了裤子,你可以想象是个什么滋味了。你肯定坐不住了。 Ants in your pants 这个俗语的意思就是一个人很紧张,坐立不安。这种坐立不安的心情可能由各种原因造成的,例如紧张,或是不耐烦等。

stop bugging me:别烦我

put a bug in one’s ear 事先给某人暗示,提醒

snug as a bug in a rug 非常舒适地, 极其安逸地

sleep tight -- don't let the bed bugs bite." 

tight作副词表“紧紧地”,bug指“小虫”,“Sleep tight, and don’t let the bed bugs bite.”面指“睡得紧紧地,别被床上的虫子咬到。”由于古时候床铺是用绳子(rope)搭成,须把绳子绑紧才能睡得安稳,因此sleep tight指“睡得香甜”。tight也有“安稳地(soundly)”、“酣然地”之意,故 sleep tight即指“睡得好”。从前的确有小虫子会趁人在睡觉时爬到床上去咬人,吸人血,因此这说法即“祝人一夜好眠”,不会被小虫咬之意。


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1 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
2 popcorn 8lUzJI     
n.爆米花
参考例句:
  • I like to eat popcorn when I am watching TV play at home.当我在家观看电视剧时,喜欢吃爆米花。
  • He still stood behind his cash register stuffing his mouth with popcorn.他仍站在收银机后,嘴里塞满了爆米花。
3 bonnet AtSzQ     
n.无边女帽;童帽
参考例句:
  • The baby's bonnet keeps the sun out of her eyes.婴孩的帽子遮住阳光,使之不刺眼。
  • She wore a faded black bonnet garnished with faded artificial flowers.她戴着一顶褪了色的黑色无边帽,帽上缀着褪了色的假花。
4 bug 5skzf     
n.虫子;故障;窃听器;vt.纠缠;装窃听器
参考例句:
  • There is a bug in the system.系统出了故障。
  • The bird caught a bug on the fly.那鸟在飞行中捉住了一只昆虫。
5 bugs e3255bae220613022d67e26d2e4fa689     
adj.疯狂的,发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 );病菌;虫子;[计算机](制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的)错误
参考例句:
  • All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞,都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 bugging 7b00b385cb79d98bcd4440f712db473b     
[法] 窃听
参考例句:
  • Okay, then let's get the show on the road and I'll stop bugging you. 好,那么让我们开始动起来,我将不再惹你生气。 来自辞典例句
  • Go fly a kite and stop bugging me. 走开,别烦我。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语
7 snug 3TvzG     
adj.温暖舒适的,合身的,安全的;v.使整洁干净,舒适地依靠,紧贴;n.(英)酒吧里的私房
参考例句:
  • He showed us into a snug little sitting room.他领我们走进了一间温暖而舒适的小客厅。
  • She had a small but snug home.她有个小小的但很舒适的家。
8 yacht Io3yo     
n.游艇,快艇
参考例句:
  • He was responsible for the location of the missing yacht.他负责查明失踪游艇的下落。
  • He planned to cross the Pacific by yacht.他曾打算乘快艇横渡太平洋。

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