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VOA慢速英语2019 词汇掌故:不要高兴得太早

时间:2019-10-11 23:56:10

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(单词翻译)

Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch1

Today we talk about a proverb often used in American English.

今天我们将会讲述美式英语中一句常用的谚语。

A proverb is a short, well-known saying that offers a piece of advice. Our example of a proverb takes us to a farm – a chicken farm, to be exact.

谚语是指能够提供建议的简短而又著名的说法。我们的谚语示例将我们带到了农场,确切来说是养鸡场。

Our explanation is part science, part folklore2.

我们的讲解有一部分是自然科学,还有一部分是民间传说。

First, the science.

首先来说自然科学部分。

You probably know that chickens come from eggs. A female3 chicken or hen lays eggs and then they hatch into chicks. Well, not all of them. Some eggs do not have a baby bird.

你可能知道鸡来自于蛋。母鸡生蛋,然后把它孵成小鸡。好吧,不是所有蛋。有些蛋孵不出小鸡。

So, at our farm, a hen produces 15 eggs. If the farmer counts the eggs, she might expect to have 15 chicks once the eggs are hatched4. But then five of those eggs do not hatch. Her expectations were not met, so she feels disappointed. She tells her friend how sad she feels. The friend may say to her, "Well, don't count your chicken before they hatch."

所以在农场里,一只母鸡产15个蛋。如果农场主数蛋,她可能预期这些蛋孵出来会有15只小鸡。但是随后有5个蛋没有孵化。她的期望落空了,所以她感到失望。她给朋友说自己的感受。朋友可能会给她说:“鸡蛋还没孵出的时候,不要数小鸡。”

Another way of saying this proverb is: "Don't count your chickens until they are hatched."

这句谚语的另一种说法是:“不要在孵化出来之前数小鸡。”

So, this proverb means you should not depend on something that has yet to happen. It is unwise to make plans based on something that hasn't happened. Another meaning of this proverb is this: Do not assume5 to have everything you want until you actually have it in your hands.

因此这句谚语的意思是,不要去依赖一些尚未发生的事情。基于尚未发生的事情来做规划是不明智的。这句谚语的另一个含义是:不要假设你得到了自己想要的东西,直到你真真切切地把它握在手里。

Now, let's talk about the folklore part of our explanation.

我们再来看看我们解释中的民间传说部分。

"Don't count your chickens until they are hatched" is a very old saying. Language experts say it appears in different forms and in many different cultures. It is also used in Aesop's Fables7, a collection of stories from between 1,300 and 1,400 years ago.

“不要在孵化出来之前数小鸡”是一种非常古老的说法。语言专家表示,它以各种形式在多种不同文化中出现过。它也出现在伊索寓言这本来自于1300到1400年前间的故事集中。

The fable6 we are talking about is known as "The Milkmaid and Her Pail8." A long time ago, a young woman carried a bucket of milk on her head. As she walked, the milkmaid dreamed of a better life. She wanted to be rich. So, she thought she could sell her milk and then use the money to buy chickens. With chickens she could sell eggs and earn more money!

我们说的是“挤奶女工和她的桶”这篇寓言。很久以前有位年轻女子头上顶着一桶牛奶。当这位挤奶女工走在路上时,她开始幻想过上更好的生活。她想要发财。所以,她想她可以卖掉牛奶,然后用这些钱买些小鸡。有了鸡她就可以卖蛋,赚更多的钱。

With lots of money, the milkmaid could shake her head "no" to all the men in her village who wanted her hand in marriage. The young woman was so caught up in her thoughts that she actually shook her head "no." This caused the pail of milk to fall from her head and crash to the ground. Along with it -- her dreams of becoming rich and independent.

有了很多钱,这位挤奶女工就可以摇头拒绝村里所有想跟她结婚的男子。这位年轻女子想得如此入神,她真的摇头说不。这让她头顶上的这桶奶掉了下来撒了一地。随之而来破碎的是她变得富有和自立的梦想。

When she told her mother what happened, her mother said, "My child, do not count your chickens before they are hatched."

当她告诉妈妈发生了什么事情时,她的妈妈说:“孩子,不要在孵化出来之前数小鸡。”

So, that is the folklore from Aesop's Fables. Now, let's hear how to use this expression in everyday speech.

这就是伊索寓言中的民间传说。我们再来听听在日常对话中如何使用这句表达。

John and Samantha are friends. Both are looking for jobs. John just had a job interview the day before and cannot wait to tell Samantha all about it.

约翰和萨曼莎是朋友。两人都在找工作。约翰前一天刚刚完成了一次面试,他迫不及待地跟萨曼莎说。

Samantha, how is your job search going?

萨曼莎,你找到工作没?

It's going okay. I spoke9 with two potential employers10 last week and I should hear something back soon. But for now I'm still saving11 all the money I can from my part-time work. How about you?

还好。我上周跟两位潜在雇主谈过,应该很快会有结果。但我现在还是攒下了我兼职赚到的所有钱。你咋样啊?

I had a great interview yesterday! In fact, afterward12, the woman I spoke with talked as if I was already her employee!

我昨天面试很顺利!实际上,面试官之后跟我谈的好像我已经入职了一样。

Wow! That's great news, John. Good for you!

哇,约翰,真是个好消息。恭喜你啊!

Thanks! And the best thing ... the pay is great. I'll be able to buy a townhouse. In fact, I have an appointment today to look at one, right near my new job! I'll have a full-time13 job and a new home in less than a month!

谢谢!更棒的是,薪水很高。我将能够买套房。实际上,我今天就约好了看房,就在我新公司的附近。一个月内我就会有份全职工作和一个新家。

Wait a minute, John. Did you actually get something in writing from the company?

等一下,约翰。你从这份公司拿到什么书面保证没?

Well, not yet.

好吧,还没呢。

Did you actually sign a contract?

签合同了吗?

Well, no but ...

好吧,也没有,但是......

A little friendly advice, John. You don't officially have the job. So, try not to count your chickens before they hatch.

约翰,给你个友善的建议。你还没有正式得到这份工作。所以,不要高兴太早。

What do you mean? The job is a sure thing.

你什么意思?这份工作是铁板钉钉的事。

Nothing is guaranteed, John. So, you know, don't get your hopes up. That way, you won't be disappointed if things don't work out.

约翰,万事无绝对哦。你知道,不要期望太高。这样如果事情不顺利你也不会那么失望。

So, I should probably return the expensive clothes and briefcase14 I just bought for the job?

所以,我应该退掉我刚为这份工作买的昂贵服装和公文包?

I think so. Maybe for right now.

我是这么想的。也许目前应该这样。

Let's keep our fingers crossed for John. Hopefully, all his eggs will hatch and he'll get that high-paying job.

让我们为约翰祈祷。期望他不是高兴得太早,能得到这份高薪工作。

And that's all we have for you today. Join us again next week for another Words and Their Stories.

以上就是本期词汇掌故节目的全部内容。下期节目再见。Words in This Story

folklore – n. traditional customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings

lay – v. to produce an egg

hatch – v. to come out of an egg

disappoint – adj. to fail to meet the expectation or hope of

assume – v. to think that something is true or probably true without knowing that it is true

interview – n. to participate in an interview for a position (such as a job)

contract – n. a legal agreement between people, companies, etc.

expensive – adj. costing a lot of money


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1 hatch hejxU     
n.孵化,舱口;vt.孵,孵出,策划;vi. 孵化
参考例句:
  • No one knows how the new plan will hatch out.谁也不知道这新方案将怎样制订出来。
  • The bird mistook the pebble for egg and tried to hatch it.这只鸟错把卵石当蛋,想去孵它。
2 folklore G6myz     
n.民间信仰,民间传说,民俗
参考例句:
  • Zhuge Liang is a synonym for wisdom in folklore.诸葛亮在民间传说中成了智慧的代名词。
  • In Chinese folklore the bat is an emblem of good fortune.在中国的民间传说中蝙蝠是好运的象征。
3 female 3kSxf     
adj.雌的,女(性)的;n.雌性的动物,女子
参考例句:
  • We only employ female workers.我们只雇用女工。
  • The animal in the picture was a female elephant.照片上的动物是头母象。
4 hatched 2e6ea2f0c897faab375f05bdc388b8af     
孵化( hatch的过去式和过去分词 ); 孵出,破壳而出; 秘密策划,(尤指)密谋; 使(小鸟、小鱼、小虫等)孵出
参考例句:
  • Silkworms are fed mulberry leaves after they have hatched. 蚕孵出后食桑叶。
  • Ten out of the set of twelve were hatched. 一窝十二个蛋孵出了十个。
5 assume 6Ouyn     
vt.假装;假定,设想;承担;呈现,采取
参考例句:
  • I assume that he won't cheat you.想来他是不会骗你的。
  • We can't assume anything in this case.在这种情况下我们不可能做出假设。
6 fable CzRyn     
n.寓言;童话;神话
参考例句:
  • The fable is given on the next page. 这篇寓言登在下一页上。
  • He had some motive in telling this fable. 他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。
7 fables c7e1f2951baeedb04670ded67f15ca7b     
n.寓言( fable的名词复数 );神话,传说
参考例句:
  • Some of Aesop's Fables are satires. 《伊索寓言》中有一些是讽刺作品。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Little Mexican boys also breathe the American fables. 墨西哥族的小孩子对美国神话也都耳濡目染。 来自辞典例句
8 pail 54Bz6     
n.桶,提桶
参考例句:
  • There was a pail of water on the ground.地上有一桶水。
  • She can lift a pail of water from the ground.她能把一桶水提起来。
9 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
10 employers c4ca8e40822542cf2630923de480b818     
雇主( employer的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。
  • The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws. 雇主有义务遵行健康安全法。
11 saving XjYzGK     
n.节省,节约;[pl.]储蓄金,存款
参考例句:
  • Energy saving is term strategic policy of our country.节约能源是我国长期的战略国策。
  • Old-fashioned housewives were usually very saving.旧时的家庭主妇通常都很节俭。
12 afterward fK6y3     
adv.后来;以后
参考例句:
  • Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏,然后吃饭。
  • Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来,这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。
13 full-time SsBz42     
adj.满工作日的或工作周的,全时间的
参考例句:
  • A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
  • I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作,我不知道她是如何对付的。
14 briefcase lxdz6A     
n.手提箱,公事皮包
参考例句:
  • He packed a briefcase with what might be required.他把所有可能需要的东西都装进公文包。
  • He requested the old man to look after the briefcase.他请求那位老人照看这个公事包。

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