VOA慢速英语2014 This 'Swan Song' Is My 'Last Hurrah'

 

This 'Swan Song' Is My 'Last Hurrah¹'

Now, the Special English program Words and Their Stories.

The white swan, with its long, graceful² neck, is among the most beautiful of birds. The swan is mostly silent through its life. It floats quietly on the water, unable to sing sweet songs like most other birds.

In ancient times, however, people believed that the swan was given a special gift of song at the end of its life. They believed a swan sings a most beautiful song just before it dies.

The ancient Greek philosopher³ Socrates talked of this 2,300 years ago. Socrates explained that the swan was singing because it was happy. The bird was happy because it was going to serve the Greek God Apollo. Swans were holy to Apollo, the god of poetry and song.

The story of the swan’s last song found a place in the works⁴ of other writers, including the early English writers Chaucer and Shakespeare.

And, the expression "swan song" has long been a part of the English language. At first, "swan song" meant the last work of a poet, musician or writer. Now, it means the final effort of any person. Someone’s swan song usually is also considered that person’s finest work.

A political expression with a similar meaning is the "last hurrah." The expression may be used to describe a politician’s last campaign -- his final attempt to win the cheers and votes of the people. The "last hurrah" also can mean the last acts of a politician before his term in office ends.

Writer Edwin O’Connor made the expression popular in 1956. He wrote a book about the final years in the political life of a long-time mayor⁵ of Boston, Massachusetts. He called his book The Last Hurrah.

Some language experts say the expression came from a name given to noisy supporters of Andrew Jackson, America’s seventh president. They cheered "hurrah!" so loudly for Andy Jackson during his presidential campaign that they became known as "the hurrah boys."

Jackson’s hurrah boys also played a part in the election⁶ to choose the next president. Jackson’s choice was his vice⁷ president, Martin VanBuren.

A newspaper of the time reported that VanBuren was elected president, in its words, “by the hurrah boys, and those who knew just enough to shout hurrah for Jackson.”  So, President Jackson really heard his last hurrahs in the campaign of another candidate⁸, the man who would replace him in the White House.

1 hurrah   

int.好哇，万岁，乌拉

参考例句：

• We hurrah when we see the soldiers go by.我们看到士兵经过时向他们欢呼。
• The assistants raised a formidable hurrah.助手们发出了一片震天的欢呼声。

2 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

3 philosopher   

n.哲学家，哲人

参考例句：

• The philosopher has his ideas built on the rock of reason.那位哲学家把思想稳固地建立于理性之上。
• What a philosopher seeks after is truth.一个哲学家所追求的是真理。

4 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

5 mayor   

n.市长

参考例句：

• The new mayor said he would clean the city up.新市长说，他要整顿本市。
• The mayor hurried into his office,brushing off the reporters.市长赶快走进办公室，拒不接见记者。

6 election   

n.选举，选择权；当选

参考例句：

• There is no doubt but that he will win the election.毫无疑问，他将在竞选中获胜。
• The government will probably fall at the coming election.在即将到来的大选中，该政府很可能要垮台。

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 candidate   

n.候选人；候补者；投考者，申请求职者

参考例句：

• Voters like a candidate who has the common touch. 投票者喜欢那些平易近人的候选人。
• The local newspapers dressed up the candidate as a boxer.当地报纸把那个候选人描绘成一个拳击手。