VOA慢速英語: 詞匯掌故：天鵝之歌（雙語）

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Words and Their Stories: Swan Song

詞匯掌故：天鵝之歌

Now, the Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

這里是美國之音慢速英語詞匯掌故節(jié)目。

(MUSIC)

The white swan – with its long, graceful 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.

白天鵝因其修長優(yōu)雅的頸部而成為最美鳥類中的一員。天鵝在大多數(shù)時間里都過著安靜的生活。它靜靜的漂浮在水面上，無法像其他大多數(shù)鳥類一樣唱出甜美的歌。

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.

然而在古代，人們相信天鵝在其生命即將結(jié)束時會得到一份特殊的歌聲禮物，人們認(rèn)為天鵝在臨死時會唱出最動聽的歌。

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates talked of this two thousand three hundred 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.

在2300多年以前，古希臘哲學(xué)家蘇格拉底曾談到此事。他解釋稱，天鵝在最后之際會唱歌，是因為它們很快樂，因為它們即將前去石峰希臘神阿波羅，阿波羅是詩歌之神。

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

在其他作家的作品中也可以找到天鵝最后之歌的說法，其中包括英國早期作家喬叟和莎士比亞。

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.

而且，關(guān)于swan song（絕筆，最后的作品，天鵝之歌）的說法，一直存在于英語中。期初，swan song是指一個詩人、音樂家或作家的最后的作品，而現(xiàn)在，它可以用來指任何人最后的努力。某些人的swan song通常也被認(rèn)為是這個人最好的作品。

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.

有一個與其有著類似意思的政治說法是last hurrah（最后的努力，最后一搏），它可以用來描述一個政治家最后的一次競選，為贏得人民的支持和選票所做的最后的一次努力。它還可以被理解為一個政治家任期結(jié)束前的最后一次行動表現(xiàn)。

Writer Edwin O'Connor made the expression popular in nineteen fifty-six. He wrote a book about the final years in the political life of a long-time mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. He called his book, The Last Hurrah.

作家埃德溫·奧康納在1956年使得該說法流行起來，他寫了一本書講述了長期任職的馬薩諸塞州波士頓市市長最后幾年的政治生涯。他將他的書命名為《（生涯末期）的最后一舉》。

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.

一些語言專家稱這一說法，來源于對美國第七任總統(tǒng)安德魯·杰克遜的狂熱支持者的稱呼。

這些支持者在杰克遜競選總統(tǒng)期間，被稱為“歡呼男孩”。

Jackson's hurrah boys also played a part in the election to choose the next president. Jackson's choice was his vice president, Martin VanBuren.

杰克遜的“歡呼男孩”在下一任的總統(tǒng)選舉中也起到一定的作用，杰克遜選擇了他的副總統(tǒng)——馬丁·范布倫。

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 candidate, the man who would replace him in the White House.

在范布倫當(dāng)選為總統(tǒng)時，當(dāng)時的一家報紙在報道時這樣寫道：“……通過歡呼男孩，和那些知道為杰克遜歡呼的人。”所以，杰克遜總統(tǒng)在最后一位候選人的競選中，的確聽到了最后的歡呼，這位候選人將會取代他入主白宮。

(MUSIC)

This VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. I'm Christopher Cruise.

這就是本期的美國之音慢速英語詞匯掌故節(jié)目的全部內(nèi)容，我是克里斯多夫·克魯斯。

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Words and Their Stories: Swan Song                                                    

Now, the Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

(MUSIC)

The white swan – with its long, graceful 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 philosopher Socrates talked of this two thousand three hundred 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 works 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 nineteen fifty-six. He wrote a book about the final years in the political life of a long-time mayor 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 election to choose the next president. Jackson's choice was his vice 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 candidate, the man who would replace him in the White House.

(MUSIC)

This VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES was written by Marilyn Christiano. I'm Christopher Cruise.