VOA慢速英語：日食很美，被人蓋過風(fēng)頭就不美啦

Seeing an Eclipse Is Good! Being Eclipsed Is Not

日食很美，被人蓋過風(fēng)頭就不美啦

Hello and welcome to Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.

歡迎收聽美國之音慢速英語詞匯掌故節(jié)目。

On this program we explore the origin and usage of common expressions in American English. We always give examples or dialogues using the expressions. Sometimes we even use the words in a short story. All of these can, hopefully, teach you how to best use the expressions.

在這個(gè)節(jié)目中，我們將會探討美式英語中一些常見表達(dá)的起源和用法。我們每次都會給出用到這種表達(dá)的例句或?qū)υ?。有時(shí)候我們甚至把它編進(jìn)一段小故事。希望所有這些可以教你如何更好地使用這種表達(dá)。

For today's word we turn our eyes toward the sky!

今天的詞匯我們會把目光投向天空之中。

There is one natural event that many people want to experience during their lifetime -- an eclipse!

這是很多人一生當(dāng)中都想經(jīng)歷的一種自然現(xiàn)象，也就是日食。

Whether solar or lunar, partial or total, these astronomical events bring the movement of our solar system a little more to life.

無論是日食還是月食，偏蝕還是全蝕，這些天文事件讓太陽系的運(yùn)動(dòng)更加生動(dòng)。

Solar, as we know, means "relating to the sun." So a solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth. A dark circle either completely or partly covers the sun as a result.

Solar這個(gè)單詞正如我們所知道的，意思是“與太陽有關(guān)的。”所以，solar eclipse(日食)是指月亮經(jīng)過太陽和地球之間，這樣，一個(gè)黑色圓盤會完全或部分遮擋住太陽。

Lunar means "related to the moon." So, a lunar eclipse is when the moon looks as if it is completely or partially covered with a dark circle.

Lunar意思是“跟月亮相關(guān)的。”所以，lunar eclipse(月食)是指月亮看上去像是被一個(gè)黑色圓盤完全或部分遮擋住。

Some ancient cultures considered an eclipse a sign that the world was ending. Other cultures viewed it as a battle between different animals in the sky as they try to eat up the moon or sun. Another cultural belief was that an eclipse was a time for deep thought and thinking about the past.

一些古文化認(rèn)為日食(或月食)是世界末日的跡象，另一些文化將它視為天空中有不同動(dòng)物在試圖吃掉月亮或太陽時(shí)互相爭戰(zhàn)。還有種文化信仰認(rèn)為日食是對過去深思熟慮的時(shí)候。

The word eclipse comes from a Greek word meaning "to leave," "to abandon," "to forsake a usual place" or fail to appear." Ancient Greeks thought of an eclipse as a time when the sun abandoned the earth.

Eclipse這個(gè)單詞源于一個(gè)希臘單詞，這個(gè)希臘單詞的意思是“離開、放棄、拋棄老地方或未能出現(xiàn)。”古希臘認(rèn)為日食時(shí)是太陽拋棄了地球。

In simple terms, an eclipse happens when a planet or satellite blocks the light of the sun. So, it is not surprising that we also use "eclipse" in the same way when talking about other things besides the sun, the moon and the earth.

簡單來說，當(dāng)有行星或衛(wèi)星遮擋住陽光時(shí)就會發(fā)生日食。所以，當(dāng)我們討論太陽、月亮和地球以外的其它事情時(shí)，也會用同樣的方式使用eclipse這個(gè)單詞，這就毫不奇怪了。

In conversation, when one thing eclipses another it makes it less important or popular. For example, television eclipsed radio in the 1950s as the most popular form of home entertainment. When one person eclipses another, they do something better. For example, a younger child might hate it when her older sister's school and sports success eclipses her own. The older sister outshines the younger one.

在對話中，當(dāng)某物品蓋過另一物品的光芒時(shí)，就會讓它相形見絀。例如，上世紀(jì)50年代，電視蓋過了收音機(jī)的風(fēng)頭，成為了最受歡迎的家庭娛樂形式。當(dāng)某人蓋過另一人，就是說他們更為出色。例如，小孩可能會怨恨她姐姐的學(xué)校成績或運(yùn)動(dòng)成績蓋過了她，這位姐姐使她相形見絀。

This usage of eclipse is not only used when talking about people. Things can also eclipse other things, as in this sentence: The popularity of the company's new product quickly eclipsed all its earlier products.

Eclipse的這種用法不僅可以用于談?wù)撊宋?，也可以用于談?wù)撐锲?。例如在這句對話中：該公司新產(chǎn)品的受歡迎度迅速蓋過了它所有早期的產(chǎn)品。

Many synonyms of eclipse deal with light and casting shadows, like in the example of the older sister outshining the younger. If a person or a thing outshines another, the light they give off is so bright that no one notices anything else. You could also say the older daughter cast a shadow on her younger sister. Or you could say the younger sister was living in the shadow of her older sister.

許多日食的同義詞也涉及到了光和投射陰影，例如在上個(gè)姐姐蓋過妹妹的例子中就用到了outshine這個(gè)單詞。如果某人或某物蓋過另一人或物，就是說他們發(fā)射出來的光芒如此明亮，導(dǎo)致沒有人會注意到其它東西。你也可以說這個(gè)姐姐讓妹妹黯然失色，或者說這個(gè)妹妹活在姐姐的陰影之下。

Now, let's hear how we use eclipse this way in everyday conversation. Let's listen as two people talk as they wait in line to audition for a Broadway musical.

現(xiàn)在讓我們聽聽如何在日常對話中使用eclipse這個(gè)單詞。讓我們來聽聽兩個(gè)人在排隊(duì)參加百老匯音樂劇試唱時(shí)的對話。

Are you ready for your singing audition today?

你做好今天試唱的準(zhǔn)備了嗎?

As ready as I'll ever be. The song I'm singing is my favorite and I know it really well.

我隨時(shí)都準(zhǔn)備好了。我唱的是自己喜歡和熟悉的歌。

I'm sure you'll do great. By the way, I'm Corrine. Corrine Mayfield.

我相信你一定會唱得很好。嗯，我叫科瑞恩，科瑞恩·梅菲爾德(Corrine Mayfield)。

I'm Steve Stravinski.

我叫史蒂夫·斯塔凡斯基(Steve Stravinski)。

Stravinski? Wait. Are you any relation to Doug Stravinski?!

斯塔凡斯基?等等，你跟道格·斯塔凡斯基(Doug Stravinski)是親戚嗎?

Yeah. He's my older brother.

是的，他是我哥哥。

Get out! His performance in Les Miserables was so beautiful. Critics are still talking about it! Wow! Doug Stravinski. What is he working on these days?

太意外了! 他在《悲慘世界》(Les Miserables)中表現(xiàn)非常好。評論家現(xiàn)在還在談這些。他最近在干嘛呢?

An album. His fourth album.

錄專輯，他的第四張專輯。

That is just awesome! It will probably be another number one seller! So, what's it like being his brother?

太棒了，這可能會是另一張暢銷專輯。那么，你作為他的弟弟感覺如何?

Great. Just great.

好著呢，還好吧。

It must be tough living in the shadow of Doug Stravinski!

活在道格·斯塔凡斯基的影子下肯定很艱難。

I don't think about it ... you know, until someone brings it up.

我不去想那么多，直到有人提起這事。

Oh, I'm so sorry. But it's just that ... well, he's so amazing and famous. He casts a really big shadow!

哦，對不起。但是....好吧，他是如此出色和著名，他會投下巨大的陰影。

Yes. Look, do you mind if we don't talk? I really need to prepare for my audition.

是的，咱們能不聊了嗎?我確實(shí)需要為我的試唱做準(zhǔn)備。

Of course. Of course. It's so typical, isn't it -- an older brother or sister eclipsing a younger one. They do everything first, do it longer. And, they're usually better -- usually the shining star in the family!

當(dāng)然當(dāng)然。這太典型了，不是嗎?哥哥姐姐蓋過弟弟妹妹。他們遇事早，干得更久，而且通常也更為出色，往往都是家里的大明星。

Hm-hmm.

嗯。

Listen to me! I'm doing it again, aren't I? I am sure at this audition you are going to outshine everything your brother Doug has done on stage.

我又嘮叨了是吧?我相信這次試唱你會蓋過你哥哥在舞臺上的所有光芒。

Yep. Thanks.

是的，謝謝!

Next person!

下一位!

Hello I'm next.

你好，我是。

Name?

你的名字?

Steve Stravinski.

史蒂夫·斯塔凡斯基。

Stravinski? Wait, are you related to Doug Stravinski?! THE Doug Stravinski?! Oh man, he's amazing! I saw him in this show ...

斯塔凡斯基?等等，你跟道格·斯塔凡斯基是親戚嗎?哦，哥們，他太棒了!我見過他...

And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories!

以上就是本期詞匯掌故節(jié)目的全部內(nèi)容。

I'm Anna Matteo.

我是安娜·馬特奧。