VOA词汇掌故2023 他们两个"截然不同"

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning¹ English.

欢迎收听VOA慢速英语《词汇掌故》节目。

Oil and water are two very different substances².

油和水是两种截然不同的物质。

Oil is thick. Water is thin.

油很稠。水很稀。

If you pour oil into water, they do not mix, and the oil floats to the top.

如果你把油倒进水里，它们不会混合，油会浮在水面上。

This difficult relationship can play a part in some laboratory³ experiments.

这种困难的关系可能会在一些实验室实验中发挥作用。

It can play a big part in kitchens as we cook food.

在我们烹饪食物时，它可以在厨房里发挥重要作用。

It can also be used to describe some of our personal relationships.

它也可以被用来描述我们的一些个人关系。

If we say two people are like oil and water, it means⁴ they do not get along.

如果我们说两个人就像油和水，意思是他们相处得不好。

They are not compatible⁵.

他们关系不好。

Things like objects, elements⁶, and people that do not or cannot mix together easily can be compared to oil and water.

诸如物体、元素和人之类不能轻易混合在一起的都可以比作油和水。

Here is an example from experience.

下面是一个来自经验的例子。

My friend often asked me to watch her cat Bluey when she would travel out of town.

我的朋友经常让我在她出城旅行的时候帮她照看一下她的猫布鲁伊。

Usually, cats love me but not Bluey.

通常猫都喜欢我，但布鲁伊不喜欢我。

He would make terrible cat noises as soon as I walked into the apartment.

我一走进公寓，他就会发出可怕的猫叫声。

Every time I tried to pet him, he would bite and scratch⁷ me.

每次我想抚摸他，他都会咬我，抓我。

So, I didn't like him either.

所以，我也不喜欢他。

We were like oil and water.

我们就像油和水。

I took care of him, but for the most part, we ignored each other.

虽然我照顾他，但大多数时候，我们不理对方。

This expression describes how oil and water naturally separate⁸.

这个短语描述了油和水是如何自然分离的。

They are incompatible⁹.

它们不相容。

So are people who have nothing in common and do not get along.

没有共同之处、相处不融洽的人也是如此。

We sometimes say oil and water do not mix to express an opinion that two things do not go together.

我们有时说油和水不混合来表达两种东西无法在一起的观点。

Here is another "oil" expression.

这是另一个与“油”有关的短语。

If you pour oil on troubled water, you calm a tense situation.

pour oil on troubled water的意思是平息紧张局势。

You might not hear this expression too much in America as it is mainly a British usage¹⁰.

在美国你可能不会经常听到这个短语，因为它主要在英国使用。

Now let's hear the expression used between two friends.

现在我们来听听两个朋友使用的相关短语。

I'm worried about my birthday party.

我担心我的生日派对。

Why? It's not until next weekend.

为什么？你的生日派对要到下个周末才举办。

It doesn't matter. My two best friends will never find a way to get along.

和这个无关。我的两个最好的朋友永远都无法和睦相处。

Ben likes to plan everything and is a bit of a control freak.

本喜欢计划一切，他有点控制狂。

Kara is super easy going and likes to play things by ear.

卡拉是个超级随和的人，喜欢见机行事。

Those two sound like oil and water.

他们两个听起来像油和水。

They are! And they want to throw the party together. What a truly bad idea.

是的！他们想一起开派对。真是个糟糕的主意。

I have a good idea. I'll come to the party early.

我有一个好主意。我早点来参加派对。

If things between them get heated, I'll get between them and calm things down.

如果他们之间的事情变得激烈，我会介入他们之间，让他们冷静下来。

You'll be the oil on my troubled waters!

你会成为调停争端的人！

Sure. Whatever you say. I just want to have fun at your party!

当然。随你怎么说。我只想在你的派对上玩得开心！

And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories. Until next time … I'm Anna Matteo.

以上就是本期《词汇掌故》节目的全部内容。下次见……我是安娜·马特奥。

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 substances   

n.物质( substance的名词复数 )；实质；物体；[哲学]1)。 本质

参考例句：

• substances with high levels of toxicity 毒性大的物质
• Many highly corrosive substances are used in the nuclear industry. 核工业使用许多腐蚀性很强的物质。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 laboratory   

n.实验室，化验室

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a laboratory.她捐款成立了一个实验室。
• Our laboratory equipment isn't perfect,but we must make do.实验室设备是不够理想，但我们只好因陋就简。

4 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

5 compatible   

adj.兼容的；能和睦相处的，合得来的

参考例句：

• You should choose a roommate more compatible to your tastes.你应该挑个和你意气更相投的人同住一室。
• Health and hard work are compatible.健康与努力工作是一致的。

6 elements   

原理，基础； 要素（旧时认为土、空气、火和水是构成一切物质的四大要素）( element的名词复数 )； （化学）元素； 基础； 成分

参考例句：

• Oxygen is one of the basic elements of substance. 氧是物质的基本元素之一。
• A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar. 语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。

7 scratch   

n.草稿，抓痕，搔，抓，擦伤，刮擦声，乱写，零，起跑线，未中的一击；vt.搔，抓，挖出，擦

参考例句：

• Scratch my name out please.请把我的名字划掉。
• The suggestion is that they should start from scratch.提出的建议是，他们从头开始。

8 separate   

n.分开，抽印本；adj.分开的，各自的，单独的；v.分开，隔开，分居

参考例句：

• Are they joined together or separate?它们是合在一起还是分开的？
• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering.洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。

9 incompatible   

adj.不相容的，不协调的，不相配的

参考例句：

• His plan is incompatible with my intent.他的计划与我的意图不相符。
• Speed and safety are not necessarily incompatible.速度和安全未必不相容。

10 usage   

n.惯用法，使用，用法

参考例句：

• I am clear about the usage of this word at last.这个词的用法我算是弄明白了。
• The usage is now firmly established.这种用法现已得到确认。