美国国家公共电台 NPR 'Commercials for Nicer Living Project' Winners Announced

 

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST: 

It has been said that the best things in life are free, and that thought is the inspiration behind our Commercials for Nicer Living Project version 2-0-1-7. We asked you to tell us some of the things that make life just a little bit better, things that money cannot buy, and then we asked you to write ads for those things in 120 words just like you'd hear on the radio. More than 2,000 of you took up our challenge, and from your suggestions we picked just five to produce like commercials. Susan Stamberg is here to present two of them. Hiya, Susan.

SUSAN STAMBERG, BYLINE¹: Hi.

SIEGEL: This is an updated version of a project that you came up with. I want you to remind us of the original Commercials for Nicer Living Projects.

STAMBERG: OK. In 1972, which was before you were born, Robert, for our non-commercial radio program we asked listeners to write ads not for toothpaste, deodorant², toilet bowl cleansers, but for things that really mattered to them, experiences or ideas, people, and we call them Commercials for Nicer Living. We produced some favorites, and we played them on the air just for fun. And it was so much fun that our program librarians got to thinking let's bring it back.

SIEGEL: So that's where we are, and what were some of the ads that people wrote this time around?

STAMBERG: Well, I'm going to go alphabetically³ - babies, balmy breezes, birds, bonfires, books, burnt toast, coffee, clothes fresh out of the dryer⁴, generosity⁵, laughter, letter writing and it goes on.

SIEGEL: Wow. And I understand that you had a team of judicious⁶ NPR staff to winnow⁷ through the submissions⁸, but you, you alone, Susan Stamberg, cast the deciding vote. What did you pick?

STAMBERG: Well, I can't tell you. You have to hear one.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Hi, your dog here. I see you're sitting down reading a magazine. Have you given much thought lately to ear scratches? Here, let me help you by nosing aside that distraction⁹ and positioning my head right under your hand. There, isn't that better? Ah, my silky fur and the way I'm closing my eyes right now have been clinically shown to bring down your blood pressure and add years to your life. Wait, no, don't pick that back up. To get the full benefit of ear scratches, doctors recommend continuing for 90 consecutive¹⁰ minutes. Oh, all right, how about three? Ear scratches, yeah, that's the spot.

(LAUGHTER)

STAMBERG: That doggy ad, yeah?

SIEGEL: Of all the bodily sensations that we could come up with, that's the one that we're advertising¹¹ right here.

STAMBERG: And it was written by listener Carrie Ghose in Columbus, Ohio. Now, here is a clue to the next one.

SIEGEL: OK.

STAMBERG: What do you call the silence after a commercial about dogs?

SIEGEL: I give up.

STAMBERG: The pause.

SIEGEL: Oh, my gosh, Susan.

STAMBERG: I'm sorry (laughter).

SIEGEL: All right, I've recalibrated my standards for the next item.

STAMBERG: OK, you ready?

SIEGEL: Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: Are plain old knock-knock jokes just not funny anymore? Is the classic why'd the chicken cross the road not getting laughs like it used to? If so, try puns.

UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: Yay.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: Puns come in all types, such as what do you call an alligator¹² in a vest? An investigator¹³.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGH TRACK)

STAMBERG: Oh, God.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: If a friend starts telling bird jokes, remind him toucan¹⁴ play at that game.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGH TRACK)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: So try puns.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: Side effects may include groaning¹⁵, your friends getting annoyed, wanting to make more puns, making puns in random¹⁶ conversation, forgetting other kinds of jokes existed and people judging you. Ask your common sense before trying puns. If the situation does not call for them, it may result in many disgusted looks.

STAMBERG: If you're in need of a new kind of joke, try puns. They may be cheesy, but the results are grate.

SIEGEL: Oh, they're not great, but they were grated is what he means.

STAMBERG: Grated, yeah.

SIEGEL: I see.

STAMBERG: It's the highest form of humor.

SIEGEL: It really is the lowest form of humor, isn't it? Yes.

STAMBERG: Maya Khurana in Chicago wrote that. Robert, you want to hear some more? I have 2,000 of them.

SIEGEL: (Laughter) No because we don't want to squander¹⁷ all the joy at once, so we're going to reveal the other three commercials for Nicer Living next week on the program. Susan, thanks for joining us and for exposing us to these Commercials for Better Living.

STAMBERG: You're most welcome.

(SOUNDBITE OF VAMPIRE WEEKEND SONG, "OXFORD COMMA")

1 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

2 deodorant   

adj.除臭的；n.除臭剂

参考例句：

• She applies deodorant to her armpits after she showers.沐浴后，她在腋下涂上除臭剂。
• Spray deodorant and keep the silk garments dry before dressing.在穿衣之前，洒涂防臭剂并保持干燥。

3 alphabetically   

adv.照字母顺序排列地

参考例句：

• I've arranged the books alphabetically so don't muddle them up. 我已按字母顺序把这些书整理了，千万不要再弄乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They are all filed alphabetically under author. 这些都是按照作者姓名的字母顺序归档的。 来自辞典例句

4 dryer   

n.干衣机，干燥剂

参考例句：

• He bought a dryer yesterday.他昨天买了一台干燥机。
• There is a washer and a dryer in the basement.地下室里有洗衣机和烘干机。

5 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

6 judicious   

adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的

参考例句：

• We should listen to the judicious opinion of that old man.我们应该听取那位老人明智的意见。
• A judicious parent encourages his children to make their own decisions.贤明的父亲鼓励儿女自作抉择。

7 winnow   

v．把（谷物）的杂质吹掉，扬去

参考例句：

• You should winnow out the inaccuracies of this paper this afternoon.你今天下午把这篇文章中不精确的内容删掉。
• We should winnow out the errors in logic.我们应该排除逻辑中的错误。

8 submissions   

n.提交( submission的名词复数 )；屈从；归顺；向法官或陪审团提出的意见或论据

参考例句：

• The deadline for submissions to the competition will be Easter 1994. 递交参赛申请的截止时间为1994年的复活节。 来自辞典例句
• Section 556(d) allows the agency to substitute written submissions for oral direct testimony in rulemaking. 第五百五十六条第（四）款准允行政机关在规则制定中用书面提交材料替代口头的直接证言。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

9 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。

10 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

11 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

12 alligator   

n.短吻鳄(一种鳄鱼)

参考例句：

• She wandered off to play with her toy alligator.她开始玩鳄鱼玩具。
• Alligator skin is five times more costlier than leather.鳄鱼皮比通常的皮革要贵5倍。

13 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

14 toucan   

n.巨嘴鸟，犀鸟

参考例句：

• A toucan is a South American bird.巨嘴鸟是北美的一种鸟。
• There is a toucan in this zoo.这个动物园有一只巨嘴鸟。

15 groaning   

adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• She's always groaning on about how much she has to do. 她总抱怨自己干很多活儿。
• The wounded man lay there groaning, with no one to help him. 受伤者躺在那里呻吟着，无人救助。

16 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

17 squander   

v.浪费，挥霍

参考例句：

• Don't squander your time in reading those dime novels.不要把你的时间浪费在读那些胡编乱造的廉价小说上。
• Every chance is precious，so don't squander any chance away!每次机会都很宝贵，所以不要将任何一个白白放走。