Words and Their Stories: Number One
词汇典故：和数字一相关的短语
Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇典故节目。
Today I will tell about expressions using numbers. Let us start with the number one. Numbers can be tricky. On the one hand, they are simply numbers. On the other hand, they have meanings. I for one use these expressions a lot.
今天我们来讲述一下包含数字的表达方式。我们从数字“一”开始。数字是非常巧妙的。一方面(On the one hand)，它们仅仅是数字。另一方面，他们也有本身的意义。举个例子说(for one),我经常用到这些短语。
Many people consider themselves number one, the most important person. They are always looking out for number one and taking care of number one. It is as if they are the one and only person on Earth. Some people however, are not so self-centered. My brother is such a person. It is true – no joke. I am not trying to pull a fast one on you.
许多人认为他们自己是最重要的人物(number one)。他们经常谋求自身的利益(looking out for number one),为自己的利益打算(taking care of number one).似乎他们是地球上唯一的人(one and only)。然而，有些人就不是这么以自我为中心。我的弟弟就是这样的人。这是真的——不是开玩笑。我不会试图欺骗你(pull a fast one)。
First, you have to understand that my brother is one in a million. He is such a nice person. All his friends like him. They consider him one of the boys. Recently, my brother had a bad day at the office. It was just one of those days. Nothing went right. So he stopped at a local bar -- a drinking place -- after leaving work. My brother planned to have a glass of beer with his friends -- a quick one – before he went home. But a quick one turned into one or two, and soon those became one too many.
首先，你必须明白，我的弟弟是万里挑一的人(one in a million)。他是非常好的人。他所有的朋友都喜欢他。他们认为他是真正的玩友(one of the boys)。 最近，我弟弟在工作上不是很愉快，那是一段倒霉的日子(one of those days),事事不顺。所以下班之后就在一个当地酒吧——喝酒的地方逗留。我弟弟打算跟朋友喝完一杯啤酒就走——就干一杯(quick one)。但是干一杯(quick one)变成了一两杯(one or two)，一会儿就喝多了(one too many)。
As my brother was leaving, he ordered a last drink -- one for the road. His friends became concerned. One by one, they asked him if he was able to drive home safely.
当我弟弟准备离开的时候，他要了最后一杯(one for the road)。他的朋友有些担心了，一个个(One by one)都问他能否安全开车回家。
Now my brother is a wise and calm person. He is at one with himself. He recognizes when he has had too much alcohol to drink. So he accepted an offer for a ride home from a female friend.
我弟弟是个非常聪明冷静的人，他头脑冷静下来，意识到自己喝了太多酒，因此他就接受了一个女性朋友的帮助，让她载他回家。
At one time in the past, my brother had been in love with this woman. She is a great person -- kind, thoughtful and intelligent -- all good qualities rolled up into one. But sadly their relationship did not work. He always used to say "One of these days, I am going to marry this girl." But that never happened.
过去，我弟弟曾经(at one time)爱上这个女人。她很优秀——善良，体贴，聪明——集所有的好品质于一身(rolled up into one)。但是他们的关系没有进展。他过去常说“将来总有一天(One of these days)我会娶这个女孩为妻”。但这从未实现。
For one thing, she did not love him as much as he loved her. It was just one of those things. The situation was regrettable and my brother had to accept it. But even now, he considers her the one that got away.
一方面(For one thing)是因为她没有他爱她爱的深。这是命中注定的事(one of those things)。这种情况非常遗憾，我弟弟只能接受。但是即使是现在，他还认为她是他失去的那个人(the one that got away)。
However, they are still friends. And because my brother had been kind to her, she felt that one good turn deserves another. He was good to her and she wanted to help him in return. So she drove him home.
然而，他们还是朋友。而且因为我的弟弟对她很好，她觉得应该以德报德(one good turn deserves another)。他对她很好，她想帮助他作为报答，所以就开车送他回家了。
If my brother had driven home from the bar that night, his number would have been up. Something bad would have happened. Thankfully he made it home safely. And, he and the woman are back to square one. They are back to where they started – being friends.
如果我弟弟那晚从酒吧开车回家，那他就要完蛋了(number would have been up)，可能会发生不好的事情。幸运的是他安全到家。而且他和那个女人回到原点(back to square one)，他们回到了最初的起点——成为朋友。
(MUSIC)
This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Jill Moss. I’m Faith Lapidus. |