VOA慢速英语2012--Words and Their Stories: Easy as Falling Off a Log

Words and Their Stories: Easy as Falling Off a Log¹ 

词汇典故：易如反掌

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。

Every people has its own way of saying things, its own special expressions. Some of these expressions are easy to understand. The words create a picture in your mind.

每个人都有自己特定的表达方式和词语。其中有些词语易于理解，能在你脑中形成鲜明的形象。

“As easy as falling off a log” is one such expression. It describes a job that does not take much effort.

"As easy as falling off a log"（像从圆木上滚落下来一样容易，借指轻而易举，易如反掌。）就是这样一个词语。它用于形容一项毫不费力的工作。

If you ever tried to walk on a fallen tree log, you understand what the expression means. It is easier to fall off the log than to stay on it.

如果你曾经试着在平放的圆木上行走，你就能理解这个词语的含义。从圆木上掉落下来比在上面行走容易得多。

The expression is often used today. For example, you might hear a student say to her friend that her spelling test was “as easy as falling off a log.”

这个词语今天也常常被用到。例如，你可能听到一个学生跟她的朋友说她的拼写测试真是"as easy as falling off a log."

There are several other expressions that mean the same thing. And their meaning is as easy to understand as “falling off a log.” One is, “easy as pie.” Nothing is easier than eating a piece of sweet, juicy pie. Unless it is a “piece of cake.”

还有几个有着相同意思的词语，这些词语的意思也非常容易理解。其中一个就是"easy as pie"（极其容易的，极简单的，不费力的）。没有什么比吃一块香甜多汁的馅饼更容易了，除非它是"piece of cake"。

“Piece of cake” is another expression that means something is extremely easy to do. A friend might tell you that his new job was a ”piece of cake.”

"piece of cake"（小菜一碟）是另一个表示做某事极其容易的词语。一个朋友可能会告诉你他的新工作是"piece of cake"。

Another expression is “as easy as shooting fish in a barrel².”

还有另外一个词语"as easy as shooting fish in a barrel."

Log rolling at the opening day of the Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, PA 

It is hard to imagine why anyone would want to shoot fish in a barrel. But, clearly, fish in a barrel would be much easier to shoot than fish in a stream. In fact, it would be as easy as “falling off a log.”

很难想象为什么有人会想在桶里叉鱼。但是，很明显，在桶里叉鱼比在河里容易多了。实际，这就是像从圆木上滚落下来一样容易。

Sometimes, things that come to us easily, also leave us just as easily. In fact, there is an expression – “easy come, easy go” – that recognizes this. You may win a lot of money in a lottery³, then spend it all in a few days. Easy come, easy go.

有些东西来的容易，去的也容易。实际上有个词语"easy come, easy go"（来的容易，去的容易；易得易失）总结了这个现象。你可能中彩票得了一大笔钱，但是几天之内就挥霍一空。这就是易得易失。

When life itself is easy, when you have no cares or problems, you are on “Easy Street.” Everyone wants to live on that imaginary⁴ street.

当生活本身很惬意，你没啥牵挂也没啥麻烦，你就是走在"Easy Street"（康庄大道，指生活富裕，舒适）。每个人都想生活在那种环境中。

Another “easy” expression is to “go easy on a person.” It means to treat a person kindly⁵ or gently, especially in a situation where you might be expected to be angry with him. A wife might urge her husband to “go easy on” their son, because the boy did not mean to wreck⁶ the car.

另一个与easy相关的词语是"go easy on a person"。它的意思是对一个人宽容温和，尤其是在你要对他发怒的情况下。一个妻子可能会劝告丈夫对儿子宽容点，因为孩子不是有意弄坏汽车。

If it is necessary to borrow some money to fix the car, you should look for a friend who is an “easy touch.” An “easy touch” or a “soft touch” is someone who is kind and helpful. He would easily agree to lend you the money.

如果必须借点钱来修车，你应该找一个"easy touch"（有求必应的人，容易说服的人）。"easy touch" or a "soft touch"是指善良的，容易帮助别人的人。他很容易就同意借给你钱。

And one last expression, one that means do not worry or work too hard. Try to keep away from difficult situations. “Take it easy” until we meet again.

最后一个词语，意思是别太紧张或努力，试着摆脱困境。"Take it easy"（别着急，别紧张，放松些），我们下次节目再见。

(MUSIC)

You have been listening to the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. I’m Bob Doughty⁷.

1 log   

n.记录，圆木，日志；v.伐木，切，航行

参考例句：

• They log for a living.他们以伐木为生。
• And then what do you do with that log?然后你要拿那些记录做什么呢？

2 barrel   

n.圆桶；一桶的量；枪管；vt.把...装桶

参考例句：

• I drew off three pints of beer from the barrel.我从酒桶里抽出三品脱啤酒。
• The man rolled the barrel into the yard.那个人把圆桶滚进院子。

3 lottery   

n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事

参考例句：

• He won no less than ￡5000 in the lottery.他居然中了5000英镑的奖券。
• They thought themselves lucky in the lottery of life.他们认为自己是变幻莫测的人生中的幸运者。

4 imaginary   

adj.想象中的，假想的，虚构的，幻想的；虚数的

参考例句：

• All the characters in this book are imaginary.此书中的所有人物都是虚构的。
• The boy's fears were only imaginary.这小孩的恐惧只是一种想象。

5 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

6 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

7 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。