Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
Many cities have interesting nicknames. Nicknames can help establish the identity of a city. They can also spread pride among its citizens.
New Orleans, Louisiana probably has more nicknames than any other American city. One web site lists more than twenty nicknames. The most famous is The Big Easy. It describes the gentle, slow and easy-going way of life in New Orleans.
So how did the city get this nickname? In the early nineteen hundreds, there was a dance hall in New Orleans called The Big Easy. But the nickname did not become famous until the early nineteen seventies. That was when a Louisiana newspaper writer began calling New Orleans by this name. She compared the easy-going way of life there to the hurried pace of life in New York City.
In nineteen seventy, James Conaway wrote a crime novel called "The Big Easy." The story was set in New Orleans. In nineteen eighty-seven, that book was made into a film which made the nickname even more popular.
New Orleans has other nicknames. One of them is The Crescent City. During the nineteenth century, new neighborhoods expanded out from what is now known as the French Quarter. These areas followed the great curve of the Mississippi River, giving New Orleans the shape of a crescent.
Another nickname is the Birthplace of Jazz because that kind of music started in New Orleans. It is also called Mardi Gras City for the wild celebrations and parades that take place there every year. And, there is a nickname that uses the short way to write New Orleans and Louisiana. It you do not want to use the complete name, you can call the city NOLA.
One of America's most exciting cities is Las Vegas, Nevada. There you can play games of chance all night long. The city's night clubs are also open all night for eating, drinking and dancing. So it is not surprising that Las Vegas is called The Gambling Capital of the World and The Entertainment Capital of the World.
Another nickname for Las Vegas is Sin City because you can find many kinds of adult entertainment there. Many people who come to Las Vegas in hopes of winning lots of money do not know when to stop gambling. They may lose a great deal of their hard-earned money. So the city is also called something that sounds like Las Vegas – Lost Wages.
In nineteen sixty-four, Elvis Presley starred in a movie called "Viva Las Vegas." Here he sings the title song from that movie.
(MUSIC)
This program was written by Shelley Gollust. I'm Barbara Klein.
Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
现在是美国之音特别英语词语典故节目。
Many cities have interesting nicknames. Nicknames can help establish the identity of a city. They can also spread pride among its citizens.
许多城市都有他们自己有趣的别称。别称可以帮你了解一个城市的特性，也可以传播其公民的自豪感。
New Orleans, Louisiana probably has more nicknames than any other American city. One web site lists more than twenty nicknames. The most famous is The Big Easy. It describes the gentle, slow and easy-going way of life in New Orleans.
美国路易斯安那州的新奥尔良,可能有比美国其他任何城市更多的别称。有一个网站列出了关于新奥尔良的二十多个别称。其中最著名的就是The Big Easy，它所反映的是新奥尔良人们温和的,慢节奏的,随和的生活方式。
So how did the city get this nickname? In the early nineteen hundreds, there was a dance hall in New Orleans called The Big Easy. But the nickname did not become famous until the early nineteen seventies. That was when a Louisiana newspaper writer began calling New Orleans by this name. She compared the easy-going way of life there to the hurried pace of life in New York City.
这个别称从何而来呢?早在19世纪,在新奥尔良有一个名叫The Big Easy的舞厅。但是直到19世纪70年代早期，当路易斯安纳州一位报纸作家开始使用这个别称代替新奥尔良时，The Big Easy才流传开来。她把新奥尔良人们慢节奏的生活方式与纽约人们快节奏的生活方式进行了比较。
In nineteen seventy, James Conaway wrote a crime novel called "The Big Easy." The story was set in New Orleans. In nineteen eighty-seven, that book was made into a film which made the nickname even more popular.
1970年, James Conaway写了一本犯罪小说名叫做“The Big Easy。”小说的背景就设在新奥尔良。1987年,这本小说被拍成了电影，正是这部电影使The Big Easy更受欢迎。
New Orleans has other nicknames. One of them is The Crescent City. During the nineteenth century, new neighborhoods expanded out from what is now known as the French Quarter. These areas followed the great curve of the Mississippi River, giving New Orleans the shape of a crescent.
新奥尔良还有其他的别称。其中之一就是The Crescent City。19世纪,新奥尔良的法国居民区开始向外扩展。这些地区沿着密西西比河扩展形成了一个新月的形状。
Another nickname is the Birthplace of Jazz because that kind of music started in New Orleans. It is also called Mardi Gras City for the wild celebrations and parades that take place there every year. And, there is a nickname that uses the short way to write New Orleans and Louisiana. It you do not want to use the complete name, you can call the city NOLA.
由于爵士乐起源于新奥尔良，所以它的另一个别称是Birthplace of Jazz。新奥尔良也被称为Mardi Gras City，因为每年的游行和庆祝活动都在这里举行。此外，如果你不想写New Orleans and Louisiana.的全称，你可以写它的缩写形式NOLA。
One of America's most exciting cities is Las Vegas, Nevada. There you can play games of chance all night long. The city's night clubs are also open all night for eating, drinking and dancing. So it is not surprising that Las Vegas is called The Gambling Capital of the World and The Entertainment Capital of the World.
美国最令人兴奋的城市是内华达州的拉斯维加斯。在这里你可以彻夜玩游戏，你也可以彻夜地吃、喝、跳舞。这就是内华达州的拉斯维加斯被称为The Gambling Capital of the World 和 The Entertainment Capital of the World的原因。
Another nickname for Las Vegas is Sin City because you can find many kinds of adult entertainment there. Many people who come to Las Vegas in hopes of winning lots of money do not know when to stop gambling. They may lose a great deal of their hard-earned money. So the city is also called something that sounds like Las Vegas – Lost Wages.
在拉斯维加斯你可以看到许多成年人通过各种各样的方式娱乐，所以它的另一个别称是Sin City。很多人怀着赢取更多钱大的希望来这里赌博，但是他们一赌博起来就停不下来了，他们会失去他们很多的血汗钱。所以这个城市也被称为Lost Wages。
In nineteen sixty-four, Elvis Presley starred in a movie called "Viva Las Vegas." Here he sings the title song from that movie.
1964年,猫王Elvis Presley主演一部名为“Viva Las Vegas”的电影。在这部电影里他演唱了“Viva Las Vegas”这首歌。
(MUSIC)
This program was written by Shelley Gollust. I'm Barbara Klein.
这次节目由Shelley Gollust撰稿，我是Barbara Klein。
重点讲解：
1、nickname [ 'nikneim ] n. 绰号；昵称 vt. 给……取绰号
例句：Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell of Westminster.
大笨钟是威斯敏斯特市政大厦的昵称。
2、identity [ ai'dentəti ] n. 身份；同一性，一致；恒等式；特性
例句：（1）Who are we? What is our identity?
我们是谁？我们的特性是什么？
（2）The box with your identity in it?
这个可以说明你身份的盒子?
3、not ···until
（1）一般式：not 与until分开，until放在句子的后面。
例如：He did not go until midnight.
（他直到午夜才走。）
（2）倒装式：not until 连在一起使用，且放在句首，整个句子要倒装。
例如：Not until quite recently did I have any idea what a guided missile was like.
(直到现在我才知道导弹是什么样子。)
（3）强调式：用于It is + not until +that ...的句型中。
例如：It was not until the next day that I learned the truth.
(到第二天我才听说事情的真相。)
4、compare ···to ··· 与······比较
例句：How do their prices compare to yours?
他们的价格与贵公司的相比如何?
5、in hopes of doing sth. 希望能…；怀着…的希望
例句：He came to New York alone in hopes of finding a job.
他怀著找工作的希望，只身一人来到纽约。