Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
Americans use many expressions with the word dog. People in the United States love their dogs and treat them well. They take their dogs for walks, let them play outside and give them good food and medical care. However, dogs without owners to care for them lead a different kind of life. The expression, to lead a dog's life, describes a person who has an unhappy existence.
Some people say we live in a dog-eat-dog world. That means many people are competing for the same things, like good jobs. They say that to be successful, a person has to work like a dog. This means they have to work very, very hard. Such hard work can make people dog-tired. And, the situation would be even worse if they became sick as a dog.
Still, people say every dog has its day. This means that every person enjoys a successful period during his or her life. To be successful, people often have to learn new skills. Yet, some people say that you can never teach an old dog new tricks. They believe that older people do not like to learn new things and will not change the way they do things.
Some people are compared to dogs in bad ways. People who are unkind or uncaring can be described as meaner than a junkyard dog. Junkyard dogs live in places where people throw away things they do not want. Mean dogs are often used to guard this property. They bark or attack people who try to enter the property. However, sometimes a person who appears to be mean and threatening is really not so bad. We say his bark is worse than his bite.
A junkyard is not a fun place for a dog. Many dogs in the United States sleep in safe little houses near their owners' home. These doghouses provide shelter. Yet they can be cold and lonely in the winter.
Husbands and wives use this doghouse term when they are angry at each other. For example, a woman might get angry at her husband for coming home late or forgetting their wedding anniversary. She might tell him that he is in the doghouse. She may not treat him nicely until he apologizes. However, the husband may decide that it is best to leave things alone and not create more problems. He might decide to let sleeping dogs lie.
Dog expressions also are used to describe the weather. The dog days of summer are the hottest days of the year. A rainstorm may cool the weather. But we do not want it to rain too hard. We do not want it to rain cats and dogs.
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This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Jill Moss. I'm Faith Lapidus.
Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
这是美国之音特别英语词汇典故节目。
Americans use many expressions with the word dog. People in the
美国人有许多关于狗的表达。美国人喜欢狗并对它们特别好。他们带着他们的狗散步，让它们在外面玩耍，给他们好吃的和医疗护理。然而，流浪狗却过着一种不同的生活。过着穷困潦倒的生活（to lead a dog's life）描述了一种过着贫困生活的人。
Some people say we live in a dog-eat-dog world. That means many people are competing for the same things, like good jobs. They say that to be successful, a person has to work like a dog. This means they have to work very, very hard. Such hard work can make people dog-tired. And, the situation would be even worse if they became sick as a dog.
有些人说我们生活在一个弱肉强食（dog-eat-dog world）的世界里。这种表达是说许多人正在为同样的事情而竞争，比如好的工作。他们说要想成功，你就得努力工作，犹如一条狗。这意味着他们必须非常努力地工作。这种辛勤的工作可以让人感觉到筋疲力尽。如果他们病得很严重（sick as a dog），情况会更糟。
Still, people say every dog has its day. This means that every person enjoys a successful period during his or her life. To be successful, people often have to learn new skills. Yet, some people say that you can never teach an old dog new tricks. They believe that older people do not like to learn new things and will not change the way they do things.
人们说凡人皆有得意日（every dog has its day）。它表达的意思是每个人的一生都有成功的机会。要想成功，人们常常不得不学习新技能。然而,一些人说你永不能使守旧的人接受新事物（you can never teach an old dog new tricks）。他们认为年纪大的人不喜欢学习新东西，也不会改变他们做事情的方式。
Some people are compared to dogs in bad ways. People who are unkind or uncaring can be described as meaner than a junkyard dog. Junkyard dogs live in places where people throw away things they do not want. Mean dogs are often used to guard this property. They bark or attack people who try to enter the property. However, sometimes a person who appears to be mean and threatening is really not so bad. We say his bark is worse than his bite.
在一些表达中，有些人被比喻成狗。那些无情冷漠的人可以描述成灵活但不是废品狗。垃圾狗住在垃圾场里。凶猛的狗通常被用来保护财产。它们会攻击那些试图侵犯该财产的人。然而，有时候一个看起来很凶的人并不是那么坏。我们说他急躁但无恶意。
A junkyard is not a fun place for a dog. Many dogs in the
垃圾场不是狗玩的地方。美国的许多狗睡在主人家附近的小房子里。这些狗窝庇护可以保护它们。但是，冬天的时候它们会很冷很寂寞。
Husbands and wives use this doghouse term when they are angry at each other. For example, a woman might get angry at her husband for coming home late or forgetting their wedding anniversary. She might tell him that he is in the doghouse. She may not treat him nicely until he apologizes. However, the husband may decide that it is best to leave things alone and not create more problems. He might decide to let sleeping dogs lie.
当丈夫和妻子生气地互相盯着对方时会用到这个词（doghouse）。例如，一个女人会因丈夫回家很晚或丈夫忘了他们的结婚周年纪念日而很生气。她会不理睬她的丈夫。除非他道歉，否则她不会对他好的。然而，她的丈夫可能决定最好不要理睬这个事情而不是创造更多的问题。他可能决定不会惹是生非的。
Dog expressions also are used to describe the weather. The dog days of summer are the hottest days of the year. A rainstorm may cool the weather. But we do not want it to rain too hard. We do not want it to rain cats and dogs.
关于狗的表达也能用来描述天气。The dog days of summer用来描述一年当中最热的几天。暴风雨会使天气变得凉爽。但是我们不希望下大雨。我们不希望它下倾盆大雨。
重点讲解：
1、lead a dog's life 过着牛马不如的生活；过着贫困的生活
例句：Beggar usualy lead a dog's life.
乞讨者过着穷困的生活。
2、dog-eat-dog world一个竞争激烈、弱肉强食的世界
例句：Some people say we live in a dog-eat-dog world.
有人说我们生活在一个竞争激烈的世界。
3、work like a dog 像狗一样工作；拼命工作
例句：He work hard like a dog!
就是只知道工作，非常努力地做一件事。
4、sick as a dog 病得十分严重
例句：Peter’s at home in bed, sick as a dog.
皮特在家卧床不起，病得很重。
5、 every dog has its day 凡人都有得意日；风水轮流转
例句：Every dog has its day!
人人都有成功的机会！
6、You can never teach an old dog new tricks. 老狗学不会新把戏
例句：You can never teach an old dog new tricks.
上年纪的人不愿学新东西。
7、And meaner than a junkyard dog, 灵活不是废品狗
8、His bark is worse than his bite. 他急躁但无恶意。
9、in the doghouse 美俚]失宠，受冷遇；丢脸
例句：If I don't find the earrings that she lent me, I'll really be in the doghouse.
我若不把她借给我的耳环找到，一定会被她骂得很惨。
10、let sleeping dogs lie 莫惹是生非，别自找麻烦
11、to rain cats and dogs 倾盆大雨，瓢泼大雨