Words and Their Stories: You Do Not Have to Be a Rocket Scientist
Hello. I'm Phil Murray with WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, a program in Special English.
"You do not need to be a rocket scientist." Americans hear these words often. People say them in schools, offices and factories. Broadcasters on radio and television use them.
This is how you might hear the words used.
Workers in an office are afraid to try to use their new computer system. Their employer tells them not to be foolish. "You do not need to be a rocket scientist to learn this," he says.
Or, high school students cannot seem to understand something their teacher is explaining. "Come on," she says. "You do not need to be a rocket scientist to understand this."
Or, a company that makes soap is trying to sell its product on television. "You do not need to be a rocket scientist to see that our soap cleans better," the company says.
These words send a strong message. They say that you do not need to be extremely intelligent to understand something.
How did the expression begin?
No one seems to know for sure. But an official of the American space agency, NASA, says the expression just grew. It grew, he says, because rocket scientists probably are the most intelligent people around.
Not everyone would agree.
Some people might be considered more intelligent than rocket scientists. For example, a person who speaks and reads fifteen languages, or a medical doctor who operates on the brain.
Still, many people would agree that there is something special about scientists who build rockets. Maybe it has to do with the mystery of space travel.
Moving pictures from before World War Two showed a man named Buck Rogers landing on the planet Mars. He was a hero who could defeat any enemy from outer space.
The rocket scientist is a different kind of hero. He or she makes space travel possible.
Rocket scientists, however, can have problems just like anyone else.
A Washington rocket scientist tells about a launch that was postponed many, many times. Finally, everything seemed right. Mechanical failures had been repaired. The weather was good.
The scientists had planned that part of the rocket would fall into the ocean after the launch. All ships and boats within many kilometers of the danger area had been warned. But in the last few seconds a small boat entered the area. Once again, the launch was postponed.
When the work goes well, most rocket scientists enjoy their jobs. One scientist said, "As a child I loved to build rockets. Now I am grown. I still love to build rockets. And now I get paid for it."
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This program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Jeri Watson. I'm Phil Murray.
Hello. I'm Phil Murray with WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, a program in Special English.
大家好！我是菲尔·默里。这是特别英语词汇掌故栏目。
"You do not need to be a rocket scientist." Americans hear these words often. People say them in schools, offices and factories. Broadcasters on radio and television use them.
“你不必是行家。”美国人经常听到这句话。人们在学校、办公室和工厂会经常说这个句子。收音机和电视上的播音员也经常用到这个句子。
This is how you might hear the words used.
人们平时怎样使用这个句子？
Workers in an office are afraid to try to use their new computer system. Their employer tells them not to be foolish. "You do not need to be a rocket scientist to learn this," he says.
办公室的工作人员不敢尝试使用新的计算机系统。老板让他们不要发傻。他说“你们不需非要是行家才可以学这些。”
Or, high school students cannot seem to understand something their teacher is explaining. "Come on," she says. "You do not need to be a rocket scientist to understand this."
或者，高中生似乎不太理解老师讲的一些东西。然后老师就对学生说：“加油，你们不必非要是专家才能理解这些。”
Or, a company that makes soap is trying to sell its product on television. "You do not need to be a rocket scientist to see that our soap cleans better," the company says.
或者，肥皂生产商在电视上给自己的产品做广告时说：“你们不需要成为专家后才能看到我们的肥皂洗的很干净。”
These words send a strong message. They say that you do not need to be extremely intelligent to understand something.
这句话传达了一种强烈的信息，那就是你不需要理解力很强。
How did the expression begin?
什么时候开始这种表达的呢？
No one seems to know for sure. But an official of the American space agency, NASA, says the expression just grew. It grew, he says, because rocket scientists probably are the most intelligent people around.
似乎没有人知道。但是美国太空总署的一位官员说这种表达蔓延开了，因为火箭科学家也许是世界上最聪明的人。
Not everyone would agree.
并不是所有人都同意这个观点。
Some people might be considered more intelligent than rocket scientists. For example, a person who speaks and reads fifteen languages, or a medical doctor who operates on the brain.
有些人可能比火箭科学家更聪明。例如，一个会说15种语言的人或一个可以在大脑做手术的医生。
Still, many people would agree that there is something special about scientists who build rockets. Maybe it has to do with the mystery of space travel.
尽管如此，许多人认为制造火箭的科学家身上有一种很特别的气息。也许它与神秘的太空旅行有关。
Moving pictures from before World War Two showed a man named Buck Rogers landing on the planet Mars. He was a hero who could defeat any enemy from outer space.
第二次世界大战前的动态图像显示布克·罗杰斯登陆火星的过程。他是个英雄，能打败任何从外太空来的敌人。
The rocket scientist is a different kind of hero. He or she makes space travel possible.
火箭科学家是另一种不同的英雄。他或她使太空旅行成为可能。
Rocket scientists, however, can have problems just like anyone else.
然而，火箭科学家就像其他人一样也会有问题。
A
一位华盛顿火箭科学家说有一次的火箭发射推迟很多次。最后，一切似乎都没有出错。机械故障被修复，而且天气很好。
The scientists had planned that part of the rocket would fall into the ocean after the launch. All ships and boats within many kilometers of the danger area had been warned. But in the last few seconds a small boat entered the area. Once again, the launch was postponed.
科学家原计划一部分火箭会落入大海。方圆几公里内的所有的船只已经被警告过了。但是在最后的几秒钟里，一个小船进入危险区。但是这次发射再次延期了。
When the work goes well, most rocket scientists enjoy their jobs. One scientist said, "As a child I loved to build rockets. Now I am grown. I still love to build rockets. And now I get paid for it."
当工作顺利时，火箭科学家都很喜欢他们的工作。一位科学家说：“我小时候很喜欢建造火箭。现在我长大了。我仍然喜欢建造火箭。这是我应得的。”
重点讲解：
1、rocket scientist 火箭专家；股市分析高手；[喻]行家
2、operate on 对…动手术；对…起作用
例句：The doctor began to operate on the boy.
医生开始给那个男孩动手术了。
3、defeat [di'fi:t] vt. 击败，战胜；挫败；使…失败
例句：They defeated the enemy in the battle.
他们在那次战斗中打败敌人。
4、postpone [pəust'pəun, pə'sp-] vt. 使…延期
例句：I have to postpone our appointment.
咱要把咱们的约会延期。
5、fall into 落入
例句：The boy fell into water and had to be pulled out at once.
男孩掉入了水中，必须马上拉上来。