VOA慢速英语: 词汇掌故：天鹅之歌（双语）
Words and Their Stories: Swan Song
词汇掌故：天鹅之歌
Now, the Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇掌故节目。
(MUSIC)
The white swan – with its long, graceful neck – is among the most beautiful of birds. The swan is mostly silent through its life. It floats quietly on the water, unable to sing sweet songs like most other birds.
白天鹅因其修长优雅的颈部而成为最美鸟类中的一员。天鹅在大多数时间里都过着安静的生活。它静静的漂浮在水面上，无法像其他大多数鸟类一样唱出甜美的歌。
In ancient times, however, people believed that the swan was given a special gift of song at the end of its life. They believed a swan sings a most beautiful song...just before it dies.
然而在古代，人们相信天鹅在其生命即将结束时会得到一份特殊的歌声礼物，人们认为天鹅在临死时会唱出最动听的歌。
The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates talked of this two thousand three hundred years ago. Socrates explained that the swan was singing because it was happy. The bird was happy because it was going to serve the Greek God Apollo. Swans were holy to Apollo, the god of poetry and song.
在2300多年以前，古希腊哲学家苏格拉底曾谈到此事。他解释称，天鹅在最后之际会唱歌，是因为它们很快乐，因为它们即将前去石峰希腊神阿波罗，阿波罗是诗歌之神。
The story of the swan's last song found a place in the works of other writers, including the early English writers Chaucer and Shakespeare.
在其他作家的作品中也可以找到天鹅最后之歌的说法，其中包括英国早期作家乔叟和莎士比亚。
And, the expression swan song has long been a part of the English language. At first, swan song meant the last work of a poet, musician or writer. Now, it means the final effort of any person. Someone's swan song usually is also considered that person's finest work.
而且，关于swan song（绝笔，最后的作品，天鹅之歌）的说法，一直存在于英语中。期初，swan song是指一个诗人、音乐家或作家的最后的作品，而现在，它可以用来指任何人最后的努力。某些人的swan song通常也被认为是这个人最好的作品。
A political expression with a similar meaning is the last hurrah. The expression may be used to describe a politician's last campaign, his final attempt to win the cheers and votes of the people. The last hurrah also can mean the last acts of a politician, before his term in office ends.
有一个与其有着类似意思的政治说法是last hurrah（最后的努力，最后一搏），它可以用来描述一个政治家最后的一次竞选，为赢得人民的支持和选票所做的最后的一次努力。它还可以被理解为一个政治家任期结束前的最后一次行动表现。
Writer Edwin O'Connor made the expression popular in nineteen fifty-six. He wrote a book about the final years in the political life of a long-time mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. He called his book, The Last Hurrah.
作家埃德温·奥康纳在1956年使得该说法流行起来，他写了一本书讲述了长期任职的马萨诸塞州波士顿市市长最后几年的政治生涯。他将他的书命名为《（生涯末期）的最后一举》。
Some language experts say the expression came from a name given to noisy supporters of Andrew Jackson...America's seventh president. They cheered hurrah so loudly for Andy Jackson during his presidential campaign that they became known as the hurrah boys.
一些语言专家称这一说法，来源于对美国第七任总统安德鲁·杰克逊的狂热支持者的称呼。
这些支持者在杰克逊竞选总统期间，被称为“欢呼男孩”。
Jackson's hurrah boys also played a part in the election to choose the next president. Jackson's choice was his vice president, Martin VanBuren.
杰克逊的“欢呼男孩”在下一任的总统选举中也起到一定的作用，杰克逊选择了他的副总统——马丁·范布伦。
A newspaper of the time reported that VanBuren was elected president, in its words: "...by the hurrah boys, and those who knew just enough to shout hurrah for Jackson." So, President Jackson really heard his last hurrahs in the campaign of another candidate, the man who would replace him in the White House.
在范布伦当选为总统时，当时的一家报纸在报道时这样写道：“……通过欢呼男孩，和那些知道为杰克逊欢呼的人。”所以，杰克逊总统在最后一位候选人的竞选中，的确听到了最后的欢呼，这位候选人将会取代他入主白宫。
(MUSIC)
This VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. I'm Christopher Cruise.
这就是本期的美国之音慢速英语词汇掌故节目的全部内容，我是克里斯多夫·克鲁斯。
[page]听力原文[/page]
Words and Their Stories: Swan Song
Now, the Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
(MUSIC)
The white swan – with its long, graceful neck – is among the most beautiful of birds. The swan is mostly silent through its life. It floats quietly on the water, unable to sing sweet songs like most other birds.
In ancient times, however, people believed that the swan was given a special gift of song at the end of its life. They believed a swan sings a most beautiful song...just before it dies.
The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates talked of this two thousand three hundred years ago. Socrates explained that the swan was singing because it was happy. The bird was happy because it was going to serve the Greek God Apollo. Swans were holy to Apollo, the god of poetry and song.
The story of the swan's last song found a place in the works of other writers, including the early English writers Chaucer and Shakespeare.
And, the expression swan song has long been a part of the English language. At first, swan song meant the last work of a poet, musician or writer. Now, it means the final effort of any person. Someone's swan song usually is also considered that person's finest work.
 |
A political expression with a similar meaning is the last hurrah. The expression may be used to describe a politician's last campaign, his final attempt to win the cheers and votes of the people. The last hurrah also can mean the last acts of a politician, before his term in office ends.
Writer Edwin O'Connor made the expression popular in nineteen fifty-six. He wrote a book about the final years in the political life of a long-time mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. He called his book, The Last Hurrah.
Some language experts say the expression came from a name given to noisy supporters of Andrew Jackson...America's seventh president. They cheered hurrah so loudly for Andy Jackson during his presidential campaign that they became known as the hurrah boys.
Jackson's hurrah boys also played a part in the election to choose the next president. Jackson's choice was his vice president, Martin VanBuren.
A newspaper of the time reported that VanBuren was elected president, in its words: "...by the hurrah boys, and those who knew just enough to shout hurrah for Jackson." So, President Jackson really heard his last hurrahs in the campaign of another candidate, the man who would replace him in the White House.
(MUSIC)
This VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES was written by Marilyn Christiano. I'm Christopher Cruise.
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