VOA慢速英語(yǔ)聽(tīng)力訓(xùn)練素材：詞匯典故蠟燭

所屬教程:VOA慢速英語(yǔ)聽(tīng)力

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tingliketang

2024年09月01日

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掃描二維碼方便學(xué)習(xí)和分享

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VOA慢速英語(yǔ)，作為國(guó)際英語(yǔ)學(xué)習(xí)者的重要資源，通過(guò)清晰緩慢的發(fā)音與簡(jiǎn)潔的詞匯，為初學(xué)者及中等水平學(xué)習(xí)者搭建了通往流利英語(yǔ)的橋梁。它不僅幫助提升聽(tīng)力理解能力，還豐富了詞匯量，增強(qiáng)了語(yǔ)感，是學(xué)習(xí)地道英語(yǔ)表達(dá)不可或缺的工具，對(duì)全球英語(yǔ)學(xué)習(xí)者的語(yǔ)言提升至關(guān)重要。讓我們一起進(jìn)入今天的VOA慢速英語(yǔ)聽(tīng)力訓(xùn)練：詞匯典故蠟燭。

英文原文

Often, our expressions come from everyday objects. Today, we talk about a candle. Sometimes we use candles to create a feeling of calm, or some other sort of feeling. We call that an ambiance. For example, dinner by candlelight is a lot more romantic than dinner under fluorescent lights. Often candles smell nice, too. We can buy our favorite scents or kinds of smells, which makes them even more calming. But candles are useful as well. If the electricity goes out, candles can light a dark night. In the days before electricity, candles were a main source of light for work. And that brings us to today's expression: "to burn the candle at both ends."

我們的表達(dá)方式往往源自日常生活中的事物。今天，我們來(lái)談?wù)勏灎T。有時(shí)我們用蠟燭來(lái)營(yíng)造一種寧?kù)o或其他某種感覺(jué)。我們稱(chēng)之為氛圍。比如，燭光晚餐就比熒光燈下的晚餐要浪漫得多。蠟燭通常也很好聞。我們可以買(mǎi)我們最喜歡的香味或氣味，這使得它們更加令人平靜。但蠟燭也很有用。如果停電了，蠟燭可以照亮黑暗的夜晚。在電力普及之前，蠟燭是工作的主要光源。這讓我們引出了今天的表達(dá)：“過(guò)度勞累”。

This expression is used several ways. Usually, it means that we are busy with work, but not always. Let's say I spent all of last year working on two very important goals at the same time. Friends could say that I burned my candle at both ends for a whole year. Finally, I got burned out, which means I was really tired. If we use up all of our energy by leading a busy life with work, friends, and seemingly endless activities, we can say we are burning the candle at both ends. We are busy from early morning until late at night.

這個(gè)表達(dá)有多種用法。通常，它意味著我們忙于工作，但并非總是如此。比如，如果我去年一整年都在同時(shí)忙于兩個(gè)非常重要的目標(biāo)，朋友們可能會(huì)說(shuō)我一整年都在過(guò)度勞累。最后，我累垮了，這意味著我真的很累。如果我們因?yàn)楣ぷ鳌⑴笥押涂此茻o(wú)休止的活動(dòng)而耗盡所有精力，我們可以稱(chēng)自己是過(guò)度勞累。我們從早到晚都很忙。

Here is another example: Ever since starting a new job and getting her master's degree, my friend Annett has been burning the candle at both ends. She has been doing a lot. The expression also appears in creative forms of writing. In her poem "Figs from Thistles," First Fig poet Edna St. Vincent Millay wrote about it this way: "My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night; But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends, It gives a lovely light."

再舉一個(gè)例子：自從開(kāi)始新工作和獲得碩士學(xué)位以來(lái)，我的朋友安妮特一直處于過(guò)度勞累狀態(tài)。她一直在做很多事情。這個(gè)表達(dá)也出現(xiàn)在創(chuàng)造性的寫(xiě)作形式中。在《薊草之果》一詩(shī)中，第一位無(wú)花果詩(shī)人埃德娜·圣文森特·米萊（Edna St. Vincent Millay）曾這樣寫(xiě)道：“蠟燭燃兩頭，豈能挨天亮；對(duì)敵或?qū)τ?，絢爛放光芒。”

Now, let's hear how these two friends use the expression in this short exchange:

現(xiàn)在，我們來(lái)聽(tīng)聽(tīng)這兩個(gè)朋友在簡(jiǎn)短的對(duì)話(huà)中是如何使用這個(gè)表達(dá)的：

"Where have you been? I haven't talked to you in weeks."

“你去哪了？我好幾個(gè)星期都沒(méi)和你說(shuō)話(huà)了?！?/span>

"I know, sorry about that. I got a book deal last month, so I've been kind of busy with that."

“我知道，很抱歉。我上個(gè)月簽了一份書(shū)稿出版合同，所以我一直在忙著這件事?！?/span>

"Congratulations! But I thought you were still in school."

“祝賀你！但我還以為你還在上學(xué)呢。”

"I am. That's why I've been burning the candle at both ends for the past..."

“我是在上學(xué)。那就是我那陣子一直在忙的原因……”

"What month is it?"

“現(xiàn)在幾月份來(lái)著？”