VOA慢速英語:詞匯掌故：觸壘

[00:00.00]go to chinavoa.com for more... [00:10.07]Now, the VOA [00:12.22]Special English program [00:14.47]WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. [00:17.55]American English [00:20.20]is full of colorful expressions. [00:22.35]One such expression [00:24.80]is to touch all bases. [00:27.58]It comes from [00:29.87]the sport of baseball. [00:31.56]There are four bases [00:34.50]in baseball [00:36.14]-- first, second and third. [00:39.62]The fourth is home plate. [00:42.47]Together, the bases [00:44.99]form a diamond shape. [00:47.38]When a baseball player [00:49.37]hits the ball, [00:50.83]he must run to each base [00:53.17] -- in order [00:54.46]-- and touch it with his foot. [00:56.74]It is the only way [00:59.64]to score a point. [01:01.38]If the player hits the ball [01:04.51]and fails to touch [01:06.29]all the bases, the point [01:09.18]will not be counted. [01:10.83]The importance of touching [01:13.36]all the bases was shown [01:15.55]at the start of the nineteen [01:18.05]seventy-four baseball season. [01:20.53]Hank Aaron was a player [01:22.92]with the Atlanta Braves team. [01:24.97]He was seeking the record [01:27.49]for hitting the most home runs. [01:30.34]A home run is a ball [01:33.37]that is hit over the wall. [01:35.47]Aaron needed just one home run [01:38.94]to equal the record held [01:41.79]by Babe Ruth, the greatest hitter [01:44.62]in baseball history. [01:47.76]Aaron got that home run [01:50.19]the very first time [01:52.14]he had a chance to hit the ball. [01:54.29]He sent the ball over the wall [01:57.71]that surrounded the playing field. [02:00.46]That gave him seven hundred [02:03.09]and fourteen home runs [02:06.13]-- the same as Babe Ruth. [02:08.96]After that day, baseball fans [02:13.05]held their breath every time [02:15.54]it was Hank Aaron's turn to hit. [02:18.67]When would he hit home run number [02:22.61]seven hundred and fifteen? [02:24.88]The wait was not long. [02:28.38]In the second week of the season, [02:31.41]Aaron again hit the ball [02:34.54]over the wall. [02:36.19]He had beaten Babe Ruth's record. [02:39.38]But first, he had to run [02:42.56]around the four bases. [02:44.61]The other players on his team [02:48.10]watched carefully to make sure [02:50.58]he touched each one. [02:52.95]If he did not, the home run [02:56.43]would not have counted. [02:58.28]There would have been [03:00.21]no new record. [03:01.80]So, to touch all bases [03:05.99]means to do what is necessary [03:08.63]to complete an activity. [03:11.91]The expression is used [03:14.60]in business and politics. [03:16.49]No business deal [03:18.98]or political campaign [03:20.83]is really complete [03:22.48]until you discuss [03:24.42]all the issues involved. [03:26.50]Or, as it is said, [03:29.49]until you touch all bases. [03:32.83]Even professional diplomats [03:35.66]use this expression, [03:37.36]as well as others [03:38.95]that come from baseball. [03:40.40]A diplomat in reporting [03:43.23]on negotiations with diplomats [03:47.09]from different countries [03:48.46]may say they "touched all bases" [03:51.84]during many hours of talks. [03:54.37]This means they explored [03:57.06]all issues involved [03:58.96]in the situation. [04:00.50]Perhaps they did this [04:02.69]after expressing hope that [04:05.22]they could play ball [04:06.71]with each other, [04:07.91]meaning that they could [04:09.50]learn to cooperate. [04:10.76]Sports reporters write about [04:13.70]fast-moving, lively events. [04:15.73]They must develop a way [04:18.28]of writing that goes straight [04:20.31]to the point. [04:21.30]Their duty is to give [04:23.20]the reader a complete picture [04:25.48]of the event in [04:26.84]as few words as possible. [04:28.23]They must touch all bases [04:31.23]as quickly as they can. [04:33.87](MUSIC) [04:41.04]This VOA Special English program, [04:42.92]WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, [04:46.37]was written by Mike Pitts. [04:48.16]This is Bob Doughty.

00:00

00:00

MP3下載 文本下載