VOA慢速英语，作为国际英语学习者的重要资源，通过清晰缓慢的发音与简洁的词汇，为初学者及中等水平学习者搭建了通往流利英语的桥梁。它不仅帮助提升听力理解能力，还丰富了词汇量，增强了语感，是学习地道英语表达不可或缺的工具，对全球英语学习者的语言提升至关重要。让我们一起进入今天的VOA慢速英语听力训练：词汇典故密切关系。

英文原文

If two people are extremely close and do everything together, we say they are joined at the hip.

如果两个人关系非常亲密，并且做什么都在一起，我们说他们是形影不离的。

If two people are very similar to each other, we say they are two peas in a pod.

如果两个人非常相似，我们说他们是同一类人（或“一对双胞胎”）。

And when two people marry, we say they tied the knot.

而当两个人结婚时，我们说他们喜结连理。

If you are tied down, that means there are important things you must do, and those things prevent you from doing something else.

如果你被束缚住了，那意味着你有一些重要的事情必须去做，这些事情阻止你去做其他事情。

For you can be tied down by your employment or some other tasks.

因为可能是你的工作或其他任务束缚了你。

You can be tied down for an afternoon, a week, a month, or four years, depending on the situation.

根据情况的不同，你可能会被束缚一个下午、一个星期、一个月或四年。

For example, you might say, "I'm going to be tied down here for the next few hours."

例如，你可能会说：“我接下来几个小时都要被束缚在这里了。”

But you might also say, "He didn't get married because he didn't want to get tied down."

但你也可能会说：“他没有结婚是因为他不想被束缚。”

In this second example, "tie down" refers to a long period of time.

在第二个例子中，“tie down”指的是一段很长的时间。

But what about those people who haven't tied the knot and are not tied down? What expression can we use to describe them?

但是那些还没有结婚且没有束缚的人呢？我们可以用什么表达来描述他们？

The following exchange gives the answer:

以下对话给出了答案：

"I think Michael would be a great match for Ellen."

“我认为迈克尔和艾伦很般配。”

"I think he would too, but I don't think he's ready. Maybe in a few years."

“我也这么认为，但我认为他还没准备好。可能几年后吧。”

"You think he's too young?"

“你认为他太年轻了吗？”

"Not really. It's just that he doesn't want to be tied down. He wants to travel and be, you know, footloose and fancy free."

“不是。只是他不想被束缚。他想旅行，想自由自在。”

"Sounds kind of nice actually."

“听起来其实挺不错的。”

"Footloose and fancy free" means that you do not have serious commitments. It expresses freedom and being without serious worries.

“Footloose and fancy free”意味着你没有严肃的责任。它表达了自由和无忧无虑的状态。

Some people may connect the expression with young people who do not yet have serious responsibility in their lives.

有些人可能会把这个表达与那些生活中还没有严肃责任的年轻人联系起来。

以上便是VOA慢速英语听力训练：词汇典故密切关系相关内容，希望能帮助你提升听力！