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：词汇故事bird。
英文原文
Birds bring so many wonderful things to our lives. They have beautiful songs for our ears and beautiful feathers for our eyes. Birds also add to our English expressions. You may have heard, "The early bird catches the worm." This saying means the person who arrives first is most likely to get what they want. And what about "birds of a feather flock together"? That means people with the same interests are often together.
鸟儿给我们的生活带来了许多美好的事物。它们有美妙的歌声供我们聆听，还有美丽的羽毛供我们欣赏。鸟儿还丰富了我们的英语表达。你可能听说过“早起的鸟儿有虫吃”这句话。这句话的意思是，先到的人最有可能得到他们想要的东西。那么“物以类聚，人以群分”呢？这意味着有相同兴趣的人往往聚在一起。
Well, today we talk about a bird expression that describes being upset or bothering someone. When we upset others, we have ruffled their feathers. For example, if I am often late meeting a friend, that could ruffle her feathers. It could bother her. And if someone lies to me, that will ruffle my feathers.
好了，今天我们来谈谈鸟类的一种表达方式，它描述的是不高兴或打扰别人。当我们让别人生气时，我们就惹恼了他们。例如，如果我经常迟到去见朋友，那可能会惹恼她。这可能会让她不高兴。如果有人对我说谎，那也会惹恼我。
Besides meaning to bother or upset people, this expression has another meaning. It also means that your action shakes things up. We use it to describe an action that changes the status quo or the usual way of doing things. Sometimes we upset more than just one person. In that case, we can say we ruffled a few feathers. For example, if a new work policy is not popular with workers, it will probably ruffle a few, or more than a few, feathers.
除了意味着打扰或惹恼别人之外，这个表达还有另一个意思。它也意味着你的行为搅乱了事情。我们用它来描述改变现状或通常做事方式的行为。有时我们惹恼的不止一个人。在这种情况下，我们可以说我们惹恼了一些人。例如，如果一项新的工作政策不受员工欢迎，它可能会惹恼一些人，甚至很多人。
In English, we have quite a few expressions that mean something like "to drive someone up the wall," "to get under someone's skin," and "to get on someone's nerves." All mean to bother someone. However, we do not use those expressions to describe changing the usual way of doing things. So, in that sense, ruffling some feathers is different.
在英语中，我们有很多类似 "to drive someone up the wall," "to get under someone's skin," 和 "to get on someone's nerves."这样的表达。它们的意思都是打扰别人。然而，我们不用这些表达来描述改变通常做事方式的行为。所以，在这个意义上，惹恼一些人是有区别的。
Word experts say that the use of this expression began in the mid-1800s. It comes from the fact that sometimes birds ruffle their feathers when they are upset, but birds also ruffle their feathers at other times, for example, to keep warm or during mating season.
词汇专家说，这个表达的使用始于19世纪中叶。它来源于这样一个事实：有时鸟儿在生气时会竖起羽毛，但鸟儿在其他时候也会竖起羽毛，例如为了保暖或在交配季节。
Now, let's hear two friends use the expression. "The meeting for our ukulele club is going to start in 20 minutes. I brought drinks and some food, and I brought copies of our new rules." "Um, I don't think you should hand those out." "Why?" "Well, some members are not going to like them." "What do you mean?" "I mean, these new rules are going to ruffle some feathers." "No way." "Whose feathers are going to be ruffled?" "Well, Margery, for one. Your first new rule is 'no dogs are permitted during practice.' She doesn't go anywhere without her little dog, Binkie Boo." "Well, maybe we can change that one and the dress requirement. Do you really think people want to dress in costume for performances? It'll make it more fun for the audience." "Actually, every one of the new rules is going to ruffle someone's feathers." "Okay, I get it. I'll throw them away. The last thing I want to be accused of is being a feather ruffler."
现在，让我们听听两个朋友如何使用这个表达。“我们的尤克里里俱乐部会议将在20分钟后开始。我带了一些饮料和食物，还有我们新规则的复印件。”“嗯，我认为你不应该分发这些。”“为什么？”“嗯，有些成员不会喜欢它们的。”“你是什么意思？”“我的意思是，这些新规则会惹恼一些人。”“不可能。”“谁会惹恼？”“嗯，比如玛格丽特。你的第一条新规则是‘练习期间不允许带狗’。她去哪儿都带着她的小狗宾奇·布。”“嗯，也许我们可以改变这一条和着装要求。你真的认为人们想在表演时穿戏服吗？这会让观众觉得更有趣。”“实际上，每一条新规则都会惹恼一些人。”“好吧，我明白了。我会把它们扔掉。我最不想被指责的就是成为一个爱惹麻烦的人。”
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