VOA慢速英語：詞匯掌故：貿(mào)然投入

'Dive Into' English Expressions

詞匯掌故：貿(mào)然投入

Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.

這里是美國之音慢速英語詞匯掌故節(jié)目。

On this program we explore common expressions in American English. Today we are going to talk about a favorite physical activity.

在這個節(jié)目中我們將會探索美式英語的常見表達(dá)。今天我們來說說一項(xiàng)頗受歡迎的體育運(yùn)動。

Swimming!

這就是游泳!

Whether outdoors or indoors, swimming is a fun way to stay in shape. And one of the great things about swimming is diving. For a very short time, a diver flies through the air like a bird. Then they land in the cool water below, usually with their hands and head leading the way.

無論是在戶外還是室內(nèi)，游泳都是保持身材的一種好辦法。游泳的一大樂趣就是跳水。跳水者在某個瞬間像鳥兒一樣在空中飛翔，然后通常以手和頭部先入水，一頭扎入涼爽的水中。

But jumping into a body of water headfirst is just one meaning of the word "dive."

但是一頭扎入水中只是dive這個單詞的其中一層含義。

"To dive into something" can also mean to start working on a project with lots of energy but not, perhaps, a lot of planning.

To dive into something(貿(mào)然投入、扎入)還可以指投入很大精力開始從事某個項(xiàng)目，但是可能沒有經(jīng)過太多規(guī)劃。

Let's say two friends are really excited to dive into a new business together. They are so excited that they open their business without a clear idea of how to market their company or even who will buy their product. So, it was not a big surprise when the company went under a few months later. Friends told them that they had a good idea, but they simply dove in too quickly.

我們假設(shè)兩個好朋友興奮地一起貿(mào)然投入到某項(xiàng)新業(yè)務(wù)中。也就是說，他們非常興奮地在不知道如何推銷他們公司，甚至不知道潛在客戶的前提下就開始了某項(xiàng)業(yè)務(wù)。所以，這家公司在幾個月后陷入困境也不算意外。朋友們告訴他們有了一個好主意，但是他們太快就貿(mào)然投入進(jìn)去了。

Adding the word "headfirst" adds importance. If you dive into something headfirst, you are even more excited and even less prepared!

加上headfirst這個單詞就更增添了重要性。如果你一頭投入到某件事情(dive into something headfirst)，你就會更加興奮，甚至更加準(zhǔn)備不足。

For example, a man I know really wanted to learn basic home repair. He was very excited to begin on a home project. So, he dove in headfirst, knocking down walls and tearing out the floors. Unfortunately, he didn't know enough to rebuild his house. He ended up hiring a construction team for that.

例如，我認(rèn)識的某個男人想要學(xué)習(xí)基本的家居維修。他很高興要開始著手一項(xiàng)家居工程。所以他一頭投入了進(jìn)去，拆掉了墻壁，揭開了地板。不幸的是，他對重建房子不夠了解，他最終聘請了一支建筑團(tuán)隊(duì)。

"To dive into something" can also mean you are simply really excited to do it. Planning is not an issue or problem. And sometimes we add the word "right." This makes it sound more conversational.

To dive into something 也可以單指你真的非常興奮做這件事情，規(guī)劃不算問題。有時我們會加上right這個單詞，這使其聽起來更口語化。

For example, the children must have been very hungry after swimming all day. They dove right into the pizza the minute it was served!

例如，孩子們游了一天泳之后，肯定非常餓。他們一待披薩端上來就埋頭開吃了。

But now, let's go back to the diving that relates to swimming. Sometimes divers dive off a mountain cliff. They are called cliff divers.

但是現(xiàn)在，讓我們回到和游泳相關(guān)的跳水話題。有時候跳水者會從懸崖上跳入水中。他們被稱之為懸崖跳水者。

Some dive off the side of a pool. Others dive off a diving board. Diving boards are springy. They are made of a material that can bend. Diving boards are a kind of springboard. They are a board that springs you into the air!

有人從泳池邊上跳下，還有人從跳板上跳下。跳板很有彈性，它們是由可彎曲的材料制成。跳板是一種把人彈向空中的板子。

In addition to diving, a springboard is useful in other situations. A springboard can be something that helps you start an activity or process. We can also call this a jumping off point, just as when you jump off a diving board.

除了跳水，跳板在其它情況下也很有用。跳板可以幫助你開始某項(xiàng)活動或進(jìn)程。我們也能稱之為起點(diǎn)，就像你跳下跳板一樣。

For example, when preparing for this program, I often take note of the expressions my friends use. So, for me, these conversations are often springboards to new stories for this show.

例如，我在準(zhǔn)備本節(jié)目時，經(jīng)常會特別注意我的朋友們的表達(dá)方式。所以，對我來說，這些對話通常就是本節(jié)目新內(nèi)容的起點(diǎn)。

The term "springboard" can also mean a point of departure.

Springboard這個術(shù)語還能指出發(fā)點(diǎn)。

Let's hear two co-workers use it this way.

讓我們來聽聽這兩位同事的用法。

A: Boy, Emanuel did not stay long at his job here, did he?

A: 伙計(jì)，伊曼紐爾在這沒干多久，是嗎?

B: No. But I'm not surprised. I knew he'd move quickly from this job to the next.

B: 是的，但是我不覺得意外。我知道他會很快跳槽。

A: How did you know that?

A: 你怎么知道?

B: On his first day, he told me that this job was only a springboard to a better position.

B：他上班頭一天就給我說，這份工作只是一個找到更好工作的跳板。

A: I see. Well, at least he was honest.

A: 我懂了。好吧，至少他很誠實(shí)。

Okay. So, besides cliff diving and diving off a diving board, there is another kind of diving -- scuba diving.

好了。除了懸崖跳水和跳板跳水，還有另一種，這就是水肺潛水(scuba diving)。

Scuba diving is an underwater activity. You swim underwater while wearing special equipment, including a tank, or container, filled with compressed air. Scuba is an acronym. It is short for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.

水肺潛水是一種水下運(yùn)動。人們佩戴著特殊裝備在水下游泳，其中就包括裝滿壓縮空氣的氧氣罐。水肺(Scuba)是首字母縮寫，它是自給式水下呼吸器(self-contained underwater breathing apparatus)的簡稱。

With tanks of air on their backs, scuba divers are able to dive deep into the sea. On a deep sea dive, you might see some very strange sea creatures!

水肺潛水者背著氧氣罐，就能潛入深海。在深海潛水中可能會看到一些非常奇怪的海洋生物。

On land, a deep dive is when you explore an issue in great detail. Oftentimes, the media coverage of some issues is too shallow, meaning it doesn't explain enough. But sometimes a news agency is able to do a deep dive on issues that people really care about.

在陸地上，deep dive(深入挖掘)是指深入探索某個問題。通常，媒體對某些問題的報(bào)道都太淺顯，意思是指不夠深入報(bào)道。但是有時候新聞機(jī)構(gòu)能夠深入挖掘一些人們真正關(guān)心的問題。

You could say that on Words and Their Stories we dive deeper into the English language. Hopefully, this program will make you want to dive right into your English studies!

你可以說，在詞匯掌故節(jié)目中我們深入挖掘了英語語言。希望本節(jié)目能讓你一頭扎入英語學(xué)習(xí)中。

I'm Anna Matteo.

安娜馬特奧報(bào)道。