Monkeys

Now, the VOA

Special English program

WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

Monkeys are very similar

to us in many ways.

Most have ten fingers

and ten toes, and brains

much like ours.

We enjoy watching them

because they often act like us.

In fact, Charles Darwin's

theory of evolution says

that monkeys and humans

share a common ancestor.

Songwriter William Gilbert,

in the musical "Princess Ida",

wrote:"Darwinian man,

though well-behaved, at best

is only a monkey shaved."

His words

-- sung to Sir Arthur Sullivan's music

-- make listeners smile.

Well, monkeys make us smile, too,

because they are creatures

full of playful tricks.

This is why many monkey

expressions are about

tricky people or playful acts.

One of these expressions

is monkeyshines, meaning tricks

or foolish acts.

The meaning is clear

if you have ever watched

a group of monkeys

playfully chasing each other:

pulling tails, stealing food,

doing tricks.

So, when a teacher says

to a group of students:

"Stop those monkeyshines right now!"

you know that the boys and girls

are playing, instead of studying.

You might hear that same teacher

warn a student not to

monkey around with

a valuable piece of equipment.

You monkey around with something

when you do not know

what you are doing.

You are touching

or playing with something

you should leave alone.

Also, you can monkey around

when you feel like doing something,

but have no firm idea of what to do.

For example, you tell your friend

you are going to spend the day

monkeying around with your car.

Weel, you do not have

any job or goal in mind.

It is just a way to pass the time.

Monkey business usually means

secret, maybe illegal, activities.

A news report may say there is

monkey business involved

in building the new airport,

with some officials getting

secret payments from builders.

You may make a monkey out

of someone when you make

that person look foolish.

Some people make a monkey

out of themselves

by acting foolish or silly.

If one monkey has fun,

imagine how much fun

a barrel of monkeys can have.

If your friend says

he had more fun than a barrel

of monkeys at your party,

you know that he

had a really good time.

Monkey suits are common names

for clothes or uniforms soldiers wear.

In earlier years

in many American cities,

you would find men playing

musical hand organs on the street.

Dancing to the music would

be the man's small monkey

dressed in a tight-fitting,

colorful jacket similar

to a military uniform.

So, people began to call

a military uniform a monkey suit.

(MUSIC)

This VOA Special English program,

WORDS AND THEIR STORIES,

was written by Marilyn Rice Christiano.

Maurice Joyce was the narrator.

I'm Shirley Griffith.