歌词
Now, the VOA
现在是美国之音
Special English program
慢速英语节目
WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
词汇典故。
Making choices is necessary,
做出选择是必要的，
but not always easy.
但它不总是一件容易的事情。
Many of our expressions
很多英文短语
tell about this difficulty.
都描述了这种选择的艰难。
One of these expressions
其中一个短语
is Hobson's choice.
是“霍布森的选择”。
It often is used to
它经常被用来
describe a difficult choice.
描述一个困难的选择。
But that is not
但这不是
what it really means.
它确切的意思。
Its real meaning is
它真正的含义是
to have no choice at all.
毫无选择余地。
The Hobson in the expression
这个短语中的霍布森
was Thomas Hobson.
是指托马斯・霍布森。
Mister Hobson owned
霍布森先生
a stable of horses
在英国剑桥
in Cambridge, England.
拥有一个马厩。
Mister Hobson often
他经常
rented horses to the students
把马匹租给
at Cambridge University.
剑桥大学的学生。
But, he did not really trust them
但是，他不相信那些学生
to take good care of the horses.
能照料好他的马。
So, he had a rule
所以，他定下一个规矩
that prevented the students
以阻止学生
from riding his best horses.
骑他最好的马。
They could take the horse
学生们只能拉走
that was nearest the stable door.
离马厩门最近的那匹马；
Or, they could not
否则，他们
take any horse at all.
将一匹马都得不到。
Thus, a Hobson's choice
因此，“霍布森的选择”
was really no choice.
事实上是没有选择。
Another expression
另一个用来表达
for having no real choice
无从选择的短语是
is between a rock and a hard place.
进退维谷。
It is often used to describe
它经常被用来描述一个
a difficult situation
“有很多选择，
with few choices,
但没有一个选择是最好的“
none of them good.
的困难境地。
For example, your boss may
举个例子，（某天，）你的老板
ask you to work late.
要求你加班，
But you have plans to go to
但你本来打算
a movie with your friends.
和朋友看电影。
If you refuse to work,
如果你拒绝加班，
your boss gets angry.
你的老板会生气。
But if you do not go to the movies
但是如果你没有
with your friends,
和朋友去看电影，
they may get angry.
他们也会不高兴。
So what do you do?
那么你会怎么做呢？
You are caught between
（这种情况，）
a rock and a hard place.
你就是处在进退维谷的境地。
Another expression,
另一个短语，
between the devil
（叫做）
and the deep blue sea,
进退两难，
also gives you a choice
它也表示
between two equally dangerous things.
在两个同样危险的事情中做选择。
Its meaning seems clear.
它的含义看上去很明了。
You can choose the devil
你可以选择魔鬼
and his burning fires of hell.
和他那火海重重的地狱。
Or, you can choose
或者，选择
to drown in the sea.
溺死在海里。
Some word experts say
有些词汇专家称，
the expression comes from
这个表达来源于
the days of wooden ships.
木船时代。
The devil is a word for a seam
“魔鬼”这个词是指
between two pieces of wood
沿着船的水线的两块木头
along the water-line of a ship.
之间的接缝。
If the seam or crack between
如果两块木头的
the two pieces of wood
接缝或者裂缝
begins to leak,
开始漏水，
then a sailor must fix it.
水手就要来修理。
The sailor ordered to make
这个被任命来修理的水手
the repairs was
就得在一个危险的环境
in a dangerous situation.
工作。
He was hanging over the side
他被吊在
of the ship, working
船的外侧，
between the devil
在接缝处和大海之间
and the deep blue sea.
工作。
There is still another expression
还有一个短语，
that describes a situation
描述了只有糟糕的选择
with only bad choices,
的境况：
being on the horns of a dilemma.
左右为难。
The dictionary says
词典里解释说：
a dilemma is a situation
dilemma（进退两难的窘境）是指：
in which you must make a decision
你必须在两种互相平衡的选择中
about two equally balanced choices.
做出决定。
When your dilemma has horns,
当你的困境“长出尖角”，
a choice becomes impossible.
你便无从选择。
When you are on the horns
当你陷入进退两难的境地，
of a dilemma, no matter
无论
which horn you choose,
你选择哪一个，
something bad will happen.
事情都会变得糟糕起来。
(MUSIC)
（音乐）
This VOA Special English program,
这里是美国之音慢速英语节目
WORDS AND THEIR STORIES,
词汇典故，
was written by Marilyn Christiano.
作者Marilyn Christiano，
I'm Christopher Cruise.
我是克里斯多夫・克鲁斯。
专辑信息
1.Clothes
4.Baseball
6.Hit
7.City
9.Gamble
11.Make Money
12.Monkeys
18.Santa Claus
20.In the Red
23.Cold
24.Colors
25.Heart 1
26.Heart 2
27.Gold