VOA词汇掌故-把闪电装进瓶子里
Now, Words and Their Stories, a weekly program from VOA Learning English. On this show, we explore common phrases and expressions in American English.
现在是《词汇掌故》节目时间，这是一档周更学英语节目。在节目中，我们会探讨美式英语里的常见表达。
Today we talk about a saying that comes from nature -- the weather, to be exact. Lightning is a powerful force of nature.
今天，我们要谈论一个源于自然界的谚语——准确地说是源于天气。闪电是自然界中的一股强大的力量。
In fact, a lightning strike carries millions of volts of electricity. Scientists say a bolt of lightning strikes somewhere on Earth every second. That is a lot of energy!
实际上，一道雷电携有百万伏特的电力。科学家说每秒钟就会有一道闪电击中地球上的某个地方。那会有很多的能量！
Think how wonderful it would be if we could capture lightning and sell it in a bottle. Sadly, that is not something you or I can do, at least not yet.
想象一下，如果我们能捕捉住闪电并将它装瓶售卖，那将会有多好。遗憾地是，那不是你或我能做到的事情，至少现在不能。
The phrase "to catch lighting in a bottle" means to capture something powerful or difficult. Then you are able to control it and perhaps show it to the world.
短语"catch lighting in a bottle"意思是捕捉强大或者困难的事物。然后，你就能够控制它，也许还能向世人展示。
This is where the "bottle" part is important. We can also use "to capture lightning in a bottle" to describe an extremely difficult or unlikely success.
这就是"bottle（瓶子）"的重要之处了。我们也可以用"capture lightning in a bottle"来形容一件极其困难或者不可能成功的事。
Or you can simply call something elusive, fleeting and brilliant "lightning in a bottle". So, something elusive is difficult to define or to identify.
或者你可以将"一些难以捉摸的，稍瞬即逝的和辉煌灿烂的东西"简称为"lightning in a bottle（瓶子里的闪电）"。因此，难以捉摸的事物很难被定义或者被发现。
"Fleeting" means to be here one minute and gone the next. Something fleeting is hard to hold onto. It is hard to catch or even define. It's as if it's too special.
"fleeting"意思是前一秒还在这里，下一秒就不见了。稍纵即逝的事物很难保留住。它很难抓到，甚至对它下个定义。它似乎太特别了。
For example, once I worked on a theater project and the experience was like lightning in a bottle. The performers -- all gifted and friendly -- became like family. We spent every day together.
例如，我曾经在一个剧场工作，在那儿的经历犹如那瓶子里的灿烂的，稍纵即逝的闪电。表演者都很聪慧、友善，大家变得像一家人一样。我们每天都待在一起。
The material we performed was funny, yet difficult. And every night the people who gathered to watch us perform were wonderful.
我们表演的素材虽然有趣，但也有难度。每天晚上来观看我们表演的人也都很棒。
Experiences like that do not come along every day. So, we often use the term "lightning in a bottle" when talking about something creative. But not always.
这样的经历不是每天都会有的。所以，我们经常用"lightning in a bottle"这个词组形容一些富有创意的事物。但不是总用它。
In the world of sports, players and teams have also been known for catching lightning in a bottle. Anything physical that is "lightning in a bottle" can be described as a rare feat.
在体育界，运动员和运动队也因为做一些难事或者不可能成功的事情而闻名。任何身体方面的难事都能被称为一种罕见的壮举。
Climbing the top of Mount Everest is considered a rare feat of endurance. Sometimes we use this expression to describe something that it is difficult to do and use it as a simile.
攀登珠穆朗玛峰被认为是一项耐力方面的罕见壮举。有时候我们用这个来明喻很难完成的某事。
A simile compares two things and begins with the word "like" or "as". For example, getting all the scientists to agree on a subject for the conference was like trying to catch lightning in a bottle.
"明喻"是将两件事物作比较，并以单词"like（像）"或者"（as）"开头。例如，要让所有的科学家都同意这个会议主题就像捉住闪电放进瓶子那般的困难。
They all wanted to talk about different issues. As you may have noticed, we either use the verbs "capture" or "catch" for this expression.
他们都想谈论不同的主题。也许你注意到了，这个表达里，我们既用动词"capture"又用"catch"。
"Catch" is less official sounding. Language experts do not know exactly where this expression comes from.
"catch"听起来不够正式。语言专家不确定这个表达的出处。
Some say it may have started with Benjamin Franklin -- the American diplomat, businessman and inventor. Ben Franklin is known for a scientific experiment involving electricity and lightning.
一些人说它可能源于本杰明·富兰克林——一个美国外交家、商人和发明家。本杰明·富兰克林以一项和电与闪电相关的科学实验而闻名。
As the story goes, Franklin once flew a kite in a lightning storm. He had hoped that lightning would strike the kite as it flew high in the sky.
据说，富兰克林曾在雷暴天里放风筝。他本希望闪电会击中高空中的风筝。
He thought the electricity would travel down the string to a metal key at the bottom. Then the plan was to catch the electricity in a glass jar.
他想电流会顺着绳子向下传到底部的一个金属钥匙上。这个计划是打算将电流捕捉进一个玻璃瓶里。
But that didn't happen. However, it did lead to the invention of the lightning rod and the understanding of positive and negative charges.
但这并没有发生。但是，它确实促成了避雷针的发明和人们对正负电荷的了解。
So, you can't catch real lightning in a bottle. But hopefully, during your lifetime you'll have the experience of catching a little of your own lightning in a bottle.
因此，你不能真的将闪电装进瓶子里。但希望在你的一生之中，你将会有属于自己的通过克服困难而成功的几件事情。
We'll end the show with a final usage of this expression. It is not that common but probably worth noting. "Bottled lightning" can also mean a very strong alcoholic drink.
我们将再以这个表达的最后一种用法来结束今天的节目。这种用法不常见，但值得注意。"bottled lightning（瓶装闪电）"也可以用来表示烈酒类饮料。
And that's Words and Their Stories. I'm Anna Matteo.
这就是今天的《词汇掌故》。我是安娜·马特奥。
And I'm Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。
