And now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English!
When the sun shines brightly, it provides a great chance to get outdoor things done. Like making hay!
现在是美国之音慢速英语单词故事节目。
阳光明媚的时候是完成户外作业的绝好机会。例如晒干草。
At least, that is what farmers from the past would say. "Make hay while the sun shines".
This idiom is very old, dating back to Medieval times.
至少，过去的农民会这么说。"晒草要趁太阳好。"
这句习语非常古老，可以追溯到中世纪。
Rain would often ruin the process of making hay.
So, farmers had no choice but to make hay when the sun was shining.
雨水经常会破坏晒干草的过程。
所以，农民们别无选择，只能在阳光灿烂的时候晒干草。
Today, we all use this expression, not just farmers.
When conditions are perfect to get something done, we can say, "It's a good idea to make hay while the sun shines".
如今我们大家都在使用这个表达，而不仅仅是农民。
当条件适合完成某项工作时，我们就可以说："最好是抓住时机，趁热打铁。"
In other words, you are taking advantage of a good situation or of good conditions.
You are making the most of your opportunities.
换句话来说，你要利用良好的现状或条件。你要充分利用机会。
These all mean "making hay while the sun shines".
Now listen while I use this expression with my friend Bryan.
这些都是"making hay while the sun shines"的意思。
现在来听一听我跟我的朋友布莱恩运用这句表达。
Say, when is your husband coming home?
Not for another two weeks.
我说，你老公什么时候回家啊？再过两周吧。
That's a long time! How are you spending your time alone?
I am finally getting some home improvement projects done.
还有好久啊！你这段时间一个人怎么过的啊？
我终于完成了一些家庭装修项目。
You know, moving some furniture, painting some rooms, cleaning closets . . . That's a lot of work for one person.
Why don't you wait for your husband to come home?
你知道，像搬一些家具，给房间刷漆，打扫壁橱等。这对一个人来说工作量很大啊。
你为什么不等你老公回家一起干啊？
No way ! It's easier to do it by myself. I'm getting everything done that I can't do with other people around.
Good idea. Make hay while the sun shines.
不行！我自己干更简单。我趁着身边没人时把事情都干完了，要是有人我可能就干不了了。
好主意。"把握良机，趁热打铁。"
Exactly! And sometimes we use this expression to mean we beat someone to the punch, or we got ahead of someone else.
就是这样！有时候我们用这句表达来表示我们先发制人，或者我们领先于某人。
And other times you make hay while the sun shines to make good use of the chance to do something while it lasts.
You are being opportunistic – taking advantage of a good opportunity.
还有时候，晒草要趁太阳好意味着充分利用时机做某事。
你要做机会主义者，把握住好机会！
For example, my friend Ozzy was sick for a week and could not go to work.
So, his co-worker Sarah -- who doesn't like him -- took advantage of his illness and stole his project!
例如，我的朋友奥兹病了一周，没法去上班。
所以，他的同事萨拉，一个不喜欢他的人，利用他这次生病的机会抢走了他的项目。
Talk about making hay while the sun shines. Sometimes when you make hay while the sun shines you are staying ahead of a problem – like in this example:
这就是抓住时机。有时候当你抓住机会时，你就会躲过麻烦，例如下面这个例子：
Hey, do you want to go hiking with me and my friends this weekend? The weather is going to be beautiful! I wish I could.
But I have to finish my taxes. It's the last weekend before they're due.
嘿，这个周末你想跟我和我的朋友一起去远足吗？天气会很好！我也希望我能去。
但是我得完成报税。这是报税截至日前的最后一个周末了。
Oh, that's too bad. Wait. What about your taxes? My taxes are done.
I was off from work a couple of weeks ago and made hay while the sun shined.
I got all of it done!
哦，那太糟糕了。等等，你报完税了？
我报完税了。我几周前休假了，便趁机都弄完了。
I wish I would have taken advantage of my time off last week.
All I did was lay around the house.
You should know that sometimes we only use parts of this expression.
我多希望我也利用了上周的休假时间。我所做的就是躺在家里。
你要知道，有时候我们只使用这句表达的一部分。
You might hear someone simply say they were "making a little hay".
The meaning is still there, even if all the words aren't.
你可能会听到有人光说他们在"making a little hay"。
即使整句话不完整，表达的也是这个意思。
And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories.
But join us again next week. You can listen while you're making dinner or riding to work.
以上就是本期单词故事的全部内容。欢迎下周继续收听我们的节目。
你可以在做晚餐或骑车上班时听节目。
Yeah, make hay while the sun shines. Learn more English expressions with VOA Learning English ! Until next time . . .
是的，抓住时机，趁热打铁。你可以通过美国之音慢速英语学习节目了解更多英语表达。
I'm Anna Matteo. And I'm Bryan Lynn.
我们下期节目再见。
安娜·马特奥和布莱恩·林恩为您播报。
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