[00:00.08]如果您也喜欢 恒星英语学习网 www.hxen.com 请与您的朋友分享 Music [00:11.18]Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. [00:16.92]Today we explain some expressions about birds. For example, if something is for the birds, it is worthless or not very interesting. [00:30.08]Someone who eats like a bird eats very little. And a birds-eye view is a general look at an area from above. [00:40.58]Did you know that if you tell a young person about the birds and the bees you are explaining about sex and birth? [00:50.49]Have you ever observed that birds of a feather flock together? [00:56.03]In other words, people who are similar become friends or do things together. [01:01.71]Here is some good advice: a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. [01:08.66]This means you should not risk losing something you have by trying to get more of something you do not have. [01:18.07]Sometimes I can do two things by performing only one action. This is called killing two birds with one stone. [01:29.57]But I would never really kill any birds. I love all kinds of animals. This is a real feather in my cap. It is something to be proud of. [01:42.12]Most of the people I work with are early birds. They believe that the early bird catches the worm. [01:51.26]They think that a person who gets up early in the morning for work has the best chance of success. [01:59.19]Everyone in my office works hard, but some people have had their wings clipped. Their jobs have been limited. [02:09.22]This is because the office is organized by pecking order. People with more years and experience are given more responsibility. [02:20.10]Some bird expressions are about crows, chickens and ducks. For example, when I am driving, I always travel as the crow flies. [02:33.71] I go the most direct way. Anyone who eats crow has to admit a mistake or defeat. [02:42.85]Now let's talk about my sister. She is not very young. She is no spring chicken. [02:52.91]She will work any job for chicken feed -- a small amount of money. [02:59.03]She is easily frightened. For example, she is too chicken-livered to walk down a dark street alone at night. [03:09.61] Often she will chicken out – she will not go out alone at night. [03:15.22]My sister was an ugly duckling. She looked strange when she was a child, but she grew up to be a beautiful woman. [03:28.25]Sometimes she thinks too much about having something in the future before she really has it. [03:35.28]She counts her chickens before they are hatched. Sometimes her chickens come home to roost. [03:43.20]That means her actions or words cause trouble for her. However, my sister does not worry about what people say about her. [03:55.57] Criticism falls off her like water off a duck's back. [03:58.79]Politicians are sometimes considered lame ducks after losing an election. [04:06.35]They have little time left in office and not much power. Congress holds a lame duck session after an election. [04:16.63]Important laws are not passed during this period. [04:21.00](MUSIC) [04:32.64]This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Jill Moss. I'm Faith Lapidus. 如果您也喜欢 恒星英语学习网 www.hxen.com 请与您的朋友分享