（双语文本） 和地球相关的表达

Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.

On this program we explain common expressions that we use in everyday life.

The world celebrates Earth Day every year on April 22. It is a day to think seriously about how our lifestyles and daily habits affect the earth.

Well, today we celebrate our shared Mother Earth with a show about earth expressions. To which, you might say, "What on earth took you so long?!"

Well, we think every day should be earth day!

So, let's start with the simple yet common expression on earth. We use "on earth" to make strong feelings like surprise, shock, anger, disgust even stronger. And we use it a lot.

Here are some examples.

How on earth am I supposed to read this entire book in one night?

What on earth are you cooking? It smells awful!

Why on earth didn't you come to the party? It was awesome!

I did not know what on earth she was talking about.

We often use "on earth" in connection with choices.

For example: "Why on earth are you going to the dance with him! He has a police record! You should go with a nice guy instead."

To the ends of the earth, I follow my star. To the ends of the earth, just to be where you are.

The earth sometimes comes up when a person wants to make big promises to someone they care about.

When you say you will go to the ends of the earth for someone, it means you will do as much as possible to help them. For example, when the wife became sick, the husband went to the ends of the earth to find the best doctor to help her.

A mother or father may promise to move or Heaven and Earth to help their children. "To move Heaven and Earth" simply that means that you are willing to work very hard.

Now, there is a wide mix of places on Earth: oceans and deserts, jungles and plains, valleys and mountains. Some places are, at times, easier to live in than others. And the word "earth" comes in handy to describe them.

We could call a place that is beautiful, peaceful with endless natural resources a heaven on earth.

However, "heaven on earth" could describe any place that has everything a person needs to be happy. Let's say you love books and reading above all else. A well-stocked library would most likely be your heaven on earth.

But maybe you prefer being outdoors. A perfect outing for you would be hiking in the mountains and swimming in a clear lake. That would be your heaven on earth.

Unfortunately, there is also a hell on earth.

A "hell on earth" is a place or situation where things are so bad you feel as if you are in, well, hell. A war zone or a place destroyed by a natural disaster can become a "hell on earth".

But you probably know this already. It is hardly earth-shattering news.

When something shatters, it breaks into many small pieces. Something would have to be terribly powerful to shatter the earth. So, when something is "hardly earth-shattering," it is not surprising. We mostly use this phrase in the negative form. You can also say more simply that something is not earth-shattering.

We use "earth" in many expressions that describe not only places, but people.

Down-to-earth people are reasonable and dependable. We can also call them grounded, an adjective that goes well with the word "earth." Flighty people are the opposite. You can't depend on them. They change their minds often and are very unpredictable.

The expression salt of the earth comes from the Bible, the Christian holy book. It describes a very good person. For example, my neighbors are always helping out people in need. I can call them salt of the earth type people.

Now let's hear some of these expressions used in a conversation between two co-workers.

A: Where on earth have you been?! I haven't seen you for weeks!

B: I was on vacation. And it was fabulous!

A: Lucky you. Where did you go?

B: I vacationed on a beautiful tropical island. For two whole weeks, I was surrounded by bright white sand, sunny skies and a calm blue ocean.

A: Sounds like heaven on earth.

B: It was! How was your week?

A: Well, the office was short on staff. So, I had to stay late every night.

B: Oh. That sounds awful.

A: It was hell on earth.

B: Well, I'm back now. How can I help?

A: First, I would check in with Rashma. She was promoted while you were on vacation.

B: She was?

A: Well, it's hardly earth-shattering news. I mean, she is the hardest-working person here.

B: That's true. I just thought that Angie would have been promoted first. She's so down-to-earth and everyone likes her.

A: Oh, Angie's great -- a real salt of the earth woman. But Rashma has moved heaven and earth to help this company.

B: That's true. Why on earth she's still here is beyond me. I thought she would have her own company by now!

We will end this program with one more "earth" expression. When you promise someone the earth, you promise to give them whatever they could possibly want. Naturally, we use this in an exaggerated way. No one can give another person the earth!

You know, if I write a country song, I already know what I'll name it: "He promised me Earth, but all I got is dirt."

And that's the end of Words and Their Stories. I'm Anna Matteo.

How do you use "earth" in your language? Let us know in the Comments Section

这里是VOA学英语《词汇掌故》节目。

在节目中，我们会解释日常生活中用到的常见表达。

每年4月22日，世上的人们会庆祝地球日。这天是人们认真思索我们的生活方式以及日常生活习性对地球影响的日子。

嗯，今天我们用一期关于“earth”表达的节目来庆贺我们共同的地球母亲的节日。关于这一表达，你或许会说“究竟（on earth）什么耽搁了你这么长时间？!”

嗯，我们觉得应该每天都是地球日！

那么，我们从一个简单且常见的表达“on earth”开始。我们用“on earth”来表达如惊讶、震惊、愤怒、厌恶甚至更强烈的情感。我们经常用到这个表达。

这里有一些例子。

我究竟应该怎样才能在一个晚上读完这整本书？

你到底在煮什么？这味道闻起来真糟糕！

你究竟为什么不去派对？那场派对精彩极了！

我不知道她究竟在说什么。

我们经常将“on earth”和“选择”关联在一起。

例如：“你到底为什么要和他一起跳舞！他有案底！你应该找个好人代替他和你跳舞。”

（无论）天涯海角（to the ends of the earth），我都会追随我的偶像。（无论）天涯海角，只要偶像在那个地方。

当一个人想对他们在乎的人做出重大承诺的时候，有时“earth”就会出现。

当你说你为了某人会去天涯海角（go to the ends of the earth for sb），这句话表示你将尽可能地去帮助那个人。例如，当妻子生病了，丈夫会到处去找寻最好的医生来给她治病。

妈妈或者爸爸也许会允诺会想方设法（move or Heaven and Earth）地帮助他们的孩子。“move Heaven and Earth”单纯表示你愿意很努力去做什么事情。

地球上有各种各样的地方：海洋和沙漠，丛林和平原，峡谷和群山。有些地方有时比其他地方更宜居。描述这些地方的时候，单词“earth”就派上了用场。

我们可以将一个非常美丽、安宁，有着无穷的自然资源的地方称作“人间天堂（a heaven on earth）”。

然而，“人间天堂”可以用来形容任何拥有让一个人快乐起来的一切事物的地方。比方说你喜欢书和阅读胜过其他一切事物。一个藏书丰富的图书馆最有可能是你的人间天堂。

但也许你更喜欢户外。对你来说，一次完美的外出游玩会是在山里远足和在一个清澈的湖里游泳。那儿将是你的人间天堂。

遗憾地是，世上也有人间地狱（a hell on earth）。

“人间地狱”指的是你身处于一个非常糟糕的地方或者一个境地，好吧，让你感觉你在地狱。一个战争地带或者一个被自然灾害毁灭的地方会是一个“人间地狱”。

但你可能早就知道了这个。这不是什么惊天动地（earth-shattering）的消息。

当某物破裂的时候，它会碎成很多的小块。能让地球碎裂的一定是有着巨大的能量的事物。因此，当某事物“算不上惊天动地（hardly earth-shattering）”，那这个事物不令人惊奇。我们主要在否定形式中用到这个短语。你也可以更简单地说某事物不惊天动地。

我们用到的许多“earth”表达不仅可以描述地方，而且可以描述人。

“Down-to-earth（脚踏实地）”的人一般通情达理而且可靠。我们也可以形容他们接地气（grounded），这是一个和单词“earth”很搭的一个词。“flighty people（轻浮的人）”刚好相反。你不能依赖他们。他们经常改变想法而且令人难以捉摸。

表达“salt of the earth（高尚的人）”源于基督教的圣书《圣经》。它形容的是一个非常好的人。例如，我的邻居们总是帮助需要帮助的人。我可以称呼他们为高尚类的人。

现在，让我们来听听两个同事之间使用了其中一些表达的对话。

A：你到底去哪里了？！我好几周没看见你了！

B：我度假去了。我的旅行实在是太美好了！

A：你真幸运。你去了哪里？

B：我去了一个美丽的热带岛屿上度假了。整整两周，我都被白色的沙滩、晴朗的天空和平静的蓝色海洋环绕着。

A：听起来像是人间天堂。

B：它就是！你这周过得怎么样？

A：好吧，办公室人手不足。因此，我每晚都得加班到很晚。

B：哦。这听起来很糟糕。

A：就是人间地狱。

B：恩，我现在回来了。我能帮上什么忙吗？

A：首先，我要找拉什马确认下。你休假时她升职了。

B：她升职了？

A：好吧，这也算不上什么惊天动地的新闻了。我意思是，她是这里最努力工作的人。

B：那倒是。我只是想安吉会先被提拔。她是那么地脚踏实地，而且每个人都很喜欢她。

A：噢，安吉是很不错，她是一个真正的好人。但是拉什马一直想方设法帮助咱们这个公司。

B：没错，我不明白的是她为什么还没走。我觉得她现在应该有属于自己的公司了！

我们将以另一个“earth”表达来结束这期节目。当你再三向某人保证（promise someone the earth）的时候，你允诺给他们任何他们可能想要的。很自然，我们是用一种很夸张的方式使用这个表达。没人能给另一个人一个地球！

你知道，如果我写一首乡村音乐，我已经想好歌名叫什么了：“他再三保证（earth还有“泥土”的意思），但我得到的只有泥土。”