VOA慢速英语:Words and Their Stories: Easy as Falling Off a Log

Every people has its own way of saying things, its own special expressions. Some of these expressions are easy to understand. The words create a picture in your mind.
每个人都有自己的说话方式和独特的表达方法。其中的一些表达很容易理解。这些词在你的脑海中形成了一副画面。

“As easy as falling off a log” is one such expression. It describes a job that does not take much effort.
"As easy as falling off a log"（易如反掌）就是这样一种表达。它描述了一种不费力的工作。

If you ever tried to walk on a fallen tree log, you understand what the expression means. It is easier to fall off the log than to stay on it.
如果你曾经试图在一个倒掉的圆木上行走，就能明白这个表达是什么意思。从圆木上掉下来比站在上面要容易得多。

The expression is often used today. For example, you might hear a student say to her friend that her spelling test was “as easy as falling off a log.”
这种表达现在经常用到。例如，你可能听到一个学生对她的朋友说她的拼写测验一点儿都不难。

There are several other expressions that mean the same thing. And their meaning is as easy to understand as “falling off a log.” One is, “easy as pie.” Nothing is easier than eating a piece of sweet, juicy pie. Unless it is a “piece of cake.”
还有一些其他的表达方法也是同样的含义，就像"falling off a log"一样容易理解。比如"easy as pie"（非常容易），没什么事情比吃一块甜美多汁的派更容易了。除非它是"piece of cake"。

“Piece of cake” is another expression that means something is extremely easy to do. A friend might tell you that his new job was a ”piece of cake.”
"Piece of cake"（小菜一碟）是另一种表示事情极容易做的表达。一个朋友可能会告诉你他的新工作简直就是小菜一碟。

Another expression is “as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.”
另一种表达是“像在木桶里杀鱼那样容易”。

It is hard to imagine why anyone would want to shoot fish in a barrel. But, clearly, fish in a barrel would be much easier to shoot than fish in a stream. In fact, it would be as easy as “falling off a log.”
很难想象，为什么有人想在木桶里杀鱼呢？但是很显然，木桶里的鱼一定会比小溪里的鱼容易捕杀。实际上，这和“从圆木上滚落下来”一样容易。

Sometimes, things that come to us easily, also leave us just as easily. In fact, there is an expression – “easy come, easy go” – that recognizes this. You may win a lot of money in a lottery, then spend it all in a few days. Easy come, easy go.
有时候，事情来得容易，去得也同样很容易。现实中，就有这么一个成语"easy come easy go"（谚语，易得易失；来得容易花得快）。这个成语认可、印证了这一事实。你可能在玩彩票时赢了很多钱，但在几天之内就挥霍一空了。这就是来得容易去得快。

When life itself is easy, when you have no cares or problems, you are on “Easy Street.” Everyone wants to live on that imaginary street.
当生活本身很轻松惬意，当你无所牵挂、无忧无虑时，你便on easy street（生活优裕，生活不成问题）。人人都想生活在那条虚构想象出来的幸福大街上。

Another “easy” expression is to “go easy on a person.” It means to treat a person kindly or gently, especially in a situation where you might be expected to be angry with him. A wife might urge her husband to “go easy on” their son, because the boy did not mean to wreck the car.
另一个关于“esay”的表达方式是“go easy on a person（对人宽容）。”这句话的意思是说要对待他人要友善、文温柔，尤其是在你可能生别人气的情况下。妻子可能会劝诫丈夫对待儿子好一点，因为孩子并不是有意破坏车子的。

If it is necessary to borrow some money to fix the car, you should look for a friend who is an “easy touch.” An “easy touch” or a “soft touch” is someone who is kind and helpful. He would easily agree to lend you the money.
如果需要借钱去修车，你应该找一位easy/ soft touch（俚语，有求必应的人）。“an easy touch or a soft touch”是指一个善良的、乐于助人的人。他会轻易地答应借钱给你。

And one last expression, one that means do not worry or work too hard. Try to keep away from difficult situations. “Take it easy” until we meet again.
最后一个成语，其意思是不要太紧张、太拼命地工作，我们应该摆脱困境。

(MUSIC)