VOA慢速英语:This 'Swan Song' Is My 'Last Hurrah'

(MUSIC)

The white swan – with its long, graceful neck – is among the most beautiful of birds. The swan is mostly silent through its life. It floats quietly on the water, unable to sing sweet songs like most other birds.
拥有修长和优美的颈部的白天鹅身处最美丽鸟类的行列。天鹅一生大多数时间是安静的，它静静地漂浮在水面上，无法像大多数其他鸟类一样唱出甜美的歌声。

In ancient times, however, people believed that the swan was given a special gift of song at the end of its life. They believed a swan sings a most beautiful song…just before it dies.
然而，在古代，人们认为天鹅在生命的最后一刻会被给予一份特别的歌声礼物。他们认为天鹅在临终前会唱出最美的歌曲。

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates talked of this two thousand three hundred years ago. Socrates explained that the swan was singing because it was happy. The bird was happy because it was going to serve the Greek God Apollo. Swans were holy to Apollo, the god of poetry and song.
两千三百年前，古希腊哲学家苏格拉底曾谈到这点。他解释称，天鹅歌唱是因为它们很高兴。鸟儿们高兴是因为即将去侍奉希腊神阿波罗。天鹅是诗歌之神阿波罗的圣物。

The story of the swan’s last song found a place in the works of other writers, including the early English writers Chaucer and Shakespeare.
在其他作家的作品中也可以找到天鹅最后之歌的踪迹，包括早期英国作家乔叟和莎士比亚。

And, the expression swan song has long been a part of the English language. At first, swan song meant the last work of a poet, musician or writer. Now, it means the final effort of any person. Someone’s swan song usually is also considered that person’s finest work.
而且， swan song（最后的诗篇;绝笔;最后的功业）这种表达已在很长一段时间内都是英语的一部分。起初，swan song（绝唱）意味着一个诗人，音乐家或作家的最后一部作品。现在，它可以指任何人的最后的努力。某人的swan song（绝唱）通常也被认为是该人的最杰出的作品。

A political expression with a similar meaning is the last hurrah. The expression may be used to describe a politician’s last campaign, his final attempt to win the cheers and votes of the people. The last hurrah also can mean the last acts of a politician, before his term in office ends.
一个有着类似意思的政治表达是the last hurrah（最后的欢呼），该表达可以用于形容一个政治家最后一次竞选，最后一次尝试获得选民的欢呼与选票。the last hurrah（最后的欢呼）也意味着一个政治家任期结束前最后的行动。

Writer Edwin O’Connor made the expression popular in nineteen fifty-six. He wrote a book about the final years in the political life of a long-time mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. He called his book, The Last Hurrah.
作家埃德温•奥康纳（Edwin O'Connor）在1956年让之这个表达流行起来。他写了一本书关于长期任职的马萨诸塞州波士顿市市长最后几年的政治生涯。他给他的书起名为《最后的欢呼》。

Some language experts say the expression came from a name given to noisy supporters of Andrew Jackson…America’s seventh president. They cheered hurrah so loudly for Andy Jackson during his presidential campaign that they became known as the hurrah boys.
一些语言专家说，这种表达来源于对美国第7任总统安德鲁•杰克逊的狂热支持者的称谓。他们在杰克逊总统竞选期间大声欢呼，他们也因此被称为“欢呼男孩”。

Jackson’s hurrah boys also played a part in the election to choose the next president. Jackson’s choice was his vice president, Martin VanBuren.
杰克逊的“欢呼男孩”在下一任总统的选举中也起到了一定作用。杰克逊的选择是他的副总统-- Martin VanBuren。

A newspaper of the time reported that VanBuren was elected president, in its words: “...by the hurrah boys, and those who knew just enough to shout hurrah for Jackson.”  So, President Jackson really heard his last hurrahs in the campaign of another candidate, the man who would replace him in the White House.
当时一家报纸在VanBuren当选总统时报道称，他的原文是：“...通过欢呼男孩，以及那些知道只有为杰克逊送去足够的欢呼声的人。”因此，杰克逊总统的确在另一位候选人的竞选中听到了最后的欢呼，他也将取代他入主白宫。

(MUSIC)