Sometimes Help Is Just 'A Phone Call Away'

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
现在是美国之音学习英语节目的“词语和它们的故事”栏目。

On today's show, we talk about some expressions that deal with an important device in our lives – our phones.
在今天的节目中，我们来谈谈一些与我们生活中重要设备——手机有关的表达。

With a smartphone, we can connect to the world. In fact, we can say smartphones give us the world at our fingertips.
通过智能手机，我们可以连接全世界。事实上，我们可以说智能手机让我们指尖掌控整个世界。

Needless to say, we use phones to stay in contact with the people in our lives. We use them to reach out to our friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers.
不用说，我们用手机与生活中的人保持联系。我们用它们来联系朋友、家人、邻居和同事。

So, when we tell someone that we are just a phone call away, what we are really telling them is that we are available. We are there for them. We often use this expression to offer help to someone who is in a difficult situation or just in need of a friendly voice.
所以，当我们告诉某人“只需一个电话”时，我们实际上是在告诉他们我们随时可以提供帮助。我们会在他们身边。我们经常用这个表达来向处于困难境地或需要一个友善声音的人提供帮助。

For example, let's say my friend is having a hard time with an advanced English course. The assignments are difficult, the material is hard to understand, and his teacher has not been answering his emails. I can say to him, “Look, if you ever need help, I'm just a phone call away. Call anytime!”
例如，假设我的朋友在学习高级英语课程时遇到了困难。作业很难，材料难以理解，而且他的老师没有回复他的电子邮件。我可以对他说：“看，如果你需要帮助，只需一个电话。随时打电话！”

It's good to be available to some people some of the time.
在某些时候对某些人保持可联系状态是好的。

But maybe not all the time.
但也许不总是如此。

We all have someone in our lives who contacts us too much. They may blow up our phones with a flood of calls and text messages. When your phone blows up, someone is trying to contact you repeatedly.
我们生活中都有那么一个人，他们总是联系我们过多。他们可能会用大量的电话和短信“炸”你的手机。当你的手机“炸了”，意味着有人在反复试图联系你。

Here's an example. Let's say your neighbor, Jana, is having trouble with another neighbor, Jake. And you are in the middle of it. They are both blowing up your phone with calls and texts about their disagreement. You can tell them, “Hold the phone! Just stop! Talk to each other and work out your problems because I've had enough.”
举个例子，假设你的邻居贾娜与另一位邻居杰克有矛盾。而你夹在中间。他们都用电话和短信“炸”你的手机，讨论他们的分歧。你可以告诉他们：“等等！停下！互相沟通解决问题吧，我受够了。”

The expression "hold the phone" is a way to say “wait” or “stop.” We use it when we hear something surprising or when we have had enough of a situation.
“Hold the phone”这个表达是一种说“等一下”或“停下来”的方式。当我们听到令人惊讶的事情或对某种情况感到厌倦时，我们会使用它。

And it doesn't have to be about phone calls or texts. For example, let's say a friend tells me that my favorite singer is coming to town. I can't believe it! So, I can say, “Hold the phone! Are you serious?” It's like saying, "Hold on a minute!"
而且它不一定与电话或短信有关。例如，假设朋友告诉我我最喜欢的歌手要来这个城市。我难以置信！所以我可以说：“等等！你认真的吗？”这就像是在说，“等一下！”

Now, let's go back to your arguing neighbors, Jana and Jake. Let's say they take your advice. They are willing to work out their problems. They try to call each other but they keep missing each other's calls. First, Jana calls Jake, but he isn't available. Then Jake calls her back, but now Jana isn't available. They play phone tag like this for days until they finally speak to each other.
现在，让我们回到你那争吵的邻居贾娜和杰克。假设他们听取了你的建议，愿意解决问题。他们试着互相打电话，但却总是错过对方的电话。首先，贾娜打给杰克，但他没接到电话。然后杰克回拨，但这次贾娜又没接到。他们这样玩“电话捉迷藏”好几天，直到最终互相接通电话。

Tag is a child's game. One person is “it” and must chase and tag, or touch, the other children. So, phone tag is when two people try to contact each other but their calls go unanswered.
“捉迷藏”是一种儿童游戏。一个人是“捉”的角色，必须追逐并碰到其他孩子。所以，“电话捉迷藏”指的是两个人试图联系对方但电话总是无人接听的情况。

At least Jake and Jana are trying to work out their problems. When it comes to keeping relationships happy in the neighborhood, they are not phoning it in.
至少杰克和贾娜在努力解决他们的问题。至于保持社区关系的和谐，他们并没有“应付了事”。

When we "phone it in," we don't try our best at something. We don't give our best efforts. For example, some people who lose interest in their jobs might start phoning it in. They stop trying and do not do their best work.
当我们“phone it in”（敷衍了事）时，意味着我们没有尽力而为。例如，有些人对工作失去了兴趣，可能会开始敷衍了事。他们不再努力，不再尽最大努力工作。

That's not the case with us here at VOA Learning English. We are not phoning it in. We work hard every day to bring you new learning English content.
在美国之音学习英语节目中并非如此。我们没有敷衍了事。我们每天都在努力工作，为你带来新的英语学习内容。

And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories.
以上就是本期“词语和它们的故事”的全部内容。