VOA慢速英语2011--Words and Their Stories: Nuts and Bolts

Words and Their Stories: Nuts and Bolts

词汇典故：细节决定成败

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇典故。

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Every machine is held together by its nuts and bolts. Without them, the machine would fall apart. That is also true of an organization. Its nuts and bolts are its basic, necessary elements. They are the parts that make the organization work.

每台机器都是由螺母和螺栓连接到一起。如果没有它们，机器就会散架。对一个组织来说也是这样。一个组织的nuts and bolts是指其基本的、必要的组成部分，它们是组织得以正常运转的一部分。

In government, industry, diplomacy 1 -- in most anything -- those who understand the nuts and bolts are the most important. Success depends more on them than on almost anyone else.

在政府、行业与外交，乃至几乎所有事情中，最重要的是那些了解具体细节（nuts and bolts）的人。与其他人相比，成功与否更取决于这些了解细节的人。

In government, the president or prime minister may plan and shape programs and policies. But, it takes much more work to get them approved and to make them successful.

在政府中，总统或首相可能会计划或制定方案和政策。但是，需要付出更多努力才能使其得以通过并取得成功。

There is a mass of detailed 2 work to be done. The nuts and bolts. This is often put into the hands of specialists. The top leaders are always well-known, but not those who work with the nuts and bolts.

有大量细致的工作要做，也就是nuts and bolts(细节工作)。这些工作往往交给专家来完成。通常被大家熟知的是最高领导人，而不是那些做具体工作的人。

This is equally true in the day-to-day operation of Congress. The majority leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, together with the chairmen of committees, keep the business of Congress moving.

国会的日常运转中也是如此。参议院多数党领袖和众议院议长，连同委员会主席共同维持国会业务正常进行。

Behind every Senator and Congressman 3, however, are assistants. These people do all the detailed work to prepare congressmen to vote wisely on each issue.

然而每位参议员或众议员的背后都有助理人员。这些人进行所有细致工作，以使国会议员在每个问题上做出明智的选择。

In diplomacy, the chief ministers are unquestionably important in negotiations 4. But there are lesser 5 officials who do the basic work and preparations on the different issues to be negotiated.

在外交上，首席部长在谈判中的重要性无可厚非。但还是有一些较低级别的官员会针对要谈判的不同问题来做基本的准备工作。

A recent book tells of a British prime minister who decided 6 to send an ambassador to Washington to learn if details could be worked out for joint 7 action on an issue. The talks in Washington, the minister said, would be "of nut and bolts." He meant, of course, the talks would concern all the necessary elements to make joint action successful.

最近一本书讲述了英国首相决定特使到华盛顿去了解在一次有关问题的联合行动中是否已经万事具备。首相称，华盛顿的会谈就是nut and bolts。他的意思当然是说，这次会谈牵涉了联合行动是否能够取得成功的所有必要因素。

In a military operation, strategy decisions are important. But much more time is spent on the nuts and bolts -- generally called logistics -- of how to transport and supply an army. It has been said that Napoleon was successful because he knew the field position of every one of his guns. He gave careful attention to the nuts and bolts of his operations.

在军事行动中，战略决策非常重要。但更多时间花费在细节上---通常被称为后勤，即如何给军队提供运输和补给。据说拿破仑之所以成功是因为他知道每支枪的实际位置。他非常关注行动的细节问题。

The extreme importance of nuts and bolts was expressed by the Elizabethan poet, George Herbert. He wrote:

伊丽莎白女王时代的诗人乔治·赫伯特描写了细节的极端重要性。他写道：

For want of a nail, the shoe is lost

一只马蹄钉断了 失去了马蹄鞋

For want of a shoe, the horse is lost

马蹄鞋没了 绊倒了战马

For want of a horse, the rider is lost.

战马绊倒了 摔伤了将军

Benjamin Franklin carried these lines even further. He wrote:

富兰克林将此表达地更为深刻，他写道：

For want of a rider, the battle was lost

将军摔伤了 输掉了战争

For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost

战争输掉了 最后亡了国家

And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

这一切的一切 都是由于一颗小小的马蹄钉

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This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Marilyn Christiano. The narrator was Maurice Joyce. I'm Warren Scheer.