VOA慢速英语2018 'Dive Into' English Expressions

Now, the VOA Learning 1 English program Words and Their Stories.

On this program we explore common expressions in American English. Today we are going to talk about a favorite physical activity.

在这个节目中我们将会探索美式英语的常见表达。今天我们来说说一项颇受欢迎的体育运动。

Swimming!

这就是游泳！

Whether outdoors or indoors 2, swimming is a fun way to stay in shape. And one of the great things about swimming is diving. For a very short time, a diver flies through the air like a bird. Then they land in the cool water below, usually with their hands and head leading the way.

无论是在户外还是室内，游泳都是保持身材的一种好办法。游泳的一大乐趣就是跳水。跳水者在某个瞬间像鸟儿一样在空中飞翔，然后通常以手和头部先入水，一头扎入凉爽的水中。

But jumping into a body of water headfirst is just one meaning of the word "dive."

但是一头扎入水中只是dive这个单词的其中一层含义。

"To dive into something" can also mean to start working on a project with lots of energy but not, perhaps, a lot of planning.

To dive into something（贸然投入、扎入）还可以指投入很大精力开始从事某个项目，但是可能没有经过太多规划。

Let's say two friends are really excited to dive into a new business together. They are so excited that they open their business without a clear idea of how to market their company or even who will buy their product. So, it was not a big surprise when the company went under a few months later. Friends told them that they had a good idea, but they simply dove 3 in too quickly.

我们假设两个好朋友兴奋地一起贸然投入到某项新业务中。也就是说，他们非常兴奋地在不知道如何推销他们公司，甚至不知道潜在客户的前提下就开始了某项业务。所以，这家公司在几个月后陷入困境也不算意外。朋友们告诉他们有了一个好主意，但是他们太快就贸然投入进去了。

Adding the word “headfirst” adds importance. If you dive into something headfirst, you are even more excited and even less prepared!

加上headfirst这个单词就更增添了重要性。如果你一头投入到某件事情（dive into something headfirst），你就会更加兴奋，甚至更加准备不足。

For example, a man I know really wanted to learn basic home repair. He was very excited to begin on a home project. So, he dove in headfirst, knocking down walls and tearing out the floors. Unfortunately, he didn’t know enough to rebuild his house. He ended up hiring a construction team for that.

例如，我认识的某个男人想要学习基本的家居维修。他很高兴要开始着手一项家居工程。所以他一头投入了进去，拆掉了墙壁，揭开了地板。不幸的是，他对重建房子不够了解，他最终聘请了一支建筑团队。

"To dive into something" can also mean you are simply really excited to do it. Planning is not an issue or problem. And sometimes we add the word “right.” This makes it sound more conversational 4.

To dive into something 也可以单指你真的非常兴奋做这件事情，规划不算问题。有时我们会加上right这个单词，这使其听起来更口语化。

For example, the children must have been very hungry after swimming all day. They dove right into the pizza the minute it was served!

例如，孩子们游了一天泳之后，肯定非常饿。他们一待披萨端上来就埋头开吃了。

But now, let's go back to the diving that relates to swimming. Sometimes divers 5 dive off a mountain cliff 6. They are called cliff divers.

但是现在，让我们回到和游泳相关的跳水话题。有时候跳水者会从悬崖上跳入水中。他们被称之为悬崖跳水者。

Some dive off the side of a pool. Others dive off a diving board. Diving boards are springy. They are made of a material that can bend. Diving boards are a kind of springboard. They are a board that springs you into the air!

有人从泳池边上跳下，还有人从跳板上跳下。跳板很有弹性，它们是由可弯曲的材料制成。跳板是一种把人弹向空中的板子。

In addition to diving, a springboard is useful in other situations. A springboard can be something that helps you start an activity or process. We can also call this a jumping off point, just as when you jump off a diving board.

除了跳水，跳板在其它情况下也很有用。跳板可以帮助你开始某项活动或进程。我们也能称之为起点，就像你跳下跳板一样。

For example, when preparing for this program, I often take note of the expressions my friends use. So, for me, these conversations are often springboards to new stories for this show.

例如，我在准备本节目时，经常会特别注意我的朋友们的表达方式。所以，对我来说，这些对话通常就是本节目新内容的起点。

The term "springboard" can also mean a point of departure 7.

Springboard这个术语还能指出发点。

Let's hear two co-workers use it this way.

让我们来听听这两位同事的用法。

A: Boy, Emanuel did not stay long at his job here, did he?

A: 伙计，伊曼纽尔在这没干多久，是吗？

B: No. But I'm not surprised. I knew he’d move quickly from this job to the next.

B: 是的，但是我不觉得意外。我知道他会很快跳槽。

A: How did you know that?

A: 你怎么知道？

B: On his first day, he told me that this job was only a springboard to a better position.

B：他上班头一天就给我说，这份工作只是一个找到更好工作的跳板。

A: I see. Well, at least he was honest.

A: 我懂了。好吧，至少他很诚实。

Okay. So, besides cliff diving and diving off a diving board, there is another kind of diving -- scuba 8 diving.

好了。除了悬崖跳水和跳板跳水，还有另一种，这就是水肺潜水（scuba diving）。

Scuba diving is an underwater activity. You swim underwater while wearing special equipment, including a tank, or container, filled with compressed 9 air. Scuba is an acronym 10. It is short for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus 11.

水肺潜水是一种水下运动。人们佩戴着特殊装备在水下游泳，其中就包括装满压缩空气的氧气罐。水肺（Scuba）是首字母缩写，它是自给式水下呼吸器（self-contained underwater breathing apparatus）的简称。

With tanks of air on their backs, scuba divers are able to dive deep into the sea. On a deep sea dive, you might see some very strange sea creatures!

水肺潜水者背着氧气罐，就能潜入深海。在深海潜水中可能会看到一些非常奇怪的海洋生物。

On land, a deep dive is when you explore an issue in great detail. Oftentimes, the media coverage 12 of some issues is too shallow 13, meaning it doesn’t explain enough. But sometimes a news agency 14 is able to do a deep dive on issues that people really care about.

在陆地上，deep dive（深入挖掘）是指深入探索某个问题。通常，媒体对某些问题的报道都太浅显，意思是指不够深入报道。但是有时候新闻机构能够深入挖掘一些人们真正关心的问题。

You could say that on Words and Their Stories we dive deeper into the English language. Hopefully, this program will make you want to dive right into your English studies!

I'm Anna Matteo.

What would like to dive into? Let us know in the Comments Section.

Words in This Story

appetite – n. a physical desire for food

conversational – adj. an informal way of talking involving two people or a small group of people : the act of talking in an informal way

cliff – n. a high, steep surface of rock, earth, or ice

springy – adj. returning to an original shape when pressed down, twisted, stretched, etc.

self-contained – adj. not requiring help or support from anyone or anything else

apparatus – n. a tool or piece of equipment used for specific activities

departure – n. a new or different way of doing something : the act of leaving a job, an organization, etc.

shallow – adj. having a small distance to the bottom from the surface or highest point