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And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
您现在收听的是VOA慢速英语《词汇掌故》节目。
Swimming is a great exercise for staying healthy.
游泳是保持健康的一项很好的运动。
But it can also be a life saving skill and help to keep you from drowning.
但它也可以是一项救命的技能，帮助你避免溺水。
However, in some bodies of water, swimming might be difficult.
然而，在一些水体中，游泳可能会变得很难。
For example, in very deep, choppy or fast moving water swimming can be hard and even dangerous.
例如，在非常深、波涛汹涌或水流湍急的水中游泳可能会很困难，甚至很危险。
Choppy water has many small, fast, close waves usually created by wind.
波涛汹涌的水面上有许多又小又快，而且很紧密的波浪，它们通常是由风造成的。
Water currents and tides can be very strong. It is easier to swim with them and not so easy to swim against them.
水流和潮汐可能非常强劲。顺着水流游泳会比较容易，逆流游就没那么容易了。
On today’s show, we talk about several English expressions that use “swim” to describe different ways to face a situation -- especially danger, difficulty, or any hardship.
在今天的节目中，我们将谈论几个使用“swim”的英语表达，来描述面对某种情况的不同方式——尤其是面临危险、困难或任何艰难险阻的时候。
Let’s start with swimming in rivers. Let’s say you jump in a river and swim downstream.
我们先从在河里游泳开始说起。假设你跳进河里，顺流而下。
That means you are swimming with the current of the water. This makes swimming easier and faster.
这意味着你是在顺着水流游泳。这会让游泳更容易，也更快。
So, the expression to swim downstream means using the easy way to get something done.
因此，“swim downstream”这个表达意味着使用简单的方法来完成某件事。
However, when you swim upstream, you have to fight the flow of the water.
然而，当你逆流而上时，就必须对抗水流。
In some rivers or other bodies of water, swimming upstream is nearly impossible.
在一些河流或其他水体中，逆流游泳几乎是不可能的。
As an expression, swimming upstream means you take a more difficult path to do something.
作为一个表达，“swimming upstream”的意思是你选择了一条更困难的道路去做某事。
You make it harder for yourself.
你让自己的路变得更难了。
Here’s an example: Dealing with money is not my strong suit. In fact, last year I was drowning in debt.
举个例子：处理金钱不是我的强项。事实上，去年我负债累累。
Every month when bills arrived, I felt like I was swimming upstream.
每个月账单寄到时，我感觉自己就像在逆流而上。
So I went to a financial advisor. Now I’m free of debt and staying on a budget.
所以我去咨询了一位财务顾问。现在我没有债务了，并且坚持按预算生活。
Now, if you are swimming in the ocean, sea, or other large body of water, you may be fighting the tide.
如果你在海洋、大海或其他大型水体中游泳，你可能会与潮流作斗争。
Swimming against the tide is another expression.
“Swimming against the tide”是另一种表达。
It means you are fighting against very powerful forces. And odds are you will not come out the winner.
这意味着你正在与非常强大的力量作斗争。而且你很有可能会输掉。
Swimming with the tide or current, is much easier.
顺流游泳，要容易得多。
Again, this means you have taken an easier path. You have chosen an easier way to do something.
再说一次，这意味着你选择了一条更容易的道路。你选择了一种更简单的方法来做某事。
All of these expressions can be used another way.
所有这些表达都可以用另一种方式使用。
They can also mean that you are going with or against popular opinions or viewpoints.
它们也可以指你是支持还是反对流行的观点或看法。
If you are swimming with the tide or current or swimming downstream, you act the same way as the majority of others.
如果你是“swimming with the tide”，或者“swimming downstream”，那么你的行为方式就和大多数人一样。
You are going with the flow. That is another common expression – to go with the flow.
你正在随波逐流。那是另一个常见的表达方式——“go with the flow”。
People who go with the flow are easy-going. They take the popular path without protest.
随波逐流的人很好相处。他们毫无异议地走了那条众人都走的路。
However, swimming upstream and swimming against the tide or current mean the opposite.
然而，“swimming upstream”和“swimming against the tide or current”的意思则完全相反。
You are rejecting a popular idea, behavior, or opinion.
它是指你拒绝一种流行的想法、行为或观点。
You are acting against the way the majority of people are acting.
你正在违背大多数人的行为方式行事。
Swimming against the tide is harder. In a sense, you are an outsider or outcast.
逆流而行更难一些。在某种意义上，这意味着你是个局外人或被排斥的人。
You do not have the support of the current or of other people.
你没有得到水流或其他人的支持。
Here is an example.
这里举个例子。
If all of your friends are getting married and moving to quiet areas, you may feel the urge to swim with the tide and do the same.
如果你所有的朋友都结婚了，并搬到了安静的地区，你可能会感到有随大流的冲动，也想这样做。
Or you could swim against the tide and stay in your small apartment in the center of a busy city with lots of bars and restaurants nearby.
或者你可以逆流而行，留在你位于繁忙市中心的小公寓里，附近围绕着酒吧和餐馆。
And that’s all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories.
以上就是本期《词汇掌故》的全部内容。
Until next time … I’m Anna Matteo.
下次见，我是安娜·马特奥。
