【VOA慢速】“双重打击” 的表达方式
And now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
现在是VOA慢速英语《词汇掌故》节目。
On this program, we explore words and expressions in the English language.
在这个节目中，我们探索英语中的单词和表达。
We give definitions, examples and notes on usage.
我们给出了有关使用的定义、示例和注释。
Today we talk about a word with an unusual history – whammy.
今天我们谈论一个有着不寻常历史的词——whammy。
A whammy can be a magical spell that brings bad luck.
“Whammy”可能是一种会带来厄运的魔法咒语。
It can also be an attack or a damaging, destructive blow.
它也可能是攻击或破坏性的打击。
A blow is an incident or event that hits you hard.
“Blow”是对你造成沉重打击的事件。
So, one whammy is bad.
所以，有一个打击是不好的。
But what happens when you have two?
但当你有两个时会发生什么？
That is called a double whammy.
这就是所谓的双重打击。
People traditionally say they have been hit with a double whammy!
人们传统上说他们受到了双重打击！
The online dictionary Merriam-Webster defines a double whammy as a combination of two usually unfavorable forces, circumstances, or effects.
在线词典《韦氏词典》将双重打击定义为两种通常不利的力量、情况或影响的组合。
Two bad things happen at the same time to make something really unpleasant or difficult.
两件坏事同时发生，使事情变得非常不愉快或困难。
It can also mean that two bad things happen consecutively, or one after the other.
这也可能意味着两件坏事连续或一件接一件发生。
The origin of the expression is unclear.
该表达的起源尚不清楚。
Some guess it comes from taking the word "wham" which describes a hard punch or blow and adding a -y ending which makes it sound funny.
有人猜测，它来自于将描述重击的“wham”一词加上-y结尾，使其听起来很有趣。
Others say the cartoonist Al Capp popularized the word whammy in his 1950s comic strip Li'l Abner.
其他人则说，漫画家阿尔·卡普在20世纪50年代的漫画《李尔·艾布纳》中普及了“whammy”一词。
A character named Evil-Eye Fleegle could stop someone by simply looking at them.
一个名为“邪恶之眼”的角色可以通过简单地看着某人来阻止他们。
The single whammy was a look with one eye, and the feared double whammy used both eyes.
单一打击是用一只眼睛看，而令人恐惧的双重打击是用两只眼睛看。
Now, let's listen to the expression used in a sentence.
现在，让我们听听句子中使用的表达。
Today, my friend Jonah lost his job.
今天，我的朋友乔纳失业了。
And then, on the way home, he fell and broke his leg.
然后，在回家的路上，他摔倒了，摔断了腿。
Talk about a double whammy!
这种情况就是双重打击！
It has NOT been his best day.
这一天对他来说并不完美。
Here is another example of the expression double whammy.
下面是“双重打击”的另一个例子。
On their 3-hour hiking trip, the friends were hit with a double whammy.
在3个小时的徒步旅行中，朋友们遭受了双重打击。
The first was a bad rainstorm.
第一个是一场严重的暴风雨。
They were forced to take shelter in a cave.
他们被迫在山洞里避难。
Then they realized the second bad thing.
然后他们意识到第二件坏事。
They left all their food and water in the car.
他们把所有的食物和水都留在了车里。
There is another English expression that has a similar meaning – a one-two punch.
还有另一个英语表达也有类似的含义——连环出击。
The first punch is a difficult blow to take, but then the second one aims to finish the job.
第一拳很难承受，但第二拳的目标是完成任务。
The expression comes from boxing where one punch is quickly followed by another from the other fist, or closed hand.
这个短语来自拳击比赛，一拳之后很快就会有另一拳（或紧握的手）发出另一拳。
A boxer using a one-two punch is trying to knock out their opponent or to score points.
拳击手使用连环出击试图击倒对手或得分。
Both double whammy and one-two punch are informal expressions.
双重打击和连环出击都是非正式表达。
One-two punch might be less popular than it once was.
连环出击可能不再像以前那么受欢迎了。
But double whammy appears in some surprising places in both American and British English.
但是，在美式英语和英式英语中，双重打击在一些令人惊讶的地方都出现了。
And that's 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.
下期节目见，我是安娜·马特奥。
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