[ti:Does a Good Luck Charm 'Work Like a Charm'?]
[by:www.21voa.com]
[00:00.00]更多听力请访问21VOA.COM
[00:07.48]And now, Words and Their Stories,
[00:10.84]from VOA Learning English.
[00:14.16]On today's program we talk about the word "charm."
[00:25.60]"Charm" has several meanings.
[00:28.92]It can be a word, action,
[00:31.88]or thing believed to have magic power,
[00:35.48]to keep away evil, or to bring good luck.
[00:41.24]It can be a small item worn on a chain or bracelet.
[00:46.92]Charm bracelets are popular because you can add charms
[00:51.56]that show things you like, your hobbies, or your interests.
[00:57.72]"Charm" is also a quality that attracts and pleases people.
[01:04.16]If you are charming,
[01:05.80]you charm people or you make them like you.
[01:11.08]In the story of Cinderella,
[01:13.00]the prince is called... Prince Charming.
[01:17.40]Now, let's talk about our first expression.
[01:20.76]If something works like a charm it works perfectly.
[01:27.56]Something that works like a charm
[01:29.60]does exactly want it is supposed to do.
[01:33.56]This expression can describe an approach,
[01:36.96]a method, a tactic, or even a device.
[01:41.32]Whatever it is works so well, that it seems like magic!
[01:48.24]Let's hear two friends use it.
[01:50.84]One friend invites another to go boating for the weekend.
[01:55.20]But before that can happen,
[01:57.72]the invitee must find a dog watcher for the weekend.
[02:02.68]Let's hear how they use the expression to work like a charm.
[02:08.24]A: So, can you go boating with me this weekend?
[02:12.32]B: Yes! My roommate agreed to watch my dog Milo.
[02:18.76]A: She did? I thought she didn't like Milo... at all.
[02:24.16]B: Me too. She complains about my dog all the time.
[02:29.24]Milo is too big. Milo is too playful.
[02:34.28]Milo is too... whatever!
[02:37.28]A: So, why did she agree to watch him?
[02:41.76]B: Well, I told her that when I take Milo to the dog park
[02:46.96]lots of men want to play with such a big, friendly dog.
[02:52.08]And I added that some of these men are very good-looking.
[02:57.76]A: Oh, that is too funny!
[03:00.56]B: It might be funny, but it worked like a charm.
[03:05.96]Now, for our next expression.
[03:08.48]Let's say a person tries to do something
[03:11.76]but fails at it two times, or twice.
[03:16.52]But they want to try again for a third time.
[03:20.56]They hope that on the third attempt, it will work.
[03:25.44]In this situation, we can say the third time is the charm.
[03:31.12]However, when we use this expression
[03:34.00]we usually say it quickly – like this "third time's the charm."
[03:40.32]We often use this expression
[03:42.32]to encourage someone to do something
[03:45.20]that they have tried a couple of times.
[03:48.60]Sometimes we use it to describe our own efforts.
[03:52.48]We try to convince ourselves that our efforts,
[03:55.24]whatever they are, will finally work out.
[04:01.24]Here is another conversation
[04:03.44]using the expression third time's the charm.
[04:08.32]A: Where are you going with all those boxes?
[04:11.28]B: I'm helping James open his new business.
[04:15.44]A: James is opening another business?
[04:17.96]Didn't his past two businesses fail?
[04:20.96]B: They did. He lost a lot of money on both of them.
[04:25.40]A: Wow, he is brave for starting another business.
[04:29.16]You'd think he would have learned his lesson.
[04:32.20]B: He said the third time's the charm!
[04:35.48]He really believes this one will work out.
[04:39.84]A: What is the business anyway?
[04:42.20]B: He is opening a dog summer camp.
[04:46.76]A: A summer camp ... for dogs?
[04:49.76]B: Yep. Those boxes are filled with dog treats and toys.
[04:55.24]A: But people love spending time with their dogs in the summer.
[04:58.92]B: Look, I'm just helping him out.
[05:01.72]A: Well, in this case, I don't think third time's the charm
[05:06.44]is the best expression to use.
[05:10.32]I'd use ... don't quit your day job.
[05:13.92]The expression may have its roots in old superstitions.
[05:18.96]It means that the third time will be lucky
[05:22.48]and therefore successful.
[05:26.00]Word experts say that some cultures throughout history
[05:29.84]viewed three as a lucky number.
[05:34.44]And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories.
[05:37.88]Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo. 更多听力请访问21VOA.COM
END OF TRACK. "END OF TRACK." The two men bowed. "Whoever was that person you were talking to?" she enquired, as soon as they stood together. The took of triumph faded from her eyes, she had grown worn and weary. The roses were wilting on the walls, the lights were mostly down now. Hetty, looking in to see if anything was wanted, found herself driven away almost fiercely. I only saw Master Jervie once when he called at tea time, The year 1747 was opened by measures of restriction. The House of Lords, offended at the publication of the proceedings of the trial of Lord Lovat, summoned the parties to their bar, committed them to prison, and refused to liberate them till they had pledged themselves not to repeat the offence, and had paid very heavy fees. The consequence of this was that the transactions of the Peers were almost entirely suppressed for nearly thirty years from this time, and we draw our knowledge of them chiefly from notes taken by Horace Walpole and Lord Chancellor Hardwicke. What is still more remarkable, the reports of the House of Commons, being taken by stealth, and on the merest sufferance, are of the most meagre kind, sometimes altogether wanting, and the speeches are given uniformly under fictitious names; for to have attributed to Pitt or Pelham their[112] speeches by name would have brought down on the printers the summary vengeance of the House. Many of the members complained bitterly of this breach of the privileges of Parliament, and of "being put into print by low fellows"; but Pelham had the sense to tolerate them, saying, "Let them alone; they make better speeches for us than we can make for ourselves." Altogether, the House of Commons exhibited the most deplorable aspect that can be conceived. The Ministry had pursued Walpole's system of buying up opponents by place, or pension, or secret service money, till there was no life left in the House. Ministers passed their measures without troubling themselves to say much in their behalf; and the opposition dwindled to Sir John Hinde Cotton, now dismissed from office, and a feeble remnant of Jacobites raised but miserable resistance. In vain the Prince of Wales and the secret instigations of Bolingbroke and Doddington stimulated the spirit of discontent; both Houses had degenerated into most silent and insignificant arenas of very commonplace business. "It certainly will be. Miss Widgeon," answered Maria, with strictly "company manners." "One who has never had a brother exposed to the constant dangers of army life can hardly understand how glad we all feel to have Si snatched from the very jaws of death and brung back to us." "Just plug at 'em as you would at a crow, and then go on your way whistlin'?" persisted Harry. "Hurroo!" echoed Hennessey; "that's the ticket." "Come forward, keeper," continued the baron, "and state how these arrows came into your hands!" "Yes." HoMEJULIA京香2018下载
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