[ti:Long Johns, Gremlins and Big Wheels]
[by:www.21voa.com]
[00:00.00]更多听力请访问21VOA.COM
[00:01.88]This week, we answer a question from Evelio in Colombia. He writes:
[00:08.08]Why is a sort of men's underwear called "long johns"? Thank you.
[00:15.36]Dear Evelio,
[00:16.64]When I looked up the history of the term "long johns,"
[00:20.04]I found it was first used in World War II by American soldiers.
[00:26.20]That got me thinking about other words and phrases the soldiers invented.
[00:32.04]Many words that we use today, or are considered slang terms,
[00:37.16]came from the soldiers in that war.
[00:40.76]World War II was fought in many areas, including Europe.
[00:45.08]Because parts of Europe get cold in winter,
[00:48.08]the U.S. military gave soldiers special under-clothing to help keep them warm.
[00:54.96]This under-clothing covered much of the body, even the arms and legs.
[01:00.20]The soldiers called it "long johns."
[01:04.04]Long johns are believed to have been named after John L. Sullivan,
[01:08.52]a famous American boxer in the 19th century.
[01:13.44]Sullivan wore a similar-looking piece of clothing when he competed in boxing matches.
[01:20.32]It is also worth noting that Americans sometimes call long johns "long underwear."
[01:27.12]And, in parts of the U.S., people may use the term "long john"
[01:32.04]when they talk about a kind of baked sweet that looks like a bar.
[01:37.72]This treat might help you stay warm in cold weather, too.
[01:41.76]Here is another term that was born in the military.
[01:46.32]When members of Britain's Royal Air Force
[01:49.16]did not know why a plane was experiencing problems,
[01:53.64]they claimed that a small imaginary creature was inside the aircraft.
[01:59.80]They had a name for this creature: a gremlin.
[02:03.48]American soldiers began using the term gremlin during the war.
[02:09.24]On a television program in the 1960s,
[02:12.52]a man reported seeing one outside of the plane in which he was flying.
[02:19.40]A gremlin's destroying the plane! You've got to believe me!
[02:24.24]Today Americans use "gremlin" when talking about small magical creatures.
[02:30.20]The U.S. military is one place where following orders is very important.
[02:35.20]Soldiers called someone a "Big Wheel" if that person had power over them.
[02:41.60]Today, we use this term when talking about someone who has the respect of others.
[02:47.76]Here is an example of how to use it in a sentence:
[02:51.32]My father's a pretty big wheel down at the factory.
[02:56.24]I hope that helps to answer your question, Evelio.
[02:59.88]What question do you have about American English?
[03:03.40]Send us an email at learningenglish@voanews.com.
[03:09.24]And that's Ask a Teacher for this week.
[03:11.92]I'm Jill Robbins. 更多听力请访问21VOA.COM