VOA慢速英语听力：“沉没还是游泳”取决于你 'To Sink or Swim' Is Up to You.
And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
现在是VOA Learning English的《词汇与短语》节目。
On this program, we explore words and expressions in the English language. We give examples, notes on usage, and sometimes we use them in short stories.
在这个节目中，我们探索英语中的词汇和短语。我们提供例句、用法说明，有时还会在短篇故事中使用它们。
Today we talk a great about a great activity to keep healthy and cool. In hot weather, there is nothing better than swimming in cool water. Swimming is a great way to beat the heat and get exercise.
今天我们谈论一个非常棒的活动，可以保持健康和凉爽。在炎热的天气里，没有什么比在凉爽的水中游泳更好了。游泳是战胜炎热、锻炼身体的绝佳方式。
But swimming is not only for fun. Knowing how to swim can save your life. If you do not know how to swim, you could sink in the water. And it can happen fast. So, today we talk about the idiom to sink or swim.
但是游泳不仅仅是为了娱乐。学会游泳可以拯救你的生命。如果你不会游泳，你可能会在水中沉下去。而且这可能发生得很快。所以，今天我们谈谈短语to sink or swim。
Sink or swim
沉或浮
To sink or swim means you either quickly succeed at something or quickly fail.
To sink or swim意味着你要么很快成功，要么很快失败。
To sink or swim suggests that you will either succeed or fail based on your own skills. Others may have taught you or helped you to prepare for something. But, the final responsibility is yours. So, we use this idiom to describe a high-pressure situation where your success or survival depends on your ability to perform.
To sink or swim意味着你的成功或失败将取决于你自己的技能。其他人可能教过你或帮助你为某事做准备。但是，最终的责任是属于你的。因此，我们使用这个习语来描述一个高压环境，你的成功或生存取决于你的执行能力。
We sometimes pair the idiom sink or swim with the expression to be thrown into the deep end -- as in the deep part of a pool. A parent, teacher, or coach could throw a child into the deep end to see if the child will sink or swim, although it is not likely. Usually, it means to put someone in a situation to see how they do.
有时，我们将短语sink or swim与被投入深水区的表达搭配在一起，就像在游泳池的深处。家长、老师或教练可以将孩子投入深水区，看看孩子会沉还是会浮，尽管这种情况不太可能发生。通常，这意味着让某人处于一种情境中，看看他们的表现如何。
For example, let's say you have been preparing for an English test for many weeks. If you pass it, you may be able to get a better position at your job. You had a great teacher who helped you. But on test day, it's sink or swim. Success is up to you.
例如，假设你已经为英语考试准备了几个星期。如果你通过了考试，你可能能在工作中获得一个更好的职位。你有一位很棒的老师帮助了你。但是在考试当天，要么成功，要么失败。成功取决于你自己。
Sink or swim can also describe a situation where you must succeed quickly or you will fail fully. There is no middle ground. It is a win or lose situation.
Sink or swim还可以描述一种情况，你必须迅速成功，否则你将完全失败。没有中间地带。这是一个胜负的局面。
In these situations, we can also say, "it's now or never." This means the time to prove yourself is … now. You will not have another chance. All your preparation has come to this moment … whatever that moment is. You need to rise to the occasion.
在这些情况下，我们还可以说：“机不可失，时不再来。”这意味着证明自己的时机是现在。你不会有第二次机会。你所有的准备都归结到了这一刻……无论那一刻是什么。你需要应对当下。
Sink or swim situations can also be called make or break events. They can either make you better. Or they can break you. If the situation is very serious and the risks are very great, you can also say do or die. You either take action or you will definitely fail.
Sink or swim的情况也可以称为决定性时刻。它们可以使你变得更好，也可以使你崩溃。如果情况非常严峻，风险非常大，你还可以说do or die。你要么采取行动，要么注定失败。
Luckily learning English is not a do or die situation. And VOA Learning English will be here to help you grow your English skills -- so you can swim, instead of sink, in the test pool!
幸运的是，学习英语不是一场生死存亡的局面。而且VOA Learning English将在这里帮助你提高英语能力，让你能在考试池中游泳，而不是沉下去！
And that's all the time we have for Words and Their Stories.
这就是我们在《词汇与短语》节目中的全部内容。
Until next time … I'm Anna Matteo.
下次节目再见……我是安娜·马特奥。
Words in This Story
idiom –n. an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but must be learned as a whole
pool –n. a swimming pool : a small deep body of water
middle ground –n. standpoint or area midway between extreme or opposing positions, options, or objectives
occasion –n. a need that arises : a time at which something happens
