歡迎來到今天的VOA慢速專區。
今天為大家帶來一則英語學習文章。（文末左下角點擊閱讀原文，可獲取中英文分開版本）
And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
現在是VOA英語學習《詞彙掌故》節目。
On this program we teach common English expressions and how to use them.
在這個節目上，我們教常見的英語表達方式及其用法。
Many English expressions come from weather. We have talked about many in past shows.
許多英語表達都來源於天氣。在往期節目中，我們談論了很多相關的表達。
Recently we talked about lightning and how it never strikes twice … except when it does.
最近，我們討論了閃電，以及閃電從來不會兩次擊中同一個地方的原理……特殊情況除外。
Well, today we talk about the noise that comes with lightning. Thunder!
那麼，今天我們將談論伴隨閃電而來的噪音。雷聲！
Thunder is an awesome sound. It is nature's warning system.
雷鳴是一種可怕的聲音。這是自然界的警告系統。
It tells us that something extremely powerful and deadly -- lightning -- may be coming soon.
它告訴我們，某種極其強大且可能致命的東西可能很快就要到來了，那就是閃電。
All this you already know. But did you know this? You can also steal thunder!
這些你已經知道了。但你知道嗎？你也可以「偷走雷聲」！
That's right -- in English expressions you can.
沒錯，在英語中你可以這樣表達。
If you think about it, thunder is pretty amazing.
如果你琢磨一下它，你會發現雷聲非常驚奇。
From low rumblings to sharp cracks, it is easy for thunder to take our attention away from what we are doing.
從低沉的隆隆聲到尖銳的爆裂聲，雷聲很容易分散我們的注意力。
We stop and look to the sky. Is it going to rain? Am I in danger of getting hit by lightning?
我們停下來望向天空。要下雨了嗎？我會被閃電擊中嗎？
As an expression, thunder works the same way.
當作表達方式使用時，「thunder」的作用同樣如此。
When you steal someone's thunder, you steal attention away from them.
當你「竊取某人的雷聲」時，你把對他們的注意吸引過來。
We have many words that mean the same thing. You beat them. You best them. You surpass them.
我們有很多表達相同含義的詞語。你打敗了他們。你贏過他們。你超過他們。
Staying in the world of weather we have these two expressions: outshine and eclipse.
在與天氣有關的表達中，我們有「outshine（高人一籌）」和「eclipse（使相形見絀）」兩個表達方式。
If you steal a co-worker's thunder, you outshine her or eclipse her.
如果你「竊取」同事的「雷聲」，你就是比她做得好，或者讓她黯然失色。
You take attention away from her and put it on you.
你把對她的注意吸引到你身上。
We also have these two words: outperform and, from theater, upstage.
我們還有這樣兩個詞語：「outperform（超過）」，還有與劇院有關的表達「upstage（搶…的鏡頭）」。
If you outperform or upstage your friend, you have stolen his thunder.
如果你超過你的朋友或者搶他的鏡頭，那麼你搶走了他的風頭。
You can steal thunder by simply doing something better.
只要做某事做得更好，你就可以搶風頭。
Here is an example set in a baking competition.
下面的示例發生在烘焙比賽中。
This is where people bake something like bread, pies, or a cake and then are judged.
人們烘烤麵包、餡餅或蛋糕之類的食物，然後進行評比。
ANNOUNCER: Congratulations to Tanisha Hightower for winning the award for Best Cake with her chocolate cake.
報幕員：恭喜塔尼莎·海託華憑藉巧克力蛋糕獲得了「最佳蛋糕獎」。
In a minute, we will announce the winner for Best Pie. But first, some announcements. We have a lost child.
一會兒，我們將宣布「最佳餡餅獎」得主。但首先，我們要發布一些通知。我們有個迷路的小孩兒。
Will the parents of little Timmy please come to the main stage area …
小提米的父母請到主舞臺區…來好嗎？
JACKSON: Well, Clarise, we all know that you will win the Best Pie award. You win every year for your cherry pie.
傑克遜：喲，克拉麗絲，我們都知道你會獲得「最佳餡餅獎」。每年你的櫻桃餡餅都會得獎。
CLARISE: Well, that is true, Jackson. I have won for the last five years with my Famous Cherry Pie.
克拉麗絲：嗯，傑克遜，的確如此。在過去的五年中，我一直憑著我「有名的櫻桃餡餅」贏得比賽。
But you never know. Maybe this year someone else will win. I doubt it. But maybe.
但誰知道呢。也許今年其他人會獲勝。我不確定。但可能吧。
ANNOUNCER: And now …
報幕員：現在……
CLARISE: Shh. They are going to announce the winner.
克拉麗絲：噓，他們要宣布獲勝者了。
ANNOUNCER: … the winner of the Best Pie is … Doug Johnson for his cherry pie. Congratulations to Doug!
報幕員：…獲得「最佳餡餅獎」的是...道格·詹森的櫻桃餡餅。恭喜道格！
CLARISE: What! There must be a mistake! My cherry pie always wins! And who is Doug Johnson??
克拉麗絲：什麼！肯定弄錯了！我的櫻桃餡餅從沒輸過！道格·詹森是誰？？？
JACKSON: He is someone who just totally stole your thunder.
傑克遜：他是剛剛把你的風頭全搶走了的人。
You can also steal a person's thunder by doing something before that person.
你還可以通過先於某人做某事來「偷走某人的雷聲」 （搶某人的風頭）。
Let's say you know that someone plans to do or say something – something good. So, you plan to do or say it first.
假設你知道有人計劃做或者說一些好事。因此，你打算在他之前做或者說一遍。
But remember, it only counts as "stealing thunder" if your words or actions are a success or get a lot of praise.
但請記住，只有你的言語或行為是成功的或者得到許多表揚的才算是「搶風頭」。
"You can steal my thunder any time"
「任何時候你都可以佔我的風頭」
And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories. Until next time … I'm Anna Matteo!
以上就是本期《名師答疑》的全部內容。我們下次見…我是安娜·馬特奧！
這裡是 美國之音 頻道