2022年12月18日 VOA慢速英語：棒球內部，其他“內部”表達

 


And now Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
現(xiàn)在是來自美國之音慢速英語的 Words and Their Stories 。
 
Today we go out to the ballpark … the baseball park!
今天我們去棒球場……棒球場！
 
We talk about an expression from the sport of baseball but now means so much more.
我們談論的是棒球運動中的一種表達方式，但現(xiàn)在意味著更多。
 
Inside baseball is something that is known or understood only by a small group of people. Sometimes inside baseball describes a subject that has too many uninteresting details. So, most people do not understand it or even want to understand it.
內部棒球是只有一小部分人知道或理解的東西。有時inside baseball描述了一個有太多無趣細節(jié)的主題。所以，大多數人不理解，甚至不想理解。
 
We commonly use this expression with subjects like politics, science, or finance.
我們通常將此表達用于政治、科學或金融等主題。
 
For example, some urban voters are not interested in the inside baseball of constitutional reform. But, they still might support reforms promising good schools, safe neighborhoods, and jobs.
例如，一些城市選民對憲法改革的內部棒球不感興趣。但是，他們仍然可能支持承諾提供優(yōu)質學校、安全社區(qū)和就業(yè)機會的改革。
 
Here is another example. Many people would consider the yearly earnings reports of major companies as inside baseball information. The reports would not be of interest to them. But to investors such reports are important. These insiders need the information.
這是另一個例子。許多人會將大公司的年度收益報告視為棒球內部信息。他們不會對這些報告感興趣。但對投資者而言，此類報告很重要。這些內部人士需要這些信息。
 
On its website, Merriam Webster online dictionary explains how this phrase began back in the 1890s.
Merriam Webster 在線詞典在其網站上解釋了這個短語是如何在 1890 年代開始出現(xiàn)的。
 
To score in baseball, a player needs to land on first, second, and third bases before reaching home plate. That is where the player scores. One way to do this is to hit a home run. The player hits the ball so far that the other team cannot get it. Then, the batter and anyone else on a base moves forward all the way to home. That big hit will always please the crowd!
要在棒球比賽中得分，球員需要在到達本壘前先落在一壘、二壘和三壘上。那是球員得分的地方。一種方法是打出本壘打。球員將球擊到另一隊無法接球的距離。然后，擊球手和壘上的任何其他人一直向前移動到本壘。那個大熱門總是會取悅人群！
 
But most hits are not home runs. Most batters hit balls inside the field and move around the bases as other batters take their turns hitting.
但大多數安打都不是本壘打。大多數擊球手在場內擊球并在其他擊球手輪流擊球時繞壘移動。
 
This can include also very short hits called bunts, where the bat touches the ball lightly to keep it infield. There are also stolen bases -- when runners take a next base usually as the other team is pitching to a batter.
這也可以包括稱為短打的非常短的擊球，球棒輕輕接觸球以將球保持在場內。也有被盜壘的情況——通常是當另一支球隊正在向擊球手投球時，跑壘員占據了下一個壘。
 
These are part of a long list of skills, tools, and possible plays used to play competitive baseball. This kind of play is called inside baseball. It is not an obvious type of scoring, especially when compared the dramatic homerun.
這些是用于打競技棒球的一長串技能、工具和可能的比賽的一部分。這種打法叫做inside baseball。這不是一種明顯的得分類型，尤其是與戲劇性的本壘打相比。
 
"Inside" is also featured in other popular terms in American English.
“Inside”也出現(xiàn)在美式英語的其他流行術語中。
 
An inside joke, for example, is a joke that only a few people understand. With inside jokes, we often say this to those who don't understand: "You had to be there."
例如，內部笑話是只有少數人能理解的笑話。在內部笑話中，我們經常對那些不明白的人說：“你必須在那里。”
 
Insider knowledge is also things understood by a special few. Let's say you want to work at a company and you have insider knowledge about it. Maybe you know people who work there or their product line. This insider knowledge may give you an advantage over others.
內幕消息也是少數人知道的事情。假設您想在一家公司工作，并且您了解這家公司的內幕消息。也許您認識在那里工作的人或他們的產品線。這種內幕知識可能會讓您比其他人更有優(yōu)勢。
 
An inside track is a good position in a situation. It comes from racers on a circular track. The runners on the inside may have an advantage. Here's how to use it: She seems to have an inside track at the university. She knows everyone!
在某種情況下，內線是一個很好的位置。它來自圓形賽道上的賽車手。內側的跑者可能有優(yōu)勢。下面是如何使用它：她似乎在大學里有內線。她認識所有人！
 
And finally, an inside job is something done with the help of someone inside an organization. The term, however, is usually used in connection with a crime. If police think a bank robbery was an inside job, for example, they would probably question all who work at the bank.
最后，內部工作是在組織內部人員的幫助下完成的事情。但是，該術語通常與犯罪有關。例如，如果警察認為搶劫銀行是內部工作，他們可能會詢問所有在銀行工作的人。