VOA词汇掌故：让我们开怀大笑吧

燕山大学刘立军编写

【TRANSCRIPT】

Now, from VOA Learning English, it's time for Words and Their Stories. This program explores common expressions in American English. Today we explore a word that does not sound very pleasant — gut.

In the medical world, guts are the internal organs of an animal. It's a person's stomach or the part of the body that contains the stomach. So, that's medically speaking.

But in our everyday conversations, "guts" mean many different things.

In the United States, if you bust a gut you are laughing really, really hard - so hard that your stomach starts to hurt. If you haven't busted a gut in years, maybe you should. It feels good to have a really good laugh.

Now, just as our guts are inside of us, the inside parts of a machine are sometimes called guts, too. So, if you gut your computer, you take out all the pieces inside that make it work.

That's right, "gut" is also a verb. You can gut something, like a fish. This means you remove its internal organs before cooking it. You can also gut a building by removing everything from the inside. My friend who renovated her house, for example, gutted the entire structure first.

The most important parts of a business deal or a piece of legislation can also be called the guts. And if you gut these things, you remove all the important parts. For example, you could say that after the council member gutted the legislation, it wasn't going to be nearly as effective.

Now, let's talk about you.

Within you are all your important thoughts, fears, dreams, feelings and secrets. If you spill your guts, you share these things with other people.

It's an informal saying but you can use it when talking about any situation. If your best friend has a date and shares all the details with you, she has spilled her guts. Perhaps at work, a co-worker spills his guts when he tells you that his bossy personality actually comes from a deep childhood fear of failing.

When spilling your guts, be careful. Remember, once you say something, you cannot take it back!

Now, if you strongly dislike someone - I mean really, really hate them - you can say you hate their guts. You hate everything inside them. This is a very harsh statement and sounds a little childish.

You know, if you think about it, all those internal organs are important. They may not be pretty, but they keep us alive.

So, guts can also mean some really great things. For example, the word "guts" is an informal way of saying "bravery" or "courage." It takes guts to make a very difficult decision.

Let's say you want to move to a country where you don't know anyone and don't know the language. You want to make a big change and take a chance!

Your friends, who have lived in the same town all their lives, say, "Wow, that takes a lot of guts." For right now, they don't have the guts to make such a big change.

This is where we get our expression "no guts, no glory." This means that if you do not have courage to take a risk, you will not be able to achieve a goal or success.

It might be scary. But you know in your gut that it's something you must do. Used this way, "gut" means a strong feeling about something.

We can also use "gut" as an adjective. For example, your gut feelings are not based in logic or reason. Let's say I'm your best friend. When I hear about your plans to move away, my gut reaction is to ask, even beg, you to stay. But my gut also tells me that this is something you must do. So, I tell you to listen to your gut. Go chase your dream! After a year's time, I finally get the guts to do the same thing. We meet in Paris and then move to Russia to live for a year!

As we say, no guts, no glory! And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories.

Is this body part, the gut, used the same way in your language? Let us know in the Comments Section. I'm Anna Matteo.

【VOCABULARY】

1. gut n.     

①（可数名词）the tube in the body through which food passes when it leaves the stomach 消化道；肠道 

② guts（复数）the organs in and around the stomach, especially in an animal （尤指动物的）内脏。例如：I'll only cook fish if the guts have been removed. 鱼如果已收拾干净，那我只要烧一下就可以了。

③（可数名词）(informal) a person's stomach, especially when it is large （尤指大的）胃，肚子（同义词）belly 例如：a beer gut (= caused by drinking beer) 啤酒肚

④ guts（复数）(informal) the courage and determination that it takes to do sth. difficult or unpleasant 勇气；胆量；决心；毅力。例如：He doesn't have the guts to walk away from a well-paid job. 他没胆量辞去一份报酬优厚的工作。

⑤（可数名词, 常用复数）内心；直觉；本能。例如：I had a feeling in my guts that something was wrong. 我本能地感到出了事。

⑥ guts（复数）the most important part of sth. 核心；实质；要点。例如：the guts of the problem

问题的实质 

常用习语

① have sb.'s guts for garters: (British English, informal) to be very angry with sb. and punish them severely for sth they have done 恨死，严惩（某人）

② slog / sweat / work your guts out: (informal) to work very hard to achieve sth. 拼命工作；拼命干活。例如：I slogged my guts out for the exam. 我为这次考试命都豁出去了。

2. gut verb.（动词+名词短语）

①（常用被动态）to destroy the inside or contents of a building or room 损毁（建筑物或房屋的）内部。例如：a factory gutted by fire 内部被火焚毁的工厂

② to remove the organs from inside a fish or an animal to prepare it for cooking 取出……的内脏（以便烹饪）

3. gut adj.（只用于名词前）based on feelings and emotions rather than thought and reason 以感情为基础的；非理性的；本能的。例如：a gut feeling / reaction 本能的感觉/反应

4. renovate v.（动词+名词短语）to repair and paint an old building, a piece of furniture, etc. so that it is in good condition again 修复；翻新；重新粉刷

5. legislation n. a law or a set of laws passed by a parliament 法规；法律。例如：an important piece of legislation 一条重要的法规

【QUESTIONS】 

Read the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.

Now, from VOA Learning English, it's time for Words and Their Stories. This program explores common expressions in American English. Today we explore a word that does not sound very pleasant - gut.

In the medical world, guts are the internal organs of an animal. It's a person's stomach or the part of the body that contains the stomach. So, that's  _______________.

But in our everyday conversations, "guts" mean many different things.

In the United States, if you _____________________________ you are laughing really, really hard - so hard that your stomach starts to hurt. If you haven't busted a gut in years, maybe you should. It feels good to have a really good laugh.

Now, just as our guts are inside of us, the inside parts of a machineare sometimes called guts, too. So, if you gut your computer, you take out all the pieces inside that make it work.

That's right, "gut" is also a verb. You can gut something, like a fish. This means you remove its internal organs before cooking it. You can also gut a building by removing everything from the inside. My friend who renovated her house, for example,  __________________________________________ first.

The most important parts of a business deal or a piece of legislation can also be called the guts. And if you gut these things, you remove all the important parts. For example, you could say that after the council member gutted the legislation, it wasn't going to be nearly as effective.

Now, let's talk about you.

Within you are all your important thoughts, fears, dreams, feelings and secrets. If you _________________________, you share these things with other people.

It's an informal saying but you can use it when talking about any situation. If your best friend has a date and shares all the details with you, she has spilled her guts. Perhaps at work, a co-worker spills his guts when he tells you that his bossy personality actually comes from a deep childhood fear of failing. When spilling your guts, be careful. Remember, once you say something, you cannot ____________________________!

Now, if you strongly dislike someone - I mean really, really hate them - you can say you _______________________________. You hate everything inside them. This is a very harsh statement and sounds a little childish.

You know, if you think about it, all those internal organs are important. They may not be pretty, but they keep us alive. So, guts can also mean some really great things. For example, the word "guts" is an informal way of saying "bravery" or " _____________________." It takes guts to make a very difficult decision.

Let's say you want to move to a country where you don't know anyone and don't know the language. You want to make a big change and take a chance!

Your friends, who have lived in the same town all their lives, say, "Wow, that takes a lot of guts." For right now, they don't ______________________________ to make such a big change.

This is where we get our expression "no guts, no glory." This means that if you do not have courage to take a risk, you will not be able to achieve a goal or success.

It might be scary. But you know in your gut that it's something you must do. Used this way, "gut" means a strong feeling about something.

We can also use "gut" as an adjective. For example, your _____________________ are not based in logic or reason. Let's say I'm your best friend. When I hear about your plans to move away, my gut reaction is to ask, even beg, you to stay. But my gut also tells me that this is something you must do. So, I tell you to ______________________________. Go chase your dream! After a year's time, I finally get the guts to do the same thing. We meet in Paris and then move to Russia to live for a year!

As we say, no guts, no glory! And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories.

Is this body part, the gut, used the same way in your language? Let us know in the Comments Section. I'm Anna Matteo.

【KEY】

Read the passage. Then listen to the news and fill in the blanks with the information (words, phrases or sentences) you hear.

Now, from VOA Learning English, it's time for Words and Their Stories. This program explores common expressions in American English. Today we explore a word that does not sound very pleasant - gut.

In the medical world, guts are the internal organs of an animal. It's a person's stomach or the part of the body that contains the stomach. So, that's medically speaking.

But in our everyday conversations, " guts" mean many different things.

In the United States, if you  bust a gut you are laughing really, really hard - so hard that your stomach starts to hurt. If you haven't busted a gut in years, maybe you should. It feels good to have a really good laugh.

Now, just as our guts are inside of us, the inside parts of a machine are sometimes called guts, too. So, if you gut your computer, you take out all the pieces inside that make it work.

That's right, "gut" is also a verb. You can gut something, like a fish. This means you remove its internal organs before cooking it. You can also gut a building by removing everything from the inside. My friend who renovated her house, for example, gutted the entire structure first.

The most important parts of a business deal or a piece of legislation can also be called the guts. And if you gut these things, you remove all the important parts. For example, you could say that after the council member gutted the legislation, it wasn't going to be nearly as effective.

Now, let's talk about you.

Within you are all your important thoughts, fears, dreams, feelings and secrets. If you  spill your guts, you share these things with other people.

It's an informal saying but you can use it when talking about any situation. If your best friend has a date and shares all the details with you, she has spilled her guts. Perhaps at work, a co-worker spills his guts when he tells you that his bossy personality actually comes from a deep childhood fear of failing. When spilling your guts, be careful. Remember, once you say something, you cannot  take it back!

Now, if you strongly dislike someone - I mean really, really hate them - you can say you  hate their guts. You hate everything inside them. This is a very harsh statement and sounds a little childish.

You know, if you think about it, all those internal organs are important. They may not be pretty, but they keep us alive. So, guts can also mean some really great things. For example, the word "guts" is an informal way of saying "bravery" or " courage." It takes guts to make a very difficult decision.

Let's say you want to move to a country where you don't know anyone and don't know the language. You want to make a big change and take a chance!

Your friends, who have lived in the same town all their lives, say, "Wow, that takes a lot of guts." For right now, they don't  have the guts to make such a big change.

This is where we get our expression "no guts, no glory." This means that if you do not have courage to take a risk, you will not be able to achieve a goal or success.

It might be scary. But you know in your gut that it's something you must do. Used this way, "gut" means a strong feeling about something.

We can also use "gut" as an adjective. For example, your  gut feelings are not based in logic or reason. Let's say I'm your best friend. When I hear about your plans to move away, my gut reaction is to ask, even beg, you to stay. But my gut also tells me that this is something you must do. So, I tell you to  listen to your gut. Go chase your dream! After a year's time, I finally get the guts to do the same thing. We meet in Paris and then move to Russia to live for a year!

As we say, no guts, no glory! And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories.

Is this body part, the gut, used the same way in your language? Let us know in the Comments Section. I'm Anna Matteo.