首页
登录
职称英语
[originaltext] I would like to talk about interesting words that have someth
[originaltext] I would like to talk about interesting words that have someth
游客
2024-03-07
19
管理
问题
I would like to talk about interesting words that have something to do with money today.
Almost every language in the world has a saying that a person can never be too rich. Americans, like people in other countries, always want more money. One way they express this is by protesting that their jobs do not pay enough. A common expression is, "I am working for chickenfeed." It means working for very little money. The expression probably began because seeds fed to chickens made people think of small change. Small change means metal coins of not much value, like nickels which are worth five cents.
An early use of the word chickenfeed appeared in an American publication in 1930. It told about a rich man and his son. Word expert Mitford Mathews says it read, "I’ll bet neither the kid nor his father ever saw a nickel or a dime. They would not have been interested in such chickenfeed."
Chickenfeed also has another interesting meaning known to history experts and World War Ⅱ spies and soldiers. Spy expert Henry S. A. Becket writes that some German spies working in London during the war also worked for the British. The British government had to make the Germans believe their spies were working. So, British officials gave them mostly false information. It was called chickenfeed.
The same person who protests that he is working for chickenfeed may also say, "I am working for peanuts." She means she is working for a small amount of money. It is a very different meaning from the main one in the dictionary. That meaning is small nuts that grow on a plant. No one knows for sure how a word for something to eat also came to mean something very small. But, a peanut is a very small food.
The expression is an old one. Word expert Mitford Mathews says that as early as 1854, an American publication used the words peanut agitators. That meant political troublemakers who did not have a lot of support.
Another reason for the saying about working for peanuts may be linked to elephants. Think of how elephants are paid for their work in the circus. They receive food, not money. One of the foods they like best is peanuts.
When you add the word gallery to the word peanut you have the name of an area in an American theatre. A gallery is a high seating area or balcony above the main floor. The peanut gallery got its name because it is the part of the theatre most distant from where the show takes place. So, peanut gallery tickets usually cost less than other tickets. People pay a small amount of money for them.
19.What does "a person can never be too rich" mean according to the talk?
20.What’s a person’s purpose of saying "I am working for chickenfeed"?
21.What can we learn about the German spies in World War II, according to the talk?
22.What is the talk mainly about?
选项
A、Introducing a topic.
B、Telling a joke.
C、Making a complaint.
D、Making a decision.
答案
C
解析
在这句话之前讲话提到:“美国人和其他国家的人一样,也总是想拥有更多金钱。美国人表达这一欲望的一种方式就是抗议他们的工资低。”再结合这句话的字面意思“我为挣点鸡食而工作”,即表明自己工作所获取的报酬只能买鸡食,而鸡食会让人们很容易想到零钱,所以说这句话的目的是抱怨工资低,故选C。其他三项都不符合讲话内容。
转载请注明原文地址:https://www.tihaiku.com/zcyy/3514070.html
相关试题推荐
这或许跟这样一个事实有关:尼古丁能抑制食欲,似乎能提高新陈代谢速度。 Itprobablyhassomethingtodowiththef
如果仔细观察的话,会有所发现的。Ifyouobservecarefully,youwillfindsomething.本句中的两个分句“仔细观察”和
[originaltext]W:OK,I’vegotallthepaperworkhereforyourapplication.Every
[originaltext]W:OK,I’vegotallthepaperworkhereforyourapplication.Every
[originaltext]M:ItsaysherethatyougraduatedfromUniversityofPennsylvania
[originaltext]W:OK,I’vegotallthepaperworkhereforyourapplication.Ever
[originaltext]W:OK,I’vegotallthepaperworkhereforyourapplication.Ever
[originaltext]W:OK,I’vegotallthepaperworkhereforyourapplication.Ever
[originaltext]W:OK,I’vegotallthepaperworkhereforyourapplication.Ever
[originaltext]W:OK,I’vegotallthepaperworkhereforyourapplication.Ever
随机试题
ActtoCallAnytime,AnywhereWhenyou’restrandedonth
Whyyoushouldn’ttrytobeamorningpersonA)We’veallhear
某高速公路建设项目,建设单位分别与土建和机电设备安装单位签订了土建、机电设备安装
急性心肌梗死时,最先恢复正常的酶是A.ALTB.LDC.CK-MBD.ASTE.
信息系统的安全威胁分成七类,其中不包括()。A.自然事件风险和人为事件风险
社区居民的价值观在影响健康行为方面属于A.促成因素 B.强化因素 C.反馈因
A.HBsAg B.抗-HBs C.HBeAg D.抗-HBe E.抗-
(2018年真题)商品混凝土的()应满足混凝土的凝结速度和浇筑速度的要求。A
某企业自筹资金拟建设工业厂房项目,建设单位采用工程量清单方式招标,并与施工单位按
根据《建设工程施工劳务分包合同(示范文本)》,劳务分包人的义务之一是()。
最新回复
(
0
)