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
2023-08-04
39
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、It takes great pains for a person to be very rich.
B、Not Everyone wants to be too rich.
C、A person will never be satisfied with his wealth.
D、A person will never have the feeling of being wealthy.
答案
C
解析
在讲话开头部分,该表达的后一句提到:“美国人和其他国家的人一样,也总是想拥有更多金钱。”据此可判断本处的意思是人永远不会满足于自己的财富,即永远不会嫌自己钱多,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://tihaiku.com/zcyy/2897809.html
相关试题推荐
[originaltext]W:Dr.Thomas?ThisisKeetBradleyfromtheDailyNews.[5]I’d
[originaltext]W:Dr.Thomas?ThisisKeetBradleyfromtheDailyNews.[5]I’d
[originaltext]W:Dr.Thomas?ThisisKeetBradleyfromtheDailyNews.[5]I’d
[originaltext]M:HeyLinda,didyougetthatletteraboutthenewoptionsforf
[originaltext]Goodmorning,ladiesandgentlemen,andthankyouMr.Chairma
[originaltext]Goodmorning,ladiesandgentlemen,andthankyouMr.Chairma
[originaltext]Goodmorning,ladiesandgentlemen,andthankyouMr.Chairma
[originaltext]Howmuchwatershouldyoudrinkeachday?It’sasimplequest
[originaltext]Howmuchwatershouldyoudrinkeachday?It’sasimplequest
[originaltext]Timeflieswhenyou’rehavingfun.[16]Enrolmentisnearlyo
随机试题
Youaretowriteinnolessthan120wordsaboutthetitle"OnSpringFestiv
Collisionbetweenanaircraftandoneormorebirdsistermedabird-strike.
患者颏部跌伤,耳前区疼痛肿胀,前牙开后牙早接触,正确的诊断是()A.
初产妇,孕40周,胎儿纵轴与母体纵轴相互垂直,血压正常,胎心140/min。规则
如果概念B所表达的对象均在概念A所表达的范围之内;概念A所表达的对象有些在概念B
共用题干 第一篇OseolaMcCartyLateoneSundaya
下列城市中,2011年中秋、国庆黄金周期间旅游总收入最少的是:() A.天
下列不符合施工现场用火作业要求的是()。A.施工现场动火作业前,应由动火作业
与新教师相比,专家型教师的课时计划简洁、灵活、以学生为中心并有()。A.系统性
下列文件中,不属于钢制常压容器质量证明书包括的内容的有( )。A.设计变更单
最新回复
(
0
)