Now, it's time for Words and Their Stories, a program from VOA Learning English.

现在是美国之音慢速英语《词汇掌故》节目时间。

The internet has taught us many things.

网络教给了我们很多东西。

One important lesson is this: Cats are funny, strange and often unpredictable animals.

一个重要的教训就是：猫是很有趣但很奇怪的动物，它们常常让人捉摸不透。

Their quirky personalities have made cats popular as household pets in homes across the United States.

猫古怪的性格使其受到欢迎，成为全美家庭的宠物。

And they are great hunters.

它们是捕捉能手。

Mice are often on their top five kill list.

老鼠通常在猫捕杀名单的前五名。

But sometimes, a cat will not kill the animal it catches.

但是有时候，猫不会杀死它抓到的动物。

Instead, the catch becomes kind of a toy or plaything.

相反，捕捉到的猎物会成一种玩具或玩物。

The cat seizes a mouse.

猫抓住一只老鼠。

Then lets it go.

然后把它放掉。

Catches it. Lets it go.

抓住又放掉。

Over and over again!

一遍又一遍！

It is good fun for the cat but frightening for the poor mouse.

这对猫来说很好玩，但对可怜的老鼠来说却很可怕。

So, if you play cat and mouse with someone, you play a power game with them.

所以，如果你和某人玩猫捉老鼠的游戏，你就是在和他们玩权力的游戏。

You, the person with the power, are the cat.

拥有权力的你，就是“猫和老鼠”中的猫。

Maybe you pretend to give the other person something they want but then take it away.

可能你假装给别人他们想要的东西，然后又把它拿走。

You toy with them.

你逗他们玩。

We often call a situation like this a cat-and-mouse game.

我们通常称类似的情况为一场猫捉老鼠的游戏。

For example, a child might offer something sweet to her little brother and then take it away when he reaches for it.

例如，一个小孩儿可能会给她的小弟弟一些甜食，然后当他伸手去拿的时候就把它拿走。

A cat-and-mouse game is filled with lots of action:

猫捉老鼠的游戏中有大量的动作：

chases, near captures and repeated escapes.

追逐，快抓到了，再放掉。

In extreme cases, a cat-and-mouse game is never-ending.

在极端的情况下，猫捉老鼠的游戏是永无休止的。

Now, let's leave the game of cat and mouse and talk about playing in a different way.

现在，让我们跳出猫和老鼠的游戏，来谈谈其它方式的操作。

Let's imagine a classroom filled with young children.

让我们想象一下，一个教室里全是孩子。

The teacher must leave the room for a couple of minutes.

老师必须离开教室几分钟。

At first, everyone is well-behaved.

起初，每个人都表现得很好。

But the longer the teacher is gone, the more the class acts up.

但是老师离开的时间越长，班级就越活跃。

It starts out slowly.

课堂慢慢活跃起来。

Someone throws a piece of paper.

有人扔了一张纸。

A couple of students get up and walk around.

几个学生站起来四处走动。

Others start laughing loudly.

其他人开始大声笑。

Someone yells!

有人大叫！

Suddenly, all of the students are doing things they would never do with the teacher in the room.

突然间，所有学生都做了老师在教室里时他们永远不会做的事情。

But you know what we say: When the cat’s away, the mice will play!

但是你知道我们说的是什么：山中无老虎，猴子称大王！

This expression means that people sometimes misbehave when no one is there to watch them.

这个表达的意思是，当没有人在旁边看着的时候，人们有时会做出不当的行为。

So, the teacher is the cat and the students are the mice.

所以，老师就是“猫”，学生就是“老鼠”。

We often use this expression when talking about children and parents, employees and office supervisors and even people in committed relationships.

在谈到孩子和父母，员工和办公室主管，甚至彼此关系稳定的人时，我们经常使用这种表达。

And that brings us to the end of this Words and Their Stories.

本期《词汇掌故》节目就要结束了。

Until next time … I'm Anna Matteo.

下次再见……安娜·马特奥为您播报。