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And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
歡迎收聽VOA慢速英語《詞匯掌故》節目。
On this program, we explore words and expressions in the English language.
在本節目中，我們探討英語中的單詞和短語。
We give examples, notes on usage, and sometimes we use them in short stories.
我們會舉一些例子，對用法進行解釋說明，有時還會在短篇故事里使用它們。
Today we talk about a popular dessert -- cake.
今天我們來談談一種受歡迎的甜點——蛋糕。
Cakes are made by baking a mixture of flour, sugar, eggs, and butter.
蛋糕是由面粉、糖、雞蛋和黃油混合烘烤而成的。
They come in just about any flavor you can imagine – from chocolate, vanilla, and lemon to unusual flavors like cherry, coconut, and pumpkin.
它們幾乎有你能想象到的任何口味——巧克力、香草、檸檬、櫻桃、椰子和南瓜等不同尋常的口味。
And do not forget about the icing.
別忘了還有糖霜。
This sweet topping also comes in just about any flavor imaginable.
這種甜的配料也有幾乎任何你能想象到的口味。
We often eat cakes to celebrate birthdays, weddings, and other important events.
我們經常吃蛋糕來慶祝生日、婚禮等重要活動。
All this talk about cake has brought my attention to a common expression: to have your cake and eat it too.
所有這些關于蛋糕的討論讓我注意到了一個常見的短語：to have your cake and eat it too（兩者兼得）。
This expression, or idiom, can be used to describe a couple different situations.
這個習語可以用來描述幾種不同的情況。
One is where two good things happen at the same time.
一種情況是兩件好事同時發生。
For example, a friend of mine loves to read so she got a job at a library.
例如，我的一個朋友喜歡讀書，所以她在一家圖書館找到了一份工作。
Now, she reads all day long and gets paid!
現在，她整天都可以看書，還能拿工資！
Talk about having your cake and eating it too!
真是兩者兼得??！
We also use the idiom to describe a situation in which two good things happen at the same time, but they don't usually exist together in the same situation.
我們也用這個習語來描述這樣一種情況，即兩件好事同時發生，但它們通常不會在同一種情況下共存。
Here’s an example: My friend just had a baby.
舉個例子：我的朋友剛剛生了孩子。
She has a good job that pays well.
她有一份薪水很高的好工作。
And now she spends more time with her new baby by working from home.
現在她在家辦公，有更多的時間陪著她剛出生的孩子。
We can say that she is having her cake and eating it too!
我們可以說她二者兼得！
In both of these examples, we could also use this expression: to have the best of both worlds.
在這兩個例子中，我們也可以使用這個短語：to have the best of both worlds（兩全其美）。
Now, here is another form of our cake idiom.
這是“to have your cake and eat it too”的另一種形式。
We also commonly use it in the negative form: You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
我們也經常用其否定形式：You can’t have your cake and eat it too（魚和熊掌不可兼得）。
In the negative, it means you cannot have or do two things at the same time that are impossible to have or do at the same time.
其否定形式的意思是你不能同時擁有或做兩件不可能同時擁有或做的事情。
You must decide which one you want because you can't have both.
你必須決定你想要哪一個，因為你不能兩者兼得。
In other words, you cannot have two conflicting things.
換句話說，你不能擁有兩個相互沖突的東西。
For example, let’s say your friend is complaining about the amount of taxes he pays.
例如，假設你的朋友抱怨他交的稅太多。
But at the same time, he complains about the lack of services the city provides.
但與此同時，他也抱怨這座城市提供的服務匱乏。
You could say to him, “Look, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Better services cost money.”
你可以對他說：“聽著，魚和熊掌不可兼得。更好的服務是要花錢的?！?/p>
You could also say, you can't have the best of both worlds.
你也可以說，你不能兩全其美。
Another similar expression is: you can't have it both ways.
另一個類似的短語是：you can't have it both ways（魚和熊掌不可兼得）。
You can’t have your cake and eat it too also means we should not try to have more than is reasonable.
“You can’t have your cake and eat it too”也可以表示我們不應該設法擁有超出合理范圍的東西。
In other words, you can't possess the cake and eat it at the same time.
換句話說，你不能在吃掉蛋糕的同時還擁有蛋糕。
Once the cake is eaten, it is gone.
蛋糕一旦被吃掉，它就消失了。
And that’s the end of this Words and Their Stories.
以上就是本期《詞匯掌故》節目的全部內容。
If you want to get caught up on world events and practice your English, you can come to VOA Learning English.
如果你想了解世界大事并練習英語，你可以來聽VOA慢速英語。
Here, you have the best of both worlds. You can have your cake and eat it too!
在這里，你可以兩者兼得！
Until next time. I’m Anna Matteo.
下次見。我是安娜·馬特奧。
譯文為可可英語翻譯，未經授權請勿轉載！
