Now, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, a program in Special English by the Voice of America.
It is surprising how many expressions that Americans use every day came from the card game of poker. For example, you hear the expression, ace in the hole, used by many people who would never think of going near a poker table. An ace in the hole is any argument, plan or thing kept hidden until needed. It is used especially when it can turn failure into success.
In poker and most card games, the ace is the highest and most valuable card. It is often a winning card. In one kind of poker game, the first card to each player is given face down. A player does not show this card to the other players. The other cards are dealt face up. The players bet money each time they receive another card.
No one knows until the end of the game whose hidden card is the winner. Often, the ace in the hole wins the game.
Smart card players, especially those who play for large amounts of money, closely watch the person who deals the cards. They are watching to make sure he is dealing honestly. They want to be sure that he is not dealing off the bottom of the stack of cards. A dealer who is doing that has stacked the deck. He has fixed the cards so that he will get higher cards. He will win and you will lose.
The expression, dealing off the bottom, now means cheating in business, as well as in cards. And when someone tells you that the cards are stacked against you, he is saying you do not have a chance to succeed.
In a poker game you do not want to let your opponents know if your cards are good or bad. So having a poker face is important. A poker face never shows any emotion, never expresses either good or bad feelings. No one can learn – by looking at your face – if your cards are good or bad.
People now use poker face in everyday speech to describe someone who shows no emotion.
Someone who has a poker face usually is good at bluffing. Bluffing is trying to trick a person into believing something about you that is not true.
In poker, you bluff when you bet heavily on a poor hand. The idea is to make the other players believe you have strong cards and are sure to win. If they believe you, they are likely to drop out of the game. This means you win the money they have bet.
You can do a better job of bluffing if you hold your cards close to your vest. You hold your cards close to you so no one can see what you have. In everyday speech, holding your cards close to your vest means not letting others know what you are doing or thinking. You are keeping your plans secret.
We are not bluffing when we say we hope you have enjoyed today’s program.
This Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES was written by Marilyn Rice Christiano. This is Bob Doughty.
ace in the hole:最后王牌,杀手锏
stack the deck:洗牌作弊
dealing off the bottom:出老千
stack against:不利于
poker face:一本正经的面容;面无表情的人
bluff:欺骗,吓唬
hold your cards close to your vest:守口如瓶
雅思听力中的经典小词整理(2)
雅思听力备考方法:听力习惯篇
影响雅思听力理解的几个因素
雅思听力训练的三原则和四个字
结课后如何自行复习雅思听力
四类雅思听力题型的答题方法分享
雅思听力材料:伟大的作曲家-巴赫(视频)
雅思听力号码考点的应对策略
雅思听力常考英美地名汇总
雅思听力summary与sentence completion应对技巧
详细了解雅思听力考试
雅思听力:动物场景解析
雅思听力旅游、交通、娱乐场景常考词汇
雅思听力备考的立体训练技巧
雅思听力考试需抓住宝贵的读题时间
张新蕊:雅思听力如何考到7.5分
雅思听力答案誊写的几点注意事项
雅思听力高分需要学会预测方法
雅思听力地图题常见方位词集锦
雅思听力备考需先增强语感扩大词汇量
浅谈提高雅思听力的方法
雅思听力中的经典小词整理(1)
雅思听力考试的六个小贴士
雅思听力提高方法谈:增强语感最重要
雅思听力图书馆场景常考词汇
雅思阅读考试的小建议(英)
雅思听力真题词汇整理
雅思听力备考的11个秘诀(上)
雅思听力经典陷阱介绍及分析
雅思听力四大题型解题方法总结
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |