Hello and welcome to “Words and Their Stories”. We will research into some commonly used words and expressions. As with other languages, American English is rich in expressions that come from animals. Today we will talk about the wolf.

Wolves are important animals in the traditions and stories of America. Before the Europeans arrived at north America in the 1500s, to native Americans, wolves often meant being brave.

However, in English, wolves are not to be trusted. Perhaps wolves attacked too many people or ate too many farm animals. Whatever the reason, wolves were killed in many places. So many died that they almost became endangered. They also became known as bad animals.

To begin with, there is an expression lone wolf. If we call somebody a lone wolf, he isn’t a bad person, but he may like to do things by himself. In fact, he sometimes makes you think he doesn’t want to be around people because he dislikes them.

Now, let’s move on to the home. Parents tell their children not to wolf down their food. In other words, the child eats too quickly and without care. And if someone says a child was raised by wolves, that child has bad manners and is behaving like a wild animal.

A wolf call is the noise made by a man to show that he likes the way a woman looks. But a wolf call is not a nice thing. These men sound rude. And trust me, most women really hate wolf calls. So, they don’t help a man in the game of love.

By the way, there is a popular expression about wolf from a very old story: a wolf in sheep’s clothing. A wolf in sheep’s clothing describes someone who acts and looks nice on the outside but is bad on the inside. It tells us not to be fooled by appearances.

How similar are language and music?

Language is part of our daily life, no matter where we live in the world. It is the same with music, whether you listen to it on the radio on your drive to work or sit before an orchestra. Both language and music play a huge role in our culture.【小题1】

·Both language and music have a writing system.

In English we record language using the alphabet, which is a collection of letters. Similarly, we use notes to keep a record of music. Musicians read notes and create meaning in the form of music.【小题2】 By writing pieces of text or music, we are able to share experiences through time. We can read the ideas or hear the composition of someone who lived hundreds of years ago.

·【小题3】

You can make a good guess at where someone is from by listening to the language they use. In the same way, we know that styles of music are different around the world, giving us the opportunity to explore many different cultures through their music and providing us with music for every situation.

·Both share emotion.

【小题4】 Of course you may be able to see it in my face, but you will know for sure through my words. Similarly, music can sound angry, sad or happy. Music can show you exactly how the composer was or is feeling, and allows us to share in that emotion. When you feel happy, you might want to sing and dance to a happy song to celebrate your happiness.【小题5】 I think we have all used music to express or process our emotions, often combining it with language in the form of song lyrics.

Feet help us walk, run, dance, and jump. The words feet and foot are also used in everyday speech.

To be under someone’s feet means to be troublesome. In other words, you are standing too close to someone and are getting in their way. Some adults criticize (批评) children for being under foot.

Speaking of children, if someone says their home will soon have the pitter-patter of tiny feet, it means the family is expecting a baby!

Now, people who are active do not let grass grow under their feet. They are never in one place for very long. People who can think and take action at the same time are said to be able to think on their feet.

Some people appear to have it all. They have money, a good education, good looks, a great family and a large circle of friends. You could say they have the world at their feet. This means whatever they want seems to be there for them.

People who have both feet firmly on the ground are realistic and practical. They are not dreamy. You might say such a person is well grounded. If you are a bad dancer, you might be described as having two left feet. To dance well, it is better to have a right foot and a left foot.

Sam loves skiing. He thinks that it would be fun to own a ski resort (滑雪场) high in the mountains. But he knows nothing about running a business. So, he decides to get his feet wet. In other words, he wants to get used to a new situation.

He joins an organization for resort owners and attends their meetings. He travels to ski areas all over the United States. This helps Sam get his foot in the door. Having a foot in the door is a starting point. This expression comes from people selling things door-to-door. They would block the door with their foot so people couldn’t close the door on them.