[ti:Insect Expressions] [ar:Faith Lapidus] [al:WORDS AND THEIR STORIES] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]Now, the VOA [00:12.46]Special English program [00:14.45]WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. [00:16.89]There are many American [00:19.28]expressions about insects [00:21.28]-- like bees, for example. [00:23.86]Bees are known [00:25.71]as very hard workers. [00:27.25]They always appear [00:29.34]to be busy, moving around [00:31.48]in their homes, or hives. [00:33.17]So you might say you were [00:35.81]as busy as a bee if you spent [00:38.64]your weekend cleaning your house. [00:40.74]In fact, you might say your house [00:44.58]was a beehive of activity [00:47.36]if your whole family [00:49.40]was helping you clean. [00:51.20]You also might say [00:53.98]you made a beeline for something [00:56.72]if you went there right away. [00:59.61]When we go to see a movie, [01:02.74]my friend always makes a beeline [01:06.22]for the place [01:07.42]where they sell popcorn. [01:09.56]Here is an expression [01:11.90]about bees that is not used [01:14.88]much any more, [01:15.94]but we like it anyway. [01:17.93]We think it was first used [01:21.46]in the nineteen twenties. [01:23.75]If something was the best [01:26.79]of its kind, you might say [01:29.87]it was the bee's knees. [01:32.51]Now, we admit that we do not know [01:36.74]how this expression developed. [01:38.93]In fact, we do not even know [01:41.73]if bees have knees! [01:43.97]If your friend cannot stop [01:47.25]talking about something [01:48.55]because she thinks it is important, [01:51.58]you might say she has a bee [01:55.06]in her bonnet. [01:56.12]If someone asks you [01:58.66]a personal question, [02:00.31]you might say [02:01.71]"that is none of your beeswax." [02:05.15]This means none of your business. [02:08.98]Speaking of personal questions, [02:12.56]there is an expression [02:14.65]people sometimes use [02:16.44]when their children ask, [02:18.39]"where do babies come from?" [02:20.88]Parents who discuss sex [02:23.92]and reproduction say [02:26.41]this is talking about [02:28.25]the birds and the bees. [02:30.35]Hornets are bee-like insects [02:34.48]that sometimes attack people. [02:37.22]If you are really angry, [02:39.86]you might say [02:41.66]you are mad as a hornet. [02:44.09]And if you stir up a hornet's nest, [02:48.17]you create trouble or problems. [02:51.12]Butterflies are beautiful insects, [02:56.50]but you would not want [02:58.88]to have butterflies in your stomach. [03:01.57]That means to be nervous [03:04.61]about having to do something, [03:06.85]like speaking in front of a crowd. [03:09.88]You would also not want [03:13.57]to have ants in your pants. [03:15.41]That is, to be restless [03:18.24]and unable to sit still. [03:20.58]Here are some expressions [03:23.82]about plain old bugs, [03:26.16]another word for insects. [03:28.36]If a friend keeps asking you [03:31.79]to do something [03:32.88]you do not want to do, [03:34.58]you might ask him [03:36.63]to leave you alone [03:38.22]or "stop bugging me." [03:40.41]A friend also might tell you [03:43.20]again and again to do something. [03:45.63]If so, you might say [03:48.42]he put a bug in your ear. [03:50.61]If you were reading a book [03:54.19]in your warm bed [03:55.99]on a cold winter's day, [03:57.33]you might say you were snug [04:00.62]as a bug in a rug. [04:02.46]And if you wish someone good night, [04:06.40]you might say, [04:08.19]"sleep tight -- don't [04:10.23]let the bed bugs bite." [04:11.77](MUSIC) [04:21.77]This VOA Special English program [04:25.26]was written by Shelley Gollust. [04:27.60]I'm Faith Lapidus. [04:29.49]You can find more [04:31.08]WORDS AND THEIR STORIES [04:32.42]at 51voa.com.