这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇掌故节目。
The Earth is a big place. The U.S. space agency NASA says the Earth has a diameter of about 12,800 kilometers. And the organization Population Reference Bureau estimates that about 7.5 billion people live on our planet. That is a lot of people!
地球是一个很大的地方。美国宇航局表示，地球直径约为12800公里。人口资料局这家组织估计地球上大约有75亿人口。人好多啊！
So, it can really come as a surprise when you see someone in a place where you do not expect to see them. This can make the world feel very small.
所以，当你在某个地方意外遇见某人，确实会感到非常惊讶。这让人感觉世界好小。
For example, let's say I travel all the way to Brazil for a vacation. Then, at my hotel, who do I see? My co-worker from back home -- Caty! I have traveled very far from home only to see someone I know from home! That would be a great time to say: "Caty! Fancy seeing you here! What a small world!"
例如，假设我一路前往巴西度假。然后，我在酒店遇见了谁？来自故乡的同事凯蒂。我离家这么远出来旅行，看到了来自故乡的故世。最适合说的一句话就是：“凯蒂！想不到在这里见到你！世界真小啊！”
It is always surprising to run into someone we know in a place as big as ... the world! We can say some form of "small world" to show this surprise.
在如此广阔的世界中突然遇到我们认识的某人总是令人感到惊讶。我们可以说“世界真小”来表示我们的惊讶。
Now, sometimes events and people are connected in a surprising way. In these situations, we can also say "small world."
有时候某些事和某些人以令人惊讶地方式联系到了一起。在这种情况下，我们也可以说“世界真小。”
For example, let's say you make a new friend. You two met while playing on the same sports team. You start talking about where your live and what you do. And as the two of you talk more, you both find out that you have the same English teacher!
例如，假设你结识了一位新朋友。你俩在同一支运动队打比赛时认识。你开始聊到自己的住处和工作。随着你俩聊天的深入，你俩都发现，你们是同一个英语老师教的。
You can say, "He's your teacher, too? There are hundreds of English teachers. What are the odds! It is such a small world!"
你可以说，“他也是你的老师？这里有数百名英语老师。这概率有多大？世界真小啊！”
These are all examples of coincidences. You were not expecting to find these connections between people, places, or events.
这些都是巧合的例子。你并未预料到会发现这些人、地方或事件之间的联系。
And sometimes it is not always a pleasant surprise.
有时候这种惊奇并非总是惊喜。
Let's say I go to an art show in New York City. Now, on any given day there are probably many art shows taking place in the Big Apple. But the one I go to just happens to be showing the artwork of my former boyfriend. Really? He's the artist? Small world.
假设我去纽约看一场艺术展。纽约在任何一天都可能有很多场艺术展。但是我去看的那场刚好展出了我前男友的艺术作品。是吗？他就是这位艺术家？世界真小！
In a larger explanation, this expression means that although the world seems really big, we can still meet people we know in the most unexpected places.
这个短语表示，虽然世界看起来确实非常大，但是我们仍然可以在最意想不到的地方遇到我们认识的人。
Usually, we say "it's a small world" to show surprise at a connection that seems unlikely, improbable, and against the odds.
通常我们用“世界真小”来表示对看上去不太可能、概率很小的某种联系表示惊讶。
Generally speaking, "It's a small world" means that sometimes the world can feel a lot smaller than it is. And that can be a good feeling.
一般来说，“世界真小”意味着有时候感觉这个世界比实际上要小得多。这感觉不错。
"It's a Small World" is also the name of a water-based boat ride at Walt Disney Company theme parks. And it is the name of the song you hear throughout the boat ride.
“小小世界”也是迪士尼公司主题公园水上游船项目的名称。它也是你整个乘船过程中听到的那首歌的名字。
There's so much that we share That it's time we're aware, It's a small world after all ...
我们共分享 应知人间小。
The ride shows children from around the world in traditional costumes. They are dancing, playing, and singing.
该游乐设施展出了世界各地的儿童身着传统服饰。他们跳着、闹着、唱着。
On the Disney Parks website, Richard Sherman -- the man who wrote the words to "It's a Small World" -- talked about the song and what it means.
在迪士尼乐园的官方网站上，“小小世界”的作词人里查德·谢尔曼谈到了这首歌以及它的含义。
Sherman said Walt Disney wanted a simple song – one that could be performed in English and many other languages. He added that people everywhere share the same feelings. So, everyone should respect each other and love each other ... after all!
谢尔曼表示，迪士尼想要一首简单的歌曲，可以用英语等多种语言播放。他还说，世界各地的人们都有相同的感受。因此，每个人都应该互相尊重、彼此相爱，毕竟：
It's a small world after all, It's a small world after all, It's a small world after all, It's a small, small world!
这是一个小小世界，这是一个小小世界，这是一个小小世界，这是一个小小、小小世界。
And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories.
以上就是本期词汇掌故节目的全部内容。
Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo.
我们下期节目再见。我是安娜·马特奥。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，禁止转载，违者必究！)