[ti:Have You Ever 'Spilled the Beans?'] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:07.84]Now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English. [00:12.84]Beans are a popular food in many countries. [00:19.92]From black to red, from kidney to pinto, [00:24.24]beans are important in the diet of many cultures. [00:29.68]Rich in fiber, protein and nutrients, [00:32.92]beans are a healthy, plant-based food. [00:37.36]So, spilling the beans at home or in a store would not be good. [00:43.68]Food is important and does not belong on the floor. [00:48.88]"Spilling the beans" when you communicate with others is also a bad thing. [00:55.28]When you spill the beans, you share or make public secret information. [01:02.40]You don't mean to do it. [01:04.68]The secrets just spill out of you. [01:08.60]However, this expression does not come from cooking beans [01:13.16]or the fact that we shouldn't waste food. [01:17.24]The expression "spill the beans" [01:19.52]has been a part of the English language for hundreds of years. [01:25.16]Some word historians say the term was first used all the way back in the 1500s. [01:33.44]If you think that sounds old, you may be surprised to learn [01:37.84]that the origin of "spill the beans" goes back to ancient Greece. [01:44.16]Several websites say this expression comes from one way ancient Greeks voted. [01:51.04]Back then in some communities, people voted by dropping a white [01:56.04]or black bean into a clay urn. [02:00.40]If the container fell on its side or broke, [02:03.88]the beans would spill out. [02:07.04]And this would show everyone the results of the secret vote [02:11.28]before all the beans were counted. [02:15.12]While this origin story is interesting, [02:18.60]it does not explain why the term "spill the beans" [02:22.36]does not appear in common usage until much later. [02:27.40]Maybe it is because other expressions with the same meaning [02:31.72]were simply more popular. [02:34.72]For example, letting the cat out of the bag [02:38.24]means the same as spilling the beans. [02:42.52]We've explained the meaning of "to let the cat out of the bag" before. [02:46.84]But it's always good to hear it again. [02:51.08]Americans use the verb "spill" in much the same way. [02:57.04]Sometimes we simply say, "Spill it!" [03:00.16]When you tell others to "spill it," you are asking them to tell you [03:06.48]all the details about something immediately. [03:11.04]This term is very casual and could even sound offensive [03:16.24]depending on the situation and expression in your voice. [03:21.72]So it's best to use it with close friends, [03:25.12]family or when you are joking around. [03:30.24]Blab is another word meaning "to spill the beans." [03:35.36]Blab is not the nicest word, however. [03:39.84]A man who blabbers keeps talking and talking, [03:43.60]as if he can't keep his mouth closed. [03:48.12]A blabber mouth is someone who can't keep their mouth shut. [03:53.56]Blabber mouths are known for often spilling the beans [03:58.00]and for letting more than a few cats out of the bag. [04:03.44]From among our expressions today -- spill the beans, [04:07.37]let the cat out of the bag, and blabber -- the blabber mouth [04:11.76]does not always mean someone who gives away secrets. [04:16.68]They sometimes just talk too much! [04:21.44]Well, I don't want to be accused of being a blabber mouth. [04:25.32]So, this will be the end this Words and Their Stories [04:29.16]from VOA Learning English. [04:31.92]I'm Anna Matteo. [04:33.92]Don't start me talking or I'll tell everything I know. [04:41.20]Don't start me talking I'll spill the beans for sure. [04:48.03]Right before your eyes, I'll blurt it all open wide. [04:54.65]Don't start me talking ... [04:59.83]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM