Each week, we tell the story of English language words and expressions. On our program today, we will talk about seasons. In some places, there are four: winter, spring, summer and autumn.
我们每周都会讲述英语词汇故事。在本期节目中，我们将会谈到季节。有些地方一年有四季：春、夏、秋、冬。
Many areas in Earth's northern hemisphere have just experienced a change of seasons -- from summer to autumn. Hours of daylight grow shorter, and temperatures drop. Nature is entering a quiet phase. Flowering plants stop producing flowers. Leaves growing on some trees change color, die and fall to the ground. Some animals become less active and hibernate during the winter months.
地球北半球的很多地区刚刚经历了从夏天到秋天的季节变化。日照时间变短，温度下降。大自然正在进入一个宁静的阶段。花卉停止开花。有些树木上生长的叶子变黄、枯死并飘落在地。有些动物开始减少活动，并在冬季进入冬眠。
Nature has its phases and so do we.
大自然有它的各个阶段，我们人类也是如此。
Like seeds shooting signs of life through the soil, spring is a time of rebirth. If it were likened to a human life, spring is the time when we enter the world as innocent as a newborn baby.
就像种子从土壤中折射出生命的迹象，春天是万物复苏的季节。如果把它比作生命，春天就是我们像新生儿一样纯真地来到这个世界的这个时期。
Then babies become toddlers. They learn the word "no" and use it a lot. Bad behavior can be a problem during this period. No wonder it is often called the "Terrible Twos." But other than this "terrible" part, childhood is a magical time, or at least, it should be, when everything seems possible.
然后婴儿成长为幼儿。他们学会了说不并且经常使用。在此期间，不良行为可能是个问题。难怪这个时期通常被称为“可怕的两岁。”但是除了这个“可怕”的阶段，童年是一个神奇的时期，或者至少应该是，这个阶段似乎一切都有可能。
However, those feelings of wonder are often dampened during a child's adolescence. The growing pains and angst of the teenage years can be a dark time, indeed. But then we become young adults. We try to make it on our own.
然而，这些奇妙的感觉通常都会在儿童青春期减弱。的确，少年时代越来越多的痛苦和焦虑是一个黑暗时期。但是随后我们长大成为年轻人，我们开始尝试自立。
For many people, their 20s and 30s are the prime of life. This is the time when they are at their personal best. But the prime of life can happen at any time. Some people peak really early. They hit their prime in high school or college. After that, it may be all downhill. He or she is filled with memories of the glory days – always reliving an earlier, happier time.
对很多人来说，二三十岁是人生的鼎盛日期。这是他们个人的最好时期。但是生命的鼎盛时期会随时到来。有人真的很早就到达人生巅峰。他们在高中或大学达到巅峰状态。在那之后可能就全都是下坡路。他（她）充满了辉煌的回忆，总是在重温那些早期的欢乐时光。
We just sit around talking about the old times, She says when she feels like crying she starts laughing thinking about ... Glory days - they pass you by Glory days - in the wink of a young girl's eye, Glory days, glory days ...
我们坐下来说着过去的时光，她说每当她想哭的时候，她就开始笑着想起那些荣耀的日子。荣耀的日子会离你而去，在年轻女孩的眼中，闪烁着荣耀的日子，那些荣耀的日子。
Other people may be late bloomers. They do not hit their peak until much later in life. And still others live their lives as if the best is yet to come ... always!
还有些人可能大器晚成。他们直到人生末期才达到巅峰。还有些人过着他们的日子，好像最好人生阶段一直都没有到来。
Whenever you peak, we all begin to slow down a bit. As we age, we hit a phase that some people call midlife. In this phase we are busy working and possibly raising a family. Even though we are busy, we may feel that life has become predictable. So, this is when many people want to change things, a lot! They have a so-called midlife crisis... or two. They may buy a really fast motorcycle, get a tattoo or take up a new and dangerous hobby -- like skydiving.
无论何时你达到巅峰，我们都会开始慢下来。随着年龄增长，我们进入了中年阶段。在这个阶段，我们忙于工作，可能开始养家。即使我们很忙，我们也可能会感到生活变得可以预见。所以，这个阶段很多人都希望改变很多。他们有了所谓的中年危机。他们可能会购买一辆非常快的摩托车，去纹个身，或者从事一项新的危险爱好，例如跳伞。
But this passes and things calm down again as we enter the next phase – the autumn years.
但是随着我们进入下一个阶段，这一切都会过去，生活又再次平静下来。
If spring is the season of being born, autumn is the season of dying -- or at least slowing down for the winter. Our autumn years is the period after we retire from work and start to slow down. Many people love this phase and enjoy their time in retirement.
如果春天是新生的季节，那么秋天就是垂死的季节，或者至少是慢慢等待着冬天到来。我们的晚年是指退休后开始放慢脚步的时期。很多人都喜欢这个阶段，享受着他们的退休时光。
However, we have other terms that describe this latter part of life. You might hear them called the twilight years. For many, this could suggest that the "end is near."
然而，我们还有其它术语来描述这个生命的后半阶段。你可能听过迟暮之年。对大多数人来说，这可能意味着“大限将至。”
So, perhaps a better expression is the golden years. This describes a time that is carefree and easy. Golden, you might say. You finally hit a phase where you don't have to care what other people think anymore.
因此，也许更好的词汇是黄金岁月。它描述了这段无忧无虑且轻松的时期。你可能会说Golden。我们终于进入了无需再理会别人想法的阶段。
Perhaps this is why we sometimes call the autumn years, or golden years, a second childhood. We can live like a child again, hopefully, without a care in the world.
可能这是为何我们有时称晚年是第二个童年的原因。我们可以再次活得跟小孩一样，不用在乎这个世界。
Some people in their autumn years of life may have some regrets. But seriously, who wouldn't? Nearly everyone has a few "what-ifs" and "should-haves."
有些人在晚年生活中可能会有一些遗憾。但是说真的，谁没点遗憾呢？几乎每个人都会有一些“假如”和“原本应该。”
But as we say, you can't change the past. You can only look to the future ... whatever stage of life you are in.
但是就像我们说的，过去无法改变。无论处于人生哪个阶段，我们都只能放眼未来。
And that's Words and Their Stories.
以上就是本期词汇掌故节目的全部内容。