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And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
欢迎收听VOA慢速英语《词汇掌故》节目。
On this program, we explore words and expressions in the English language.
在本节目中，我们探讨英语中的单词和短语。
We give examples and notes on usage.
我们举例子，并对用法进行解释说明。
Some things in life change easily and often.
生活中的某些事情很容易且经常发生变化。
They are fluid.
它们是易变的。
They change and move as fluids do -- easily.
它们像液体一样很容易发生变化。
When we are planning events or establishing rules and policies, sometimes it is good to keep things fluid or changeable.
当我们计划活动或制定规则和政策时，有时让事情保持易变性是好的。
But some things are not easily moved or changed.
但有些事物是不容易被改变的。
They are fixed or inflexible.
它们是不可被改变的。
To describe these inflexible things, we can say they are set in stone.
要描述这些不可被改变的事物，我们可以说它们是一成不变的。
Things that are set in stone are very difficult or impossible to change.
一成不变的事情是很难或不可能被改变的。
We can say that permanent rules, laws, and policies are set in stone.
我们可以说，永久的规则、法律和政策是一成不变的。
It often takes several difficult actions to change them.
改变它们通常需要采取艰难的行动。
The dates of some events are also set in stone.
一些活动的日期也是一成不变的。
For example, weddings take a lot of planning.
例如，婚礼需要进行大量的筹划。
Some people even start planning for their wedding a year or more ahead of time.
有些人甚至提前一年或更长时间开始筹划他们的婚礼。
You simply cannot tell friends and family that your wedding will happen sometime in June.
你不可能只告诉朋友和家人你的婚礼将会在六月的某个时候举行。
You must find a space for the ceremony.
你必须为婚礼仪式找个地方。
You need to invite people and find out how many are coming.
你需要邀请人们，看看有多少人会来。
You need to decide on food, music, and flowers.
你需要决定食物、音乐和鲜花。
And you must have money to pay workers to do different things.
而且你必须有钱付钱让工人做不同的事情。
So, setting a wedding date in stone is the best way to make sure the wedding happens smoothly.
因此，一成不变的婚礼日期是确保婚礼顺利进行的最好方法。
Setting the date in stone means it cannot change.
Setting the date in stone的意思是日期不能改变。
Or at least, changes would cause problems for people and possibly cost you a lot of money.
或者至少，改变会给人们带来麻烦，可能会花费你很多钱。
We also use this expression with two other verbs: carve and write.
我们还将这个短语与另外两个动词一起使用：carve和write。
So, you can say something is carved in stone or something is written in stone.
因此，你可以说something is carved in stone或something is written in stone。
The meaning stays the same.
意思是保持不变。
On the other hand, if a rule, date, or event could be changed easily, we can say it is penciled in.
另一方面，“pencil in”的意思是规则、日期或事件可以很容易地被更改。
If you pencil something in, you are admitting that it is not set in stone.
如果你初定某事，你承认它不是一成不变的。
It may change and may be erased.
它可能会被改变，也可能会被擦除。
When using this expression, however, you do not need to really use a pencil.
然而，当使用这个短语时，你并不需要真正使用铅笔。
So, when we say something is not carved, set, or written in stone, we mean it can be changed.
因此，当我们说某事不是一成不变的时候，我们的意思是它可以被改变。
For example, many workers were upset by some new office rules.
例如，许多员工对一些新的办公室规定感到不满。
So, the supervisor said, "If they don't work, we can always change them."
于是，主管说：“如果它们不起作用，我们可以随时更改它们。”
In other words, the rules are not carved in stone.
换句话说，这些规定不是一成不变的。
Before we end the program, here is one more example for set in stone.
在我们结束本期节目之前，我们再举一个有关“set in stone”的例子。
The editor used it when he sent back my edited story.
编辑在发回我编辑过的文章时用到了它。
He gave some changes but added, "These are just suggestions. They are not set in stone."
他做了一些修改，但补充说，“这些只是建议。它们不是一成不变的。”
It's good to have an editor with a sense of humor!
有一个有幽默感的编辑真好！
And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories. Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo.
以上就是本期《词汇掌故》节目的全部内容。下次见……我是安娜·马特奥。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
