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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。
Today we go out to the ballpark ... the baseball park!
今天我们去棒球场！
We talk about an expression from the sport of baseball but now means so much more.
我们谈论的这个短语来自棒球运动，但现在这个短语有更多含义。
Inside baseball is something that is known or understood only by a small group of people.
“Inside baseball”指的是只有一小部分人知道或理解的事情。
Sometimes inside baseball describes a subject that has too many uninteresting details.
有时，“inside baseball”描述的是有太多无趣细节的主题。
So, most people do not understand it or even want to understand it.
所以，大多数人不理解它，甚至不想理解它。
We commonly use this expression with subjects like politics, science, or finance.
我们通常在政治、科学或金融等主题中使用这个短语。
For example, some urban voters are not interested in the inside baseball of constitutional reform.
例如，一些城市选民对晦涩的宪法改革程序不感兴趣。
But, they still might support reforms promising good schools, safe neighborhoods, and jobs.
但是，他们仍然可能会支持承诺提供优质学校、安全社区和就业机会的改革。
Here is another example. Many people would consider the yearly earnings reports of major companies as inside baseball information.
下面是另一个例子。许多人会把大公司的年度收益报告视为晦涩的专业信息。
The reports would not be of interest to them.
他们不会对这些报告感兴趣。
But to investors such reports are important.
但对投资者来说，此类报告很重要。
These insiders need the information.
这些内部人士需要这些信息。
On its website, Merriam Webster online dictionary explains how this phrase began back in the 1890s.
韦氏在线词典在其网站上解释了这个短语是如何在19世纪90年代开始出现的。
To score in baseball, a player needs to land on first, second, and third bases before reaching home plate.
要在棒球比赛中得分，球员需要在到达本垒前先到达一垒、二垒和三垒。
That is where the player scores.
那就是球员得分的地方。
One way to do this is to hit a home run.
得分的一种方法是打出本垒打。
The player hits the ball so far that the other team cannot get it.
球员将球击到另一队无法接球的地方。
Then, the batter and anyone else on a base moves forward all the way to home.
然后，击球手和垒上的其他任何人会一路向前跑到本垒。
That big hit will always please the crowd!
打出全垒打总是会让观众高兴的！
But most hits are not home runs.
但大多数安打都不是本垒打。
Most batters hit balls inside the field and move around the bases as other batters take their turns hitting.
大多数击球手在场内击球，并在其他击球手轮流击球时绕垒跑。
This can include also very short hits called bunts, where the bat touches the ball lightly to keep it infield.
其中也包括短打，即球棒轻轻触球以使球保持在内场。
There are also stolen bases -- when runners take a next base usually as the other team is pitching to a batter.
还有盗垒——通常是当另一支球队正在向击球手投球时，跑垒员占据了下一个垒。
These are part of a long list of skills, tools, and possible plays used to play competitive baseball.
这些是用来打竞技棒球的一些技能、工具和可能的打法的一部分。
This kind of play is called inside baseball.
这种打法叫做inside baseball。
It is not an obvious type of scoring, especially when compared the dramatic homerun.
这不是一种明显的得分方式，尤其是与戏剧性的本垒打相比。
"Inside" is also featured in other popular terms in American English.
在美式英语中，“Inside”也出现在其他流行词汇中。
An inside joke, for example, is a joke that only a few people understand.
例如，内部笑话指的是只有少数人能理解的笑话。
With inside jokes, we often say this to those who don't understand: "You had to be there."
在讲内部笑话时，我们经常会对那些不理解的人说：“你必须在那里。”
Insider knowledge is also things understood by a special few.
内幕消息也指的是少数人能理解的东西。
Let's say you want to work at a company and you have insider knowledge about it.
比方说，你想在一家公司工作，并且你了解这家公司的内幕消息。
Maybe you know people who work there or their product line.
也许你认识在那里工作的人或他们的产品线。
This insider knowledge may give you an advantage over others.
这种内幕消息可能会让你比其他人更有优势。
An inside track is a good position in a situation.
在某种情况下，内圈跑道是一个很好的位置。
It comes from racers on a circular track.
它来自圆形赛道上的赛车手。
The runners on the inside may have an advantage.
内侧的跑步者可能会有优势。
Here's how to use it: She seems to have an inside track at the university. She knows everyone!
下面是如何使用它：她似乎在大学里很有优势。她认识所有人！
And finally, an inside job is something done with the help of someone inside an organization.
最后，inside job（监守自盗）指的是在组织内部人员的帮助下完成的事情。
The term, however, is usually used in connection with a crime.
然而，这个词通常与犯罪有关。
If police think a bank robbery was an inside job, for example, they would probably question all who work at the bank.
例如，如果警方认为银行抢劫案是内贼作案，他们可能会询问所有在银行工作的人。
And that's all the time we have 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！
