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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。
In life, there are times when we must tell others about their bad behavior or unsafe actions.
在生活中，有时我们必须告诉别人他们的不良行为或不安全的行为。
Sometimes that means giving them a strongly worded warning or scolding them.
有时，这意味着给他们一个措辞强硬的警告或斥责他们。
We can also read them the riot act.
我们还可以向他们宣读《暴动法》。
A riot is a violent public disorder.
riot指的是一种暴力的公共骚乱。
And that is where the expression comes from.
这就是这个短语的由来。
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary says it dates back to the early 1700s England, when opponents of King George I began a series of protests.
韦氏在线词典称，这个词可以追溯到18世纪初的英国，当时国王乔治一世的反对者发动了一系列抗议活动。
The British government wanted to stop the protests.
英国政府希望阻止抗议活动。
So, they passed a law called the "Riot Act."
因此，他们通过了一项名为《暴动法》的法律。
It permitted officials to break up gatherings of 12 or more people by reading a speech out-loud.
这项法案允许官员通过大声朗读法条来驱散12人及以上的集会。
If the protestors did not leave, they would be guilty of a crime punishable by death.
如果抗议者不离开，他们将会被判处死刑。
By 1819, "riot act" was also being used more generally for any severe warning or reprimand.
到1819年，“暴动法”也被更普遍地用于任何严厉的警告或谴责。
The law is no longer enforced across the pond, as we sometimes refer to Britain.
这项法案不再在大西洋彼岸执行，我们有时指的是英国。
But the term to read the riot act is still alive and well today.
但如今，read the riot act这个短语仍然很流行。
We read someone the riot act to severely scold them.
read someone the riot act表示严厉地斥责某人。
Reading the riot act can include some shouting – and, in fact, often does.
Reading the riot act可能会包括喊叫，事实上，经常是这样。
We can use this expression in just about any situation where someone has made a big mistake – at work, with our friends, and with our family.
只要有人犯了大错，我们就可以使用这个短语，比如工作中，朋友、家人。
Now, let's hear it used between two friendly coworkers who are talking about a family situation.
现在，我们来听听两个友好的同事在谈论家庭情况时是如何使用这个短语的。
Wow, who was that on the phone? I could hear her yelling at you all the way over here.
哇，刚才打电话的是谁啊？我在这儿都能听到她冲你大吼大叫。
It was my aunt reading me the riot act.
是我姑姑在斥责我。
Why? What did you do?
为什么？你干什么了？
Well, I forgot to go to her house for dinner last night. And she made all my favorite dishes.
我昨晚忘了去她家吃晚饭了。她做了我最喜欢的菜。
Oh. That is a big mistake. I'm not surprised she read you the riot act.
哦。这是一个很大的错误。她斥责你我一点也不奇怪。
And it was her birthday.
那天是她的生日。
Oh wow. I'm surprised she is still speaking to you.
哦，哇哦。我很惊讶她还在跟你说话。
I know! I feel awful! So, to make it up to her, I'm taking her out to dinner at a restaurant that serves HER favorite dishes.
我知道！我感觉糟透了！所以，为了补偿她，我要带她去一家餐厅吃饭，那里有她最喜欢的菜。
If VOA Learning English stopped teaching English, our listeners would have every right to read us the riot act.
如果美国之音慢速英语停止教授英语，我们的听众将完全有权斥责我们。
And that's all the time we have for 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.
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！
