Now, the Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
现在是美国之音慢速英语词汇掌故节目。

The white swan – with its long, graceful neck – is among the most beautiful of birds. The swan is mostly silent through its life. It floats quietly on the water, unable to sing sweet songs like most other birds.
白天鹅以其修长而优雅的颈部跻身于最美鸟类的行列。天鹅的一生都近乎安静，它静静地游荡在水面，不会像大多数其它鸟类一样引颈高歌。

In ancient times, however, people believed that the swan was given a special gift of song at the end of its life. They believed a swan sings a most beautiful song...just before it dies.
然而在很久以前，人们相信天鹅在生命的最后时期会得到一份特殊的歌声礼物。人们相信天鹅在临死之际会唱出最优美的歌声。

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates talked of this two thousand three hundred years ago. Socrates explained that the swan was singing because it was happy. The bird was happy because it was going to serve the Greek God Apollo. Swans were holy to Apollo, the god of poetry and song.
两千三百年前古希腊哲学家苏格拉底就曾谈及于此。他解释称天鹅放声高歌是因为它们很快乐，它们即将去侍奉希腊神阿波罗。天鹅是诗歌之神阿波罗的神鸟。

The story of the swan’s last song found a place in the works of other writers, including the early English writers Chaucer and Shakespeare.
在其他作家的作品中也可以找到天鹅之歌的身影，包括英国早期作家乔叟和莎士比亚。

And, the expression swan song has long been a part of the English language. At first, swan song meant the last work of a poet, musician or writer. Now, it means the final effort of any person. Someone’s swan song usually is also considered that person’s finest work.
英语中一直就有swan song（天鹅之歌、绝唱、最后杰作）这种措辞。起初，swan song（绝唱）是指诗人、音乐家或者作家最后的作品。现在，它也可以指代任何人最后的努力。某个人的“绝唱”通常也被认为是其最好的作品。

A political expression with a similar meaning is the last hurrah. The expression may be used to describe a politician’s last campaign, his final attempt to win the cheers and votes of the people. The last hurrah also can mean the last acts of a politician, before his term in office ends.
一个有着类似意思的政治措辞是last hurrah（最后一搏），它可以用于表述政治家最后一次竞选，为赢得欢呼和选民投票的最后一次努力。它还可以理解为政治家任期结束前最后举动。

Writer Edwin O’Connor made the expression popular in nineteen fifty-six. He wrote a book about the final years in the political life of a long-time mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. He called his book, The Last Hurrah.
1956年，作家埃德温·奥康纳（Edwin O’Connor）使得这一措辞开始走红。他写了一本书讲述了长期任职的马萨诸塞州波士顿市市长最后几年的政治生涯。这本书叫做《最后的欢呼》。

Some language experts say the expression came from a name given to noisy supporters of Andrew Jackson...America’s seventh president. They cheered hurrah so loudly for Andy Jackson during his presidential campaign that they became known as the hurrah boys.
一些语言专家表示，这一措辞源于对美国第7任总统安德鲁·杰克逊的狂热支持者的称呼。他们在杰克逊总统竞选期间大声欢呼，被称为“欢呼者”。

Jackson’s hurrah boys also played a part in the election to choose the next president. Jackson’s choice was his vice president, Martin VanBuren.
杰克逊的“欢呼者”在下任总统的选举中也起到了一定作用。杰克逊对下任总统的选择是他的副手--马丁·范布伦。
 
A newspaper of the time reported that VanBuren was elected president, in its words: "...by the hurrah boys, and those who knew just enough to shout hurrah for Jackson." So, President Jackson really heard his last hurrahs in the campaign of another candidate, the man who would replace him in the White House.
当时的一家报纸在报道范布伦当选时这么写道：“...（范布伦）通过欢呼者以及那些知道为杰克逊欢呼就足以的人（成功当选总统）。”因此，杰克逊总统在另一位候选人的竞选中的确听到了最后的欢呼，这位候选人将取代他入主白宫。