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Now, the VOA |
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Special English program |
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WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. |
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Monkeys are very similar |
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to us in many ways. |
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Most have ten fingers |
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and ten toes, and brains |
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much like ours. |
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We enjoy watching them |
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because they often act like us. |
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In fact, Charles Darwin's |
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theory of evolution says |
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that monkeys and humans |
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share a common ancestor. |
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Songwriter William Gilbert, |
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in the musical "Princess Ida", |
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wrote:"Darwinian man, |
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though well-behaved, at best |
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is only a monkey shaved." |
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His words |
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-- sung to Sir Arthur Sullivan's music |
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-- make listeners smile. |
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Well, monkeys make us smile, too, |
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because they are creatures |
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full of playful tricks. |
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This is why many monkey |
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expressions are about |
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tricky people or playful acts. |
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One of these expressions |
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is monkeyshines, meaning tricks |
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or foolish acts. |
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The meaning is clear |
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if you have ever watched |
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a group of monkeys |
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playfully chasing each other: |
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pulling tails, stealing food, |
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doing tricks. |
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So, when a teacher says |
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to a group of students: |
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"Stop those monkeyshines right now!" |
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you know that the boys and girls |
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are playing, instead of studying. |
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You might hear that same teacher |
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warn a student not to |
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monkey around with |
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a valuable piece of equipment. |
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You monkey around with something |
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when you do not know |
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what you are doing. |
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You are touching |
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or playing with something |
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you should leave alone. |
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Also, you can monkey around |
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when you feel like doing something, |
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but have no firm idea of what to do. |
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For example, you tell your friend |
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you are going to spend the day |
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monkeying around with your car. |
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Weel, you do not have |
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any job or goal in mind. |
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It is just a way to pass the time. |
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Monkey business usually means |
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secret, maybe illegal, activities. |
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A news report may say there is |
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monkey business involved |
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in building the new airport, |
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with some officials getting |
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secret payments from builders. |
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You may make a monkey out |
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of someone when you make |
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that person look foolish. |
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Some people make a monkey |
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out of themselves |
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by acting foolish or silly. |
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If one monkey has fun, |
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imagine how much fun |
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a barrel of monkeys can have. |
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If your friend says |
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he had more fun than a barrel |
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of monkeys at your party, |
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you know that he |
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had a really good time. |
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Monkey suits are common names |
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for clothes or uniforms soldiers wear. |
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In earlier years |
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in many American cities, |
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you would find men playing |
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musical hand organs on the street. |
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Dancing to the music would |
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be the man's small monkey |
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dressed in a tight-fitting, |
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colorful jacket similar |
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to a military uniform. |
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So, people began to call |
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a military uniform a monkey suit. |
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(MUSIC) |
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This VOA Special English program, |
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WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, |
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was written by Marilyn Rice Christiano. |
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Maurice Joyce was the narrator. |
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I'm Shirley Griffith. |
