阿兹特克人的地球女神就是由一条身穿蛇裙的大蛇来表示，她既是创造者也是毁灭者。大英百科全书在线网站指出，在波罗的海传统中，碰到蛇被认为是好运。因此，蛇在许多文化中都很重要。"serpents"比"snake"听起来要更大、更吓人，甚至更重要。谈论蛇作为古代象征符号时，可以使用"serpent"替代"snake"。称某人是蛇就是说他是骗子的意思。
And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
For many, many years, different cultures and religions around the world have used snakes as symbols.
Websites such as History. com and Encyclopedia Britannica tell us about snake symbolism in ancient cultures.
They say the image of a snake meant fertility and rebirth for some native American groups, as well as people living in ancient Greece and Egypt.
One ancient symbol of eternity is a snake eating its own tail.
This image was found in the burial place of King Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut. He served as Egypt's ruler over 3,300 years ago.
A serpent was an important god for ancient Mayans.
And the Aztec earth goddess – both creator and destroyer –is represented by a serpent wearing a skirt of snakes.
Serpents are also important in both the ancient Norse and Chinese cultures.
Encyclopedia Britannica notes that in Baltic traditions, running into a snake was considered good luck.
And it was bad luck if you killed one.
However, in some religious traditions, a serpent tempted Eve -- the world's first woman – to disobey God by eating forbidden fruit.
This got her and Adam -- the world's first man -- expelled from the Garden of Eden. So, snakes were important in many cultures.
Sometimes they represented creation. At other times, they represented good and evil and sometimes just evil.
欢迎来到VOA英语学习《词汇掌故》节目。很久以来，世界各地不同的文化和宗教都将蛇作为某种象征符号。
诸如历史网站（History。com）和大英百科全书在线网站（Encyclopedia Britannica）等都介绍了蛇在古代文化中的象征意义。
这些网站称，对某些美国原住民群体以及生活在古希腊和埃及的人们而言，蛇的形象意味着丰收和新生。
古代象征永恒的意象之一就是一条蛇咬住自己的尾巴。该意象是在图坦卡蒙国王（简称：图坦国王）的墓地发现的。
3300多年前，他曾是埃及的统治者。蛇是古代玛雅人的重要神灵。
阿兹特克人的地球女神就是由一条身穿蛇裙的大蛇来表示，她既是创造者也是毁灭者。
蛇在古代挪威文化和中国文化中也很重要。
大英百科全书在线网站指出，在波罗的海传统中，碰到蛇被认为是好运。
而如果杀了蛇就是霉运。但是，在某些宗教传统中，蛇引诱世界上第一个女人夏娃吃禁果来违抗上帝。这让她和世界上第一个男人亚当一起被逐出了伊甸园。
因此，蛇在许多文化中都很重要。它们有时代表创造。有时代表善与恶，有时只代表邪恶。
Now, as you just heard, sometimes we call snakes "serpents".
A serpent sounds bigger, more threatening, and even more important than a snake.
You can call a serpent a snake when talking about ancient symbols.
But it does not work well the other way.
If you saw a snake moving on the ground, you would not say, "Hey look! A serpent just slithered under that rock"!
We often use the word "slither" to describe how a snake moves.
In the English language, snakes have a bad reputation.
A person described as a "snake" is a liar. He or she acts like a friend to your face but then does something terrible behind your back.
A snake is someone you thought you could trust, but they end up biting you in the end.
People who act like your friend, but who want to hurt you instead, are a hidden danger –just like a snake in the grass.
Although snakes have a bad reputation, in nature they really want to avoid human contact.
Some snakes live in tall grass, often hidden from people and animals.
But if you walk too close, one might bite you.
So, in that way, snakes are dangerous.
The same can be said of a person who acts like your friend. And that's the end of this program.
Join me again next week for another Words and Their Stories.
We leave you with this warning: Be careful! Don't get bit by a snake in the grass.
Until next time … I'm Anna Matteo.
You were there in the garden -Like a snake in the grass-I see you in the morning-Staring through the looking glass . . .
正如你刚刚听到的，我们有时称蛇（snake）为 "serpents"。"serpents"比"snake"听起来要更大、更吓人，甚至更重要。谈论蛇作为古代象征符号时，可以使用"serpent"替代"snake"。但反之，则效果不佳。
如果看到一条蛇在地面上爬行，你不会说："嘿，看！ 一条大毒蛇（serpent）刚刚在那块岩石下面爬行（slither）！"我们经常用单词"slither"来描述蛇是如何移动的。
在英语中，蛇的名声不好。称某人是蛇就是说他是骗子的意思。这种人当你的面表现得就像朋友一样，但背地里却做坏事。蛇比喻那种你觉得可以信任，但最终却反咬你一口的人。
那些表现得就像朋友一样，但却想伤害你的人是隐藏的危险，就像草丛中的蛇一样。虽然蛇的名声不好，但在自然界中，它们其实想避免与人类接触。
有些蛇生活在高高的草丛中，通常隐藏在人和动物都看不到它们的地方。但如果你走得太靠近它们，它们可能会咬你。因此，从这个角度看，蛇是危险的。那些表现得像朋友一样的人也是如此。
这期节目就到这里。下周和我一起进入另一期《词汇掌故》吧。我们提醒您：小心！不要被草丛中的蛇咬住。
我们下次节目见…我是安娜·马特奥。你在花园里-像草丛中的蛇-我早上见到你-正透过窥镜凝视......
