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Proverbs: Ideas About How to Live
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These expressions are wise and true. Transcript of radio broadcast:
05 April 2009
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Now, the VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR
STORIES.
Today we explain more popular proverbs. A proverb is a short, well known saying that
expresses a common truth or belief. Proverbs are popular around the world.
Many
listeners have sent us their favorite proverbs.
They give advice about how to live. We begin with two popular proverbs about staying
healthy by eating good food: One is an
apple a day keeps the doctor away. Another
is you are what you eat.
Several proverbs about birds also
give advice. You may have heard this one:
The early bird catches the worm. This means a person who gets up early, or
acts quickly, has the best chance of success.
Another famous proverb
is a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. This means you should not risk losing
something you have by seeking something that is not guaranteed.
Here is another piece of
advice: Do not count your chickens
before they are hatched. In other words, you should not think too
much about some future event before it really happens.
Another proverb warns do not put all your eggs in one basket. This means you should not put all of your
resources together in one place because you could risk losing everything at one
time. Many Americans learned this the
hard way by investing all their money in stock shares, which then lost value. Another proverb says a fool and his money are soon parted. This means someone who acts unwisely with
money will lose it.
Here
is more advice: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Also, never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
You
might learn that haste makes waste if
you do something too fast, resulting
in mistakes. Most people would agree with this proverb:
honesty is the best policy.
Yet
another proverb advises us not to be concerned about something bad that you
cannot change. It says there is no use crying over spilled milk.
Do
you agree with the proverb that children
should be seen and not heard? Maybe you have told your children that hard work never hurt anyone. But other people say that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. They believe it is not wise to spend all
your time working and never having fun.
Finally,
here is one of our favorite proverbs: People
who live in glass houses should not throw stones. This means you should not criticize other
people unless you are perfect yourself.
(MUSIC)
This
VOA Special English program was written by Shelley Gollust. I'm Barbara Klein. You can find more proverbs and other WORDS
AND THEIR STORIES at our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com.
Comments:
1. a prominent site
i love that site . you show me your language with a simple and good way. hope to be in good rank
Submitted by: Riham Ghoneim (Egypt)
06-23-2009 - 12:07:05
2. Quotations
I hope this proverbs or quotations finds you well.
"Money speaks a language all people understand."
"Money is the root of all evill."
"When money talks, it often says `goodbye`."
"Money is not evil. It is one of the most useful things in life."
"Money can`t buy you friends, it can only rent them."
"A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fine weather and ask for it back when it rains."
Remember that time is money!
Thousand thanks to VOA-team and best wisthes,
Germany
Best wishes from Germany
Submitted by: Birgit (Germany)
06-12-2009 - 19:49:34
3. Multimedia
I love voa
Submitted by: vamshi (India)
06-09-2009 - 05:11:48
4. hi
thanks you that give to us the special proverbs and it has urge my english from day to day so well. thanks you all.
Submitted by: salin (cambodia)
06-07-2009 - 03:21:07
5. The meaning of proverb
Thank you so much for your proverbs! It teaches us about exerience of the living.
Submitted by: quynh (Vietnam)
06-02-2009 - 14:56:43
6. Thank you
I am a middle school teacher. I let my students listen to this and they are very interested in it. They tell me this program is very useful and helpful. They learn a lot from it. They can not only improve their listening, but also their writing. Thanks a lot.
Submitted by: Guo Yanhua (China)
05-29-2009 - 09:54:51
7. hahaha..
Somebody above said, "an onion a day keeps everybody away...." hahaha... I burst into laughter..
Thanks. I will use that expression to my friends. hahaha..
Submitted by: Lee YunHee (Korea)
05-21-2009 - 15:14:14
8.
l like ur progam thank a lot for u i have been listening ur program when i was 11 and its helped me to learn 2 important langueges persian and english thank u a lot i whant thank to part of persian voa
Submitted by: bahram (iran_greece)
05-18-2009 - 23:42:36
9. Nice Poverbs
I like the new look and programs of VOA.
Thank you so much!!
They are very useful.
Submitted by: Renee (HINDUSTAN [INDIA])
05-14-2009 - 11:41:33
10. I am enjoy
thank u so much I am starter in english,so I am interesting in this topic and I want to learn more and more english
Submitted by: saeed omar (yemen)
05-14-2009 - 08:31:10
11. Thanks.
It's very helpful to me.
I have learned many things here.
Submitted by: duck lyul (Korea)
05-12-2009 - 13:49:40
12. Thanks
I'm greatful for giving us these proverbs that could make our English up- to -date .
Submitted by: Souhaiel (Tunisia)
05-12-2009 - 13:06:18
13. Thanks for words
I like to share : the sky is the limit : nothing is imposible
Submitted by: Bomb (Viet Nam)
05-12-2009 - 04:03:39
14. My favorite proverbs
This "Words and Their Stories" is not only interesting, but also useful a lot. I've been looking forward to listen to this program. One of my favorite proverbs is "The early bird catches the worm." The reason is that I like to get up early. I usually get up at 4:30.
Submitted by: tatsuya (japan)
05-10-2009 - 09:46:01
15. Proverbs
proverbs are wisdom base thoughts which can be useed in any culture, but it is also be a basic fundamental roles of livehood. Here i have a proverb hope u like it says {wounds by knife can be cured but wounds by tongue will never cured}
Submitted by: Musabbih (Afghanistan)
05-05-2009 - 06:08:22
16. thank you
thanks from all voa new stuff
Submitted by: moheb faizy (afghanistan)
05-04-2009 - 08:34:57
17. thanks
I am always interested in this kind of proverbs which convey a lot of useful advice of lives. "An apple a day put the doctor away" is quite similar to Vietnamese proverb "A smile is worth 10 packs of medicine", which shows the importance of our life way.
Submitted by: ALIAKBAR TAJIK (IRAN)
05-01-2009 - 19:36:23
18. TEACHING
I'm a teacher. I thank who designed the site since when I started to benefit from the site I have progressed so much in learning English.
Submitted by: ALIAKBAR TAJIK (IRAN)
05-01-2009 - 19:33:55
19. Thanks from Hoa Ton That
I am teaching English to Vietnamese people here in my home country. I have to admit that my students and I myself have learned a lot from VOANEWS.COM. I would like to thank you, the editorial members, for your efforts to make the website useful to all learners including myself.
Submitted by: Hoa Ton That (Vietnam)
04-30-2009 - 18:08:35
20.
Voa maybe suitable for me，thanks！！！！！！！！loving you！！
Submitted by: ghost (china)
04-30-2009 - 04:01:46
21. VOA is the best
Whoa!!! These proverbs are really great. I have learned a lot of things. I like " An apple a day put the doctors away " the most . Thanks to all staffs who working hard to give better and better program everyday
Submitted by: Trang (vietnam)
04-29-2009 - 05:03:14
22. Thanks
I would like to say thank so much with all the employ of VOAspecialenglish program . I really love it because I can improve my English
Submitted by: chea kunthea (Cambodia)
04-28-2009 - 04:56:19
23. honest is the best
thank you VOA for giving useful proverbs, in my idea is about cheating..... if you are cheating someone onces, don't try again please, because i know that person who had done this mistake, he is human being... human kind can be wrong once but not twice !
Submitted by: Abdulkadir (somalia)
04-27-2009 - 14:09:17
24. My best proverb
"easy come easy go"... thing a real proverb... so you must struggle to get your goals, in other words "nothing coming easily".....it's just my openion :)
Submitted by: M.H (Gaza)
04-27-2009 - 04:01:43
25. Nice to hear
This is the first time i have ever heard VOA online. I am greatful to the VOA that i can make good progress by using this site to increase my english speaking and listening capacity..
From today i am one of the regular listener of VOA..
Submitted by: Nabaraj Gautam (Nepal)
04-27-2009 - 01:57:11
26. appreciation
perfect work
thank u alot
Submitted by: mike (turkey)
04-26-2009 - 18:52:47
27.
Learning English through proverbs which is little difficult for me now. Thanks for all proverbs to help me understand and break means. Hope VOA has more articles about them.
Submitted by: Star ()
04-22-2009 - 09:27:26
28. Wisdom is international
Well, it is funny to compare proverbs of various nations. Some are just the same, some are different in tints of sense, but still the sense is the same! For example, for English "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" there is Russian equivalent " tomtit in the hand is better than heron in the sky". Or "haste makes waste" is Russian "if you haste you'll make everybody laugh". This theme is so deep that it surely is worth a separate study!
Submitted by: Peter Mikhailov (Russia)
04-22-2009 - 04:52:36
29. i love voa
my first proverb " necessity is the mother of invention "
my second one "be on the safe side"
Submitted by: lilisoo (Egypt)
04-20-2009 - 13:28:56
30. "Unless You Have Made No Mistakes In Your Life...
... be carefull of stones that you throw".... from "Hank Williams Said it Best" by Guy Clark
I´d like thanks VOA for all programs; since I´ve seen that site for the first time, it become my favorite one. I have downloaded all from "the making of a nation" and "words and their stories" and others, to read and hear them several times. Thank you very much.
Submitted by: Birapai (Brazil)
04-18-2009 - 23:51:15
31. iranian proverb
eat less more relax
Submitted by: aref and masoud alavi(son and dad) (iran_uae)
04-18-2009 - 19:21:30
32. our idea
your programs absulotly help us to improve our english thank you very much
Submitted by: aref and masoud alavi(son and dad) (iran_uae)
04-18-2009 - 19:15:25
33. Thank you very much
I listen your program every day. I like it very much.
Submitted by: Andy Cheng (China)
04-18-2009 - 13:29:48
34. proverbs
It is really useful,thank you!
Submitted by: james (china)
04-18-2009 - 08:28:23
35. Similar Chinese proverb
"eating carrot in winter and ginger in summer keeps the doctor away " instead of "an apple a day keeps the doctor away","bronze in the hand is worth gold faraway" instead of "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush","there is no crying over the poured water" instead of "there is no crying over spilled milk","when tiger away, the monkey will play" instead of "when cat away, the mice will play"
Submitted by: Johnson (China)
04-18-2009 - 07:07:37
36. CHINESE proverb
true gold fears nofire;a person of intergrity can stand serverest test.
Submitted by: saman (bangkok,THAILAND)
04-16-2009 - 12:22:02
37. Suggestion
The programe which you run is very interesting. Would you please continue with this.
Thank you
Submitted by: Zenebech Wolde (Ethiopia)
04-15-2009 - 12:37:44
38. Update Proverb
Dear VoA,
wish all of your member going well so for, the following proverbs are the latest one:
What goes up must come down.
What you see is what you get.
What you sow is what you reap.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
When one door closes, another door opens.
When the cat is away, the mice will play.
Best Regards
Esmatullah Bayan
Kabul, Afghanistan
Submitted by: Esmatullah Bayan (Afghanistan)
04-14-2009 - 09:10:45
39. Coment
The Voice of America is an amazing program that gives you a great change to learn about the american cuture.
And all topics are very interesting
I congratulate to all people involved in the execution of such program
Cheers,
Jony
Submitted by: Jony (EL Salvador)
04-14-2009 - 03:29:12
40. Thank VOA
I think that proverbs will make us live better!
I like this program because I can improve my English.
Submitted by: Hoa Nguyen Ngoc (Vietnam)
04-13-2009 - 14:41:02
41. i like voa,thanks so muck
voa is very useful and goo for learning english
so many vietnamese like to study with this page
i'd studied a lot from voa programe
thank voa verymuch
i like to make friend with people around the world
cantact me if you like
Submitted by: thai luc ()
04-13-2009 - 10:11:07
42. Ideas abot how to learn!
I like this: People who live in glass house
should not throw stones.
And, whenever I visit this site, I feel there's no better site that I can learn English with joy than V.O.A! Thank you so much!!
Submitted by: Raina (South Korea)
04-13-2009 - 03:51:55
43. voaspecialenglish
Thanks so much for your programmes. We learn a lot from them. By the way, is there any program that we can ask question and have the answers in our mail? Sorry if it gives you any inconvenience.
Submitted by: Phuong Le (Viet Nam)
04-13-2009 - 00:07:03
44.
Thanks to all staff
Submitted by: Sabri (Egypt)
04-12-2009 - 20:58:24
45. English
I really appreciated those how are working in this program for the improvement of English Language learner. Best regards
Bayan from Kabul city.
Submitted by: Esmatullah Bayan (Afghanistan)
04-12-2009 - 11:20:38
46. Proverbs
I am a listener of VOA for almost ten years. I enjoy reading all kind of articles but the most I like is Word and Their Stories because it's very interesting. I enjoyed reading "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" and I have to say you that if "An apple a day keeps the doctor away, an onion a day keeps everybody away".
I would like to thank you all from VOA to improve my English.
Submitted by: Vicente Ramos (Brazil)
04-12-2009 - 00:50:59
47. Proverbs
Thank you! for presenting such a good Program about proverb. In Pakistan , we speak all proverbs but in our own accent. Your program really gives us how to pronounce and speak these proverbs as per standard American English. I am really moved and impressed by your commendable efforts to improve accent. Thank you once again
Submitted by: Riaz Uddin (Pakistan)
04-10-2009 - 14:44:00
48. my best Regards
I Would like to thank all of VOA people. They are giving me an advance in Life and learning. I have been listening to VOA since Oct. 2008. Here is a share from my own " I think it is a Russian Proverb" :
Anger blows out the lamp of mind
Good Bye
Submitted by: Rakan (Jordan)
04-09-2009 - 17:30:18
49. VOASE is much more
I have insisted and said VOASE is this and that and much more. Some people say: "less, less" and I repeat VOASE is much, much, much more you can imagine!
Submitted by: Marcolino (Brazil)
04-09-2009 - 10:56:34
50. what makes a difference
wonderful proverbs and represent a safety valve for people's happy endings, but do humans practise what they preach?
Submitted by: fouad haidar-ahmad (lebanon)
04-09-2009 - 08:13:07
51. Proverb
Very good proverb for English leaner.
Submitted by: Touch Chanla (Cambodia)
04-09-2009 - 02:44:03
52. Opinion
Congratullations for all of You. Thanks for share your wisdom.
Bye Bye from Leticia, amazonas, Colombia
Atte. Leonardo V.
Submitted by: LEONARDO G. VARGAS SANCHEZ (COLOMBIA)
04-08-2009 - 21:43:59
53. health
I'm very happy when I read these program.
I like to so much.Thank you.Good luak.
Submitted by: jamila habibi (Afghanistan)
04-08-2009 - 20:36:28
54. Thank you very much
Just to to tell you that with your lessons, you are doing a good job throughout the world: Your are my Enlish teacher. Thanks to you i have began to get my English personality. You may know that mycontry has French as first language. Bye, and God Bless!
Submitted by: ILBOUDO S. Pierre (Burkina Faso)
04-08-2009 - 16:48:13
55. Thank a world
I would like to say thank VOA sepcial english program from the bottom of my heart.
Submitted by: Theingi (Laputta( Myanmar ))
04-08-2009 - 12:21:19
56.
I learnt so many proverbs through this website. Both of them are very interesting and I can practice them in daily like. Thank you very much for establishing this website. It helps me a lot in learing English.
Submitted by: My Hanh (Vietnam)
04-08-2009 - 08:01:04
57. Thank you
Thank you very much for your interesting website. I have learnt from that page many years ago and I think that this is a very good program. I can learn many things from this
Submitted by: Phan Thuy Chi (Vietnam)
04-08-2009 - 07:50:47
58. Good job
These proverbs are very interesting.
Many thanks.
Submitted by: Qiancheng Zhang (China)
04-08-2009 - 06:03:01
59. Wonderful !!!
Thank you so much.
I do really like these proverbs.
I have found that they are very interesting.
Submitted by: Sokvann (Cambodia)
04-08-2009 - 03:06:49
60. Thank you
I Love Voaspecialenglish, is a page design for me, in order to improve my english and also I use in my classes as a teacher of english in my school. Thank so much for your help.
Submitted by: Ruth Borquez (Chile)
04-08-2009 - 02:34:44
61. thank you
thank you VOA
you are very useful
Submitted by: Nhat (vietnam)
04-08-2009 - 02:30:53
62. I am grateful to study English with VOA
Dear VOA Staff.
I am studying English in VOA programme, and I have a good job. I am grateful all VOA staff
Submitted by: Tien Nguyen (The United States of America)
04-07-2009 - 18:50:41
63. Thanks to VOA
Just to thank you about all you're doing for us to learn more in english. Your lessons are really constructive and funny. Wish you pursue on this way which is not only teachning english but also showing us the living way. You're really wise people!
Submitted by: Albert Khonde (Democratic Republic of Congo)
04-07-2009 - 15:41:50
64. Thank you
this airticle is interesting!
Submitted by: yoh (Japan)
04-07-2009 - 11:19:29
65. children should be seen and not heard
I could not agree more.
Submitted by: Liu Tao (China)
04-07-2009 - 06:05:27
66. Interesting Proverb!!!
Since I have joined with this website, It makes me more developing with my English. Thanks so much for such good proverbs. I love VOA....
Submitted by: Polys Chim (Cambodia)
04-07-2009 - 05:19:39
67. Oppinion
My english has improved.as much as i don't express it.thanks alot for valuable broadcasting.
Submitted by: Aslam (Afghanistan)
04-07-2009 - 05:08:52
68. Great website !
I've wrote " Never put off tomorrow what may be done today " . on the wall , opposite my learning table . But it's hard for me to obey this idiom myself . Maybe I need my father checking me frequently !
Submitted by: Tran Huu Tuan (Vietnam)
04-07-2009 - 03:25:15
69. WE ALSO HAVE PROVERBS IN ALGERIA THAT WE USE IN DAILY SPEAKING ,FOR EXAMPLE: DON'T BUY CHICKEN FEED BEFORE CHICKS.THANK YOU.
WE NEED MORE PROVERBS,BECAUSE THEY TEACH US THE BEST WAY TO LIVE.
Submitted by: CHAMA ATTALAH (ALGERIA)
04-07-2009 - 02:43:08
70. Very good
-Very good proverbs.
- Is good to learn English
=)
Submitted by: James (Canada)
04-07-2009 - 00:37:19
71. Interesting
it is a interesting news or even a proverb lesson. In fact, some of the above proverb have been heard before. some are known in mean but some didn't. therefore, it is really great for us to learn those here. PERFECT
Submitted by: Will (Hong Kong)
04-06-2009 - 17:38:13
72. chinese
it is a useful project. although it seem to be easy to understand, but we are difficult to learn it.
Submitted by: jim (taiwan)
04-06-2009 - 17:26:44
73. Hi
It's so interesting,thanks. Nice work !
Submitted by: JackDaiHiep (Viet Nam)
04-06-2009 - 15:48:35
74. RE: I like proverbs
I am very happy I have a chance to get the Websit address---www.voanews.com. It gives me a great help to improve my English--thank you very much.
I like Proverbs, and I like this article-----I need more
Proverbs .
Submitted by: young (china)
04-06-2009 - 15:00:42
75. "Praise makes good men better"
Your proverb, "People who live in glass houses should not throw stones" reminds me of Tennessee Williams' successful play, "The Glass menagerie." The lesson I learned through the play was no one is entitled to trample on anyone else's feelings. All human beings are hungry for being acknowledged and appreciated by others.
Submitted by: Motohiro Sampei (Japan)
04-06-2009 - 12:13:07
76. wonder more proverbs about life
it's so great to see these wonderful advices,i hope to know more proverbs in following programs
Submitted by: Yuan Wong (china)
04-06-2009 - 10:36:10
77. Some Chinese proverbs
Proverb, it's meaningful for our learners. In China we also have many similar proverbs, such as eating three Chinese dates every day keeps you young for ever. Stupid bird should fly earlier etc.
Thanks for providing so many interesting proverbs to us.
Submitted by: Thomas Gan (China)
04-06-2009 - 07:43:46
78.
wonderful and helpful
Submitted by: Nizam (Pakistan)
04-06-2009 - 06:30:14
79. Concise and Wisdom
Proberbs is just like old Chinese sayings-concise but containing wisdom.
Submitted by: Frank Yao (China)
04-05-2009 - 21:13:51
80. thank you
Thank you very much for this article . It is very usefull for me who is learning english . I learn a lot from your website , so my english skills have improved significantly . I visit your wsite every day and now i am happily to tell you that i can listen to VOANEWS easily . Once again thank you !!!!!
Submitted by: ngoc minh (VIET NAM)
04-05-2009 - 14:57:26
81. My favorite a sentence
This sentence came from LiYangCrazy. I like it well .
that is : "It is impossible to defeat a person who never gives up."
Submitted by: YongBei (China)
04-05-2009 - 14:14:45
82.
The man who speaks truth is always at ease.
persian proverb
if a donkey goes traveling ,he doesn`t come home a hourse.
U.S, proverb
most proverbs originate from a real story
Submitted by: naeim najafi (iran)
04-05-2009 - 13:28:03
83.
whenever i visit VOA i learn a lot of things related to english. Good articles and information make me feel that my english capability is growing. Thank all staffs who work for VOA for giving good story.
Submitted by: Brian (Korea)
04-05-2009 - 13:17:51
84.
In Russia say so : "The chickens was counted on autumn." instead "Do not count your chickens before they are hatched"
Submitted by: Juliet (Russia)
04-05-2009 - 12:05:15
85. Another one
Who works a lot has no time to think in earning money.
Submitted by: FRANZ (BRAZIL)
04-05-2009 - 11:27:49
86. The art of living
In the past,I was obsessed with craving for a good university.But now I think life is not prepared only for hard working,playing values a lot also.
Submitted by: Tondalaya (China)
04-05-2009 - 08:33:13
87. English
It is really effective porggrames for these, who learn primiary english.
I greatly appriciate you cooperation in this regard
Many thanks.
Submitted by: Westook (Afghanistan)
04-05-2009 - 07:32:46
88. A rolling stone gathers no moss
I have heard about this saying many times. In korea, there is a similar saying like this, but it's a different meaning a little bit. So i have a question. What does this saying mean?
In korea, it means that People must work consistently in order not to get the moss which isn't good. In America, i understand this saying means that you can't get the moss which is good unless you change your job many times.
Please, answer it.
Submitted by: KANG KYOUNG HEE (south korea)
04-05-2009 - 06:02:00
89. Great proverbs
I have learned a lot from these proverbs.It's because i have faced something difficult related with the proverbs.The same conditions i have faced really bothered me.By learning ancient wise experiences,i can redirect the way i think correctly,though i still have a lot of room to be improved.Thank you very much.
Submitted by: Bill Ke (Taiwan)
04-05-2009 - 04:17:51
90. thank you
this program is very useful
i like it very much
Submitted by: Nhat Nguyen (Vietnam)
04-05-2009 - 03:51:05
91. A smile is worth 10 packs of medicine
I am always interested in this kind of proverbs which convey a lot of useful advice of lives. "An apple a day put the doctor away" is quite similar to Vietnamese proverb "A smile is worth 10 packs of medicine", which shows the importance of our life way.
Submitted by: Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc (Vietnam)
04-05-2009 - 02:17:53
92. I like your program.
I like your program. I've been listening to Special English for 8 years.
Submitted by: Lisa (China)
04-05-2009 - 01:58:50
93. Proverbs: Ideas About How to Live
Thanks VOA for providing so many useful proverbs. I would like to share my favorite one to you: The best things in life are free.
Submitted by: susie (Taiwan)
04-05-2009 - 01:58:45
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