VOA慢速英语2020--Go Ahead: 'Steal My Thunder'

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning¹ English.

On this program we teach common English expressions and how to use them.

Many English expressions come from weather. We have talked about many in past shows. Recently we talked about lightning and how it never strikes twice ... except when it does.

Well, today we talk about the noise that comes with lightning. Thunder!

Thunder is an awesome² sound. It is nature's warning system. It tells us that something extremely powerful and deadly -- lightning -- may be coming soon.

All this you already know. But did you know this? You can also steal thunder!

That's right -- in English expressions you can.

If you think about it, thunder is pretty amazing. From low rumblings to sharp cracks, it is easy for thunder to take our attention away from what we are doing. We stop and look to the sky. Is it going to rain? Am I in danger of getting hit by lightning?

As an expression, thunder works⁴ the same way. When you steal someone's thunder, you steal attention away from them.

We have many words that mean the same thing. You beat them. You best them. You surpass⁵ them.

Staying in the world of weather we have these two expressions: outshine and eclipse⁶. If you steal a co-worker's thunder, you outshine her or eclipse her. You take attention away from her and put it on you.

We also have these two words: outperform and, from theater, upstage. If you outperform or upstage your friend, you have stolen his thunder.

You can steal thunder by simply doing something better.

Here is an example set in a baking competition. This is where people bake something like bread, pies, or a cake and then are judged.

ANNOUNCER⁷: Congratulations to Tanisha Hightower for winning the award for Best Cake with her chocolate cake. In a minute, we will announce the winner for Best Pie. But first, some announcements. We have a lost child. Will the parents of little Timmy please come to the main stage area ...

JACKSON: Well, Clarise, we all know that you will win the Best Pie award. You win every year for your cherry pie.

CLARISE: Well, that is true, Jackson. I have won for the last five years with my Famous Cherry Pie. But you never know. Maybe this year someone else will win. I doubt it. But maybe.

ANNOUNCER: And now ...

CLARISE: Shh. They are going to announce the winner.

ANNOUNCER: ... the winner of the Best Pie is ... Doug Johnson for his cherry pie. Congratulations to Doug!

CLARISE: What! There must be a mistake! My cherry pie always wins! And who is Doug Johnson??

JACKSON: He is someone who just totally stole your thunder.

You can also steal a person's thunder by doing something before that person. Let's say you know that someone plans to do or say something – something good. So, you plan to do or say it first.

But remember, it only counts as "stealing thunder" if your words or actions are a success or get a lot of praise.

You can steal my thunder any time

And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories. Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo!

'Cause if it's up to me You can steal my thunder any time

Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor.

Keith Urban sings the song "Steal My Thunder" at the end.

Words in This Story

rumbling³ – n. a low, heavy, continuous⁸ sound or series of sounds

crack – n. a sudden loud, sharp sound

surpass – v. to become better, greater, or stronger than

outshine – v. to do better than (someone or something) : to earn more respect or attention than (someone or something)

eclipse – v. to do or be much better than (someone or something)

outperform – v. to perform better than

upstage – v. to draw attention away from

praise – n. spoken or written words about the good qualities of someone or something : an expression of approval⁹ for someone or something

ingredient¹⁰ – n. one of the things that are used to make a food, product, etc.

charity – n. an organization that helps people who are poor, sick, etc.

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

3 rumbling   

n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词

参考例句：

• The earthquake began with a deep [low] rumbling sound. 地震开始时发出低沉的隆隆声。
• The crane made rumbling sound. 吊车发出隆隆的响声。

4 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

5 surpass   

vt.超过，超越，胜过

参考例句：

• Young people surpass old men in strength.年轻人在气力上赛过老年人。
• The latecomers surpass the early starters.后来居上。

6 eclipse   

v.使黯然失色，使相形见绌，日食，月食

参考例句：

• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。
• There will be an eclipse of the moon next month.下个月有月食。

7 announcer   

n.宣布者；电(视)台播音员，报幕员

参考例句：

• The radio announcer said it was nine o'clock.电台播音员报时9点整。
• The announcer tells the listeners what programme comes next.广播员告诉听众下一个是什么节目。

8 continuous   

adj.继续的，连续的，持续的，延伸的

参考例句：

• She finally got in after 10 years'continuous effort.坚持不懈地努力了十年后，她终于当选了。
• We must be continuous to study.我们必须不断学习。

9 approval   

n.赞成，同意；批准，认可

参考例句：

• The audience has expressed its approval.观众已经认可。
• The teacher signed his approval.老师做了手势表示同意。

10 ingredient   

n.（烹饪）等的材料，原料，成分，因素

参考例句：

• The basic ingredient of this meal is rice.这一餐的主要原料是大米。
• Trust is a key ingredient.信任是关键要素。