Each week, we tell the story of English language words and expressions. On our program today, we will talk about seasons. In some places, there are four: winter, spring, summer and autumn.
Many areas in Earth's northern hemisphere have just experienced a change of seasons -- from summer to autumn.
地球北半球的许多地区刚刚经历了季节的变化——从夏天到秋天。
Hours of daylight grow shorter, and temperatures drop.
白天时间变短，气温下降。
Nature is entering a quiet phase.
大自然正进入一个安静的阶段。
Flowering plants stop producing flowers.
开花植物停止开花。
Leaves growing on some trees change color, die and fall to the ground.
一些树上的叶子会变色，死亡并落到地上。
Some animals become less active and hibernate during the winter months.
有些动物在冬天变得不那么活跃而冬眠。
Nature has its phases and so do we.
自然有它的阶段，我们也一样。
Like seeds shooting signs of life through the soil, spring is a time of rebirth.
春天是万物复苏的时节，就像种子在泥土里播撒着生命的迹象。
If it were likened to a human life, spring is the time when we enter the world as innocent as a newborn baby.
如果把春天比作人类的生命，那么春天就是我们像新生婴儿一样天真地来到这个世界的时候。
Then babies become toddlers.
然后婴儿变成蹒跚学步的孩子。
They learn the word "no" and use it a lot. Bad behavior can be a problem during this period.
他们学会了“不”这个词，并经常使用它。在这段时间里，不良行为可能会成为一个问题。
No wonder it is often called the "Terrible Twos."
难怪它经常被称为“可怕的二岁”。
But other than this "terrible" part, childhood is a magical time, or at least, it should be, when everything seems possible.
但除了这个“可怕”的部分，童年是一个神奇的时期，或者至少应该是，一切似乎都是可能的。
However, those feelings of wonder are often dampened during a child's adolescence.
然而，这些好奇的感觉往往在孩子的青春期被抑制。
The growing pains and angst of the teenage years can be a dark time, indeed.
青少年时期的成长烦恼和焦虑的确可能是一段黑暗的时光。
But then we become young adults.
但后来我们变成了年轻人。
We try to make it on our own.
我们试着靠自己。
For many people, their 20s and 30s are the prime of life.
对许多人来说，二三十岁是人生的黄金时期。
This is the time when they are at their personal best.
这是他们处于个人最佳状态的时候。
But the prime of life can happen at any time.
但人生的黄金时期随时都可能到来。
Some people peak really early.
有些人很早就达到顶峰。
They hit their prime in high school or college.
他们在高中或大学时达到了顶峰。
After that, it may be all downhill.
在那之后，一切可能都会走下坡路。
He or she is filled with memories of the glory days – always reliving an earlier, happier time.
他或她充满了对光辉岁月的回忆——总是重温更早、更快乐的时光。
We just sit around talking about the old times,
我们只是坐在一起谈论过去的时光，
She says when she feels like crying she starts laughing thinking about ...
她说，当她想哭的时候，她就开始笑，想着……
Glory days - they pass you by Glory days - in the wink of a young girl's eye, Glory days, glory days ...
光荣的日子——他们走过光荣的日子——在一个少女的眼里，光荣的日子，光荣的日子……
Other people may be late bloomers.
其他人可能大器晚成。
They do not hit their peak until much later in life.
他们直到很晚的时候才达到顶峰。
And still others live their lives as if the best is yet to come ...
还有一些人，他们的生活似乎最好的尚未到来……
always!
永远!
Whenever you peak, we all begin to slow down a bit.
每当你达到顶峰时，我们都开始放慢速度。
As we age, we hit a phase that some people call midlife.
随着年龄的增长，我们进入了一个阶段，有些人称之为中年。
In this phase we are busy working and possibly raising a family.
在这个阶段，我们忙于工作，可能还要养家糊口。
Even though we are busy, we may feel that life has become predictable.
即使我们很忙，我们可能会觉得生活已经变得可以预测了。
So, this is when many people want to change things, a lot!
所以，这是很多人想要改变的事情，很多!
They have a so-called midlife crisis...
他们有所谓的中年危机…
or two.
或两个。
They may buy a really fast motorcycle, get a tattoo or take up a new and dangerous hobby -- like skydiving.
他们可能会买一辆非常快的摩托车，去纹身，或者开始一种新的危险的爱好——比如跳伞。

But this passes and things calm down again as we enter the next phase – the autumn years.
但是当我们进入下一个阶段——秋天的时候，事情又平静下来了。
If spring is the season of being born, autumn is the season of dying -- or at least slowing down for the winter.
如果说春天是出生的季节，那么秋天就是死亡的季节——或者至少是冬季的慢下来。
Our autumn years is the period after we retire from work and start to slow down.
我们的秋天是我们退休后开始放慢生活节奏的时期。
Many people love this phase and enjoy their time in retirement.
许多人喜欢这个阶段，享受退休生活。
However, we have other terms that describe this latter part of life.
然而，我们有其他的术语来描述生命的后半部分。
You might hear them called the twilight years.
你可能会听到人们把它们叫做“暮年”。
For many, this could suggest that the "end is near."
对许多人来说，这可能意味着“末日即将来临”。
So, perhaps a better expression is the golden years.
所以，也许更好的表达方式是“黄金年代”。
This describes a time that is carefree and easy.
这描述了一段无忧无虑的日子。
Golden, you might say.
你可能会说，这是黄金。
You finally hit a phase where you don't have to care what other people think anymore.
你终于到了一个阶段，你不必再在乎别人怎么想了。
Perhaps this is why we sometimes call the autumn years, or golden years, a second childhood.
也许这就是为什么我们有时称秋天或黄金岁月为第二个童年。
We can live like a child again, hopefully, without a care in the world.
我们可以像孩子一样生活，希望世界上没有关心。
Some people in their autumn years of life may have some regrets.
有些人在他们生命的秋天可能有一些遗憾。
But seriously, who wouldn't?
但说真的，谁不喜欢呢?
Nearly everyone has a few "what-ifs" and "should-haves."
几乎每个人都有一些“如果”和“应该”。
But as we say, you can't change the past.
但正如我们所说，你无法改变过去。
You can only look to the future ...
你只能展望未来……
whatever stage of life you are in.
无论你处于人生的哪个阶段。
Golden years, (gold whop whop whop)
Golden years, (gold whop whop whop)
Golden years, (gold whop whop whop) Don't let me hear you say life's taking you nowhere,
(angel) Look at that sky, life's begun
Nights are warm and the days are young...
Anna Matteo wrote this story. George Grow was the editor. Earlier in the story, Bruce Springsteen sings "Glory Days." At the end of the story, David Bowie sings "Golden Years."
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Words in This Storyphase – n. a part or step in a process : one part in a series of related events or actions
hibernate – n. of an animal : to spend the winter sleeping or resting
toddler – n. a young child
angst – n. a strong feeling of being worried or nervous : a feeling of anxiety about your life or situation
peak – n. the highest point of development
hobby – n. an interest or activity engaged in for pleasure
what-if – n. a question that asks someone to imagine what might happen or what might have happened
should-have – n. a question that asks someone to imagine what might happen or what might have happened