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swan song 是天鹅之歌吗？ 佳中编写
先看一个句子： The United Nations secretary General Kofi Annan delivered his swan song at the Truman Presidential Library in Missouri. Annan’s speech will go down in history as one of the most blatant assaults on a U.S. administration by a serving U.N. official. 联合国秘书长安南在美国密苏里州的图鲁门总统图书馆发表了他的告别演说。作为还 在联合国工作的官员，安南对美国政府的猛烈攻击将被历史所传颂。
swan song 这一表达在英语中已由来已久（The expression swan song has long been a part of the English language）。 从字母意思看是“天鹅之歌”。我们知道天鹅不会唱歌， 平常只见天鹅静静地在湖中游戈，何来天鹅之歌。这里有个典故，据说在西方古老传说中天 鹅临死前会发出忧伤哀鸣，其声十分悦耳动听，犹如在歌唱。（In ancient times, however, people believed that the swan was given a special gift of song at the end of its life. They believed a swan sings a most beautiful song …… just before it dies.）swan song 由此而 得名。 古希腊哲学家苏格拉曾解释说，天鹅临死前唱歌是因为它高兴，死后它可以回到希腊神 阿波罗（the Greek God Apollo）身边。天鹅是阿波罗的神鸟，而阿波罗被认为是音乐、诗 歌和艺术的保护神。（The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates talked of this two thousand three hundred years ago. Socrates explained that the swan was singing because it was happy. The bird was happy because it was going to serve the Greek God Apollo. Swans were holy to Apollo, the god of poetry and song.） swan song（天鹅之歌）早先用于比喻歌手、演员、画家等艺术大师的绝唱、告别演 出、最后杰作。现今可用于指任何人的最后的演出、成就或作品，也可指任何人的最佳作品。 At first, swan song meant the last work of a poet, musician or writer. Now, it means the final effort of any person. Someone’s swan song usually is also considered that person’s finest work.）
例句： 1）The Tempest was William Shakespeare’s swan song in 1612. 2）All the tickets have been sold out for the singer’s performance in Paris this week — the public clearnly believes that this will be her swan song. 这位歌唱家本星期在巴黎演唱的全部门票都销售一空 —— 显然，公众认为这将是她告 3）His performance as King Lear was to be his swan song before retiring. 他扮演李尔王是他退休前的最后作品。 4）The aboriginal folk songs of Guangxi recorded in the film are becoming the swan songs 本片中所收录的一些原始民歌，正在成为广西原始民歌中的绝唱。 5）I competed in the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, which was my swan song. 我参加了在克赖斯特彻奇举办的英联邦运动会，那是我的告别比赛。
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