'An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure' (一分预防胜过十分治疗)
Words in This Story
moss – n. a type of green plant that has very small leaves and no flowers and that grows on rocks, bark, or wet ground苔藓；泥沼
cautious – adj. careful about avoiding danger or risk谨慎的；十分小心的
consequence – n. something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions结果；重要性；推论
impressed – v. to affect especially forcibly or deeply : gain the admiration or interest of印象深刻的；外加的；受感动的；了不起的
real estate – n. property in buildings and land不动产，房地产
insurance – n. the amount of money a person regularly pays an insurance company as part of an insurance agreement保险；保险费；保险契约；赔偿金
dialogue – n. a conversation between two or more people对话；意见交换
weather forecast – n. a statement saying what the weather will be like the next day or for the next few days. 天气预测，天气预报
'An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure' (一分预防胜过十分治疗)
Sometimes in life, you need to act quickly. Thinking too much about a problem does not always help. It can hold us back.
We have expressions that describe this way of thinking.
"No time like the present.(机不可失)" "A rolling stone gathers no moss.（滚石无苔）" "Just do it!（说做就做）"
But sometimes slower is better.
Many things in life require careful thought and preparation. Sometimes we need to be cautious and take precautions.
A great expression for that kind of behavior is, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."（预防胜于治疗）
This saying comes to us from Benjamin Franklin. In addition to being a writer, Franklin was a printer, political thinker, politician, scientist, inventor and diplomat. He was also one of the Founding Fathers（开国元勋） of the United States.
So, he was a busy man. But Franklin still found time to write and offer his advice to others. If he were alive today, he could probably make a good living as a life coach（人生导师）.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," is one of his most famous sayings. Now, Franklin lived during the 1700s, before the metric system took effect in Europe. The word ounce means something really small – just two-one-hundredths of a kilogram to be exact.
So, his expression meant that, when dealing with a problem, spending a small amount of time and effort early on is a good investment. It can save you more trouble in the end.
For example, if a country announces strong measures for containing a virus, we could say, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
It is better to take severe precautions than to suffer severe consequences later.
Word historians say that when Franklin first used this expression, he was not talking about disease but rather fire prevention.
During a visit to Boston in 1733, Franklin was impressed with the city's fire prevention methods. He tried to bring some of these practices to the city of Philadelphia, where he lived.
Supposedly, Franklin sent an unsigned letter to his own newspaper The Pennsylvania Gazette. Published on February 4, 1735, his letter -- "Protection of Towns from Fire" -- began with the expression "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Then he wrote about how a city should prepare itself for a fire.
From protecting yourself against sickness to preventing a house fire, this expression can be used in serious situations. It is a fixed expression, meaning we don't change the wording when we use it. We simply repeat it as is.
Let's listen to this example:
How is the deal going with your real estate agent? Are you ready to buy your new house?
Just about. I have a few more questions about home insurance. So, I'm meeting with a financial advisor and an insurance agent this week.
They are sure to give you a lot of information. Do really think it's necessary?
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If I get anything wrong, it will be difficult to fix later on. And it will cost more, too!
Didn't you lose a lot of money on repairs to your house because it was under-insured?
Um ... Good point. Let's change the subject!
Now, another way to say this expression is "Better safe than sorry.（防患于未然）" We use this one for many different situations – serious and not so serious.
Let's listen to this dialogue.
What a great day to be at the park! Thanks for the invite!
Sure thing. The weather is great! So, why did you bring an umbrella?
Well, the weather forecast said it could rain later today.
I heard that too. But look -- there's not a cloud in the sky!
Oh, no! You cannot be serious!
Quick! Come under my umbrella! See. Better safe than sorry.
Okay, okay! Good point. Now, let's get out of this rain.
Here it is better to say "better safe than sorry." Benjamin Franklin's advice would have sounded a little too serious.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure 中文翻译为：一分预防胜于十分治疗，或者防患于未然。，英语中类似的句子还有A stitch in time saves nine (一针不补，十针吃苦)，例如
Where viruses are concerned, what grandma used to tell you is extremely relevant: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
对待计算机病毒，老奶奶过去经常对你说的一句话是非常贴切的：一分预防胜似十分治疗。
备注：图片源于网络