广播电视英语短句 第 64 课：钱再多也不嫌多-2

The expression probably began because seeds fed to chickens made people think of small change. 这种表达方式开始使用，可能是因为喂给小鸡的鸡食是人们想到了零钱。

Small change means metal coins of not much value, like nickels which are worth five cents. 零钱是指价值不大的金属钱币，比如五分镍币。

An early use of the word chickenfeed appeared in an American publication in nineteen thirty. 早期使用“鸡食”出现在19世纪30年代的一个美国出版物上。

It told about a rich man and his son. Word expert Mitford Mathews says it read, "I'll bet neither the kid nor his father ever saw a nickel or a dime. 他讲述了一个富人和他儿子的故事。词学家Mitford Mathews说上面讲到：我敢打赌，儿子和他父亲都不没见过五分和十分钱，

They would not have been interested in such chickenfeed. 他们本来就对小钱感兴趣。