Monkeys are very similar to us in many ways.
猴子在许多方面都和我们非常相似，

Most have ten fingers and ten toes, and brains much like ours.
它们大都有10根手指、10个脚趾以及和我们相似的大脑。

We enjoy watching them because they often act like us.
我们喜欢观看猴子，因为它们举手投足时常跟我们很相像。

In fact, Charles Darwin's theory of evolution says that monkeys and humans share a common ancestor.
事实上，查尔斯·达尔文的进化论上说，猴子和人类拥有共同的祖先。

Songwriter William Gilbert, in the musical "Princess Ida", wrote:
词曲作家威廉·吉伯特曾在音乐剧《艾达公主》中写道：

Darwinian man, though well-behaved, at best is only a monkey shaved.
达尔文派的人尽管举止文雅，但最多也只是剃了毛的猴子。

His words -- sung to Sir Arthur Sullivan's music -- make listeners smile.
威廉·吉伯特写剧本，再配上阿瑟·萨利文爵士的音乐，往往让听众忍俊不禁。

Well, monkeys make us smile, too, because they are creatures full of playful tricks.
而猴子也能把我们逗乐，因为它们是花样层出不穷的生灵。

This is why many monkey expressions are about tricky people or playful acts.
所以，许多关于猴子的习惯用语都用来形容狡猾之人或调皮之举。

One of these expressions is monkeyshines, meaning tricks or foolish acts.
monkeyshines就是这样一个词语，它的意思是（使人难堪的）玩笑或恶作剧。

The meaning is clear if you have ever watched a group of monkeys playfully chasing each other: pulling tails, stealing food, doing tricks.
如果你曾见过一群猴子相互追逐嬉戏：拽尾巴、偷食物、耍花招，那么你便能深刻体会这个词的含义。

So, when a teacher says to a group of students: "Stop those monkeyshines right now!" you know that the boys and girls are playing, instead of studying.
如果某位老师说对一群学生说：Stop those monkeyshines right now，那你就知道孩子们正在打闹嬉戏，而不是在用心学习。

You might hear that same teacher warn a student not to monkey around with a valuable piece of equipment.
你或许会听到这位老师警告学生说，不要瞎弄（monkey around）贵重的设备。

You monkey around with something when you do not know what you are doing.
当你不知道自己在做什么的时候，或者当你正在乱动或瞎玩不该碰的东西的时候，你就是在monkey around什么东西，。

You are touching or playing with something you should leave alone.
当你感觉自己想做某事，

Also, you can monkey around when you feel like doing something, but have no firm idea of what to do.
但又不确知该做什么的时候，也可以用monkey around。

For example, you tell your friend you are going to spend the day monkeying around with your car.
比如，你或许会跟朋友说，你将花上一天折腾折腾自己的汽车。

Well, you do not have any job or goal in mind.
这是说，你脑子里没有任何任务或目标，

It is just a way to pass the time.
它只是一种消磨时间的方式。

Monkey business usually means secret, maybe illegal, activities.
Monkey business通常指秘密活动或不法行为。

A news report may say there is monkey business involved in building the new airport, with some officials getting secret payments from builders.
新闻报道或许会说，新机场建设项目存在见不得人的勾当，有些政府官员从建造商手里秘密收受贿赂。

You may make a monkey out of someone when you make that person look foolish.
当你使别人看上去很傻时，你就是在戏弄他人（make a monkey out of someone），

Some people make a monkey out of themselves by acting foolish or silly.
有些人因为犯傻而使自己出洋相。

If one monkey has fun, imagine how much fun a barrel of monkeys can have.
如果一只猴子很好玩，那设想下一大群猴子该会多么有趣啊！

If your friend says he had more fun than a barrel of monkeys at your party, you know that he had a really good time.
如果你的朋友说，你办的聚会让他其乐无穷（比一群猴子还开心），这时你就知道他玩得非常开心。

Monkey suits are common names for clothes or uniforms soldiers wear.
Monkey suits通指士兵穿的军装。

In earlier years in many American cities, you would find men playing musical hand organs on the street.
早些时候，在许多美国城市，你会看到有人在街上拉手风琴，

Dancing to the music would be the man's small monkey dressed in a tight-fitting, colorful jacket similar to a military uniform.
他带的小猴子则伴着音乐翩翩起舞，这只小猴子身上穿着类似军装的彩色紧身夹克。

So, people began to call a military uniform a monkey suit.
因此，人们开始将军装叫做monkey suit（猴装）。