​Snow Day? Don't Be 'Left Out in the Cold'

Snow Day? Don't Be 'Left Out in the Cold'

雪天？别“被冷落在寒风中”

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　　By Hai Do

　　27 January 2024

　　And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.

　　On this program, we explore words and expressions in the English language. We give definitions, examples, notes on usage, and sometimes we use them in short conversations.

　　In a recent science report we explained about a weather system called the polar vortex. It caused a snowball effect on extreme weather around the world. The event led to record-high temperatures in many parts of the world. But much of North America had to deal with extreme cold. Some areas recorded temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius.

　　In an earlier Words and Their Stories program, we explained how to use the expression snowball effect to describe a situation where one action or event causes many other similar actions or events.

　　Are you thinking that there must be many more English expressions related to snow, ice, and cold weather? You are right! The term "snowball effect" is just the tip of the iceberg!

　　Or, to put it another way, we have many more expressions in American English related to the cold weather. So, today we will explore some winter words and expressions.

　　In the dead of winter, many people like to skate on frozen lakes. But watch out! You don't want to skate on thin ice. That is dangerous. If it breaks you could fall into the cold, dark water below. You could even drown.

　　So, the expression skating on thin ice serves as a warning. For example, if a friend is always late to work, you might tell him he is skating on thin ice with his employer.

　　But, you might not want to say anything to your friend. Maybe it is none of your business when your friend arrives at work. So, you decide to put your warning on ice.

　　To put something on ice means to suspend action on something – a temporary halt. In fact, today a co-worker asked me to put my project on ice, so I would have time to help her with today's lesson.

　　When we put food on ice we preserve its quality for a time. We can wait to eat it later and it will still be good.

　　What about when we break the ice, though? That sounds dangerous, right? However, it just means reaching out personally to a stranger. Like in this example:

　　A: Hi Matt. Have you met our new teacher, Jennifer?

　　B: No. Not yet.

　　A: Why don't you break the ice and introduce yourself this afternoon?

　　B: I certainly will.

　　Ice is not all we might face in winter. Sometimes the snow is so deep we cannot even get out of the house. At those times, you might say there is a snowball's chance in hell I'm leaving home today.

　　Hell is fiery and extremely hot. A snowball has no chance at survival there. So, the expression describes something that is impossible.

　　Now that we are stuck inside the house, we say we are snowbound or snowed under. And we often use snowed under to describe a situation in which we have too much work to do.

　　American children usually love a snow day! That phrase is used to mean schools are closed. Students might spend the day outdoors throwing snowballs or building a snowman. Or maybe they stay inside, covered up in a warm blanket next to a hot fire, snug as a bug in a rug.

　　We use the expression snug as a bug in a rug to describe a soft, warm and safe position or situation.

　　Sounds like a great place to be, especially during a snow storm. I mean, no one wants to be left out in the cold. That can really hurt, physically and emotionally!

　　Sometimes we use this phrase, left out in the cold, when someone has rejected or forgotten us.

　　We will never leave English learners out in the cold, to be sure! Especially not in the dead of winter!

　　And that's Words and Their Stories.

　　I'm Caty Weaver.

　　Hai Do wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English.

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　　作者：Hai Do

　　日期：2024年1月27日

　　现在，来自VOA学习英语的“词汇及其故事”。

　　在这个节目中，我们探讨英语中的词汇和表达。我们给出定义、例子、使用注意事项，有时我们会在简短的对话中使用它们。

　　在最近的一篇科学报告中，我们解释了一个叫做极地涡旋的天气系统。它对全球极端天气产生了雪球效应。这个事件导致世界许多地方的气温创下了历史新高。但是，北美大部分地区不得不应对极端寒冷。一些地区记录的温度低至零下20摄氏度。

　　在早些时候的“词汇及其故事”节目中，我们解释了如何使用“雪球效应”这个表达来描述一个动作或事件引发了许多其他类似的动作或事件的情况。

　　你是否在想，肯定还有更多与雪、冰和寒冷天气相关的英语表达？你是对的！“雪球效应”这个词只是冰山一角！

　　换句话说，我们在美式英语中有更多与寒冷天气相关的表达。所以，今天我们将探讨一些冬季的词汇和表达。

　　在寒冷的冬天，许多人喜欢在冻湖上滑冰。但是要小心！你可不想在薄冰上滑冰。那是危险的。如果冰破了，你可能会掉入下面的冷暗水中。你甚至可能会淹死。

　　所以，“在薄冰上滑冰”这个表达就像是一个警告。例如，如果一个朋友总是上班迟到，你可能会告诉他他在他的雇主面前就像是在薄冰上滑冰。

　　但是，你可能不想对你的朋友说什么。也许你的朋友上班的时间不关你的事。所以，你决定把你的警告搁置。

　　把某事搁置就是暂停对某事的行动——暂时停止。事实上，今天一个同事让我把我的项目搁置，这样我就有时间帮她准备今天的课程。

　　当我们把食物放在冰上时，我们可以保持它的质量一段时间。我们可以等到以后再吃，它仍然会很好。

　　但是，当我们打破冰层时呢？那听起来很危险，对吧？然而，它只是指向陌生人展示友好。就像这个例子：

　　A: 嗨，马特。你见过我们的新老师詹妮弗吗？

　　B: 没有，还没见过。

　　A: 你为什么不打破僵局，今天下午自我介绍一下？

　　B: 我一定会的。

　　冰并不是我们在冬天可能面临的所有东西。有时候雪太深，我们甚至无法出门。在这种时候，你可能会说，我今天在地狱里都不可能离开家。

　　地狱是火热的，极其炽热。一个雪球在那里没有生存的机会。所以，这个表达描述的是不可能的事情。

　　现在我们被困在房子里，我们说我们被雪困住了或者被雪压倒了。我们经常用“被雪压倒”来描述我们有太多的工作要做的情况。

　　美国的孩子们通常都喜欢雪天！这个短语的意思是学校停课。学生们可能会在户外扔雪球或者堆雪人。或者他们可能会待在室内，裹在温暖的毯子里，旁边是热火，舒适如虫子在地毯里。

　　我们用“舒适如虫子在地毯里”这个表达来描述一个柔软、温暖和安全的位置或情况。

　　听起来像是一个很好的地方，尤其是在雪暴中。我的意思是，没有人想被冷落在寒风中。那真的会让人身心受伤！

　　有时候我们用“被冷落在寒风中”这个短语，当有人拒绝或忘记我们的时候。

　　我们永远不会让英语学习者在寒冷的冬天被冷落，这是肯定的！

　　这就是“词汇及其故事”。

　　我是Caty Weaver。

　　Hai Do为VOA学习英语写了这节课。

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　　这个故事中的词汇：

　　preserve - v. 保护，保存，使某物保持其原始状态或良好状态

　　introduce - v. 介绍，使某人被别人所知