[ti:Freeze!] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:07.52]And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English. [00:19.52]In many places around the world, wintertime brings snow, [00:24.16]ice, and really cold temperatures. [00:27.44]Some places can even experience a deep freeze! [00:33.48]But even if you do not live in an area with really low temperatures, [00:38.32]you can still use "freeze" idioms and expressions. [00:44.08]For example, you could use them at work. [00:47.68]During the coronavirus pandemic, many workplaces [00:52.40]have put in place hiring freezes. [00:56.68]With a hiring freeze, you are not able to hire more people. [01:01.32]The hiring process is not moving. [01:05.48]It is frozen. [01:07.72]During the pandemic, many businesses and companies [01:12.60]also faced financial uncertainties. [01:16.96]And some were not sure they would survive. [01:20.76]So, many places may have put a freeze on wages. [01:26.96]When your wages are frozen, they stay at the current level. [01:32.52]There is another way we "freeze" money. [01:36.32]If you are having legal or financial trouble, [01:39.92]the courts might freeze your bank accounts. [01:44.64]When this happens, you cannot use money in a frozen account. [01:50.60]Now, "freeze" is one of those verbs [01:53.68]that changes with every preposition you add to it. [01:58.88]Let's start with "out." [02:01.16]It makes the verbal expression "freeze out." [02:06.36]Sometimes in business dealings, some people or groups [02:11.32]may get frozen out by others. [02:15.56]If you are frozen out of a business deal, [02:18.96]you are not involved. [02:21.08]You don't have a seat at the table. [02:26.64]If you are a cold, unfeeling person, [02:29.80]you may want to isolate someone socially. [02:34.36]You don't invite them to parties. [02:37.76]You don't tell them about fun events. [02:42.64]You are trying to freeze them out of a group. [02:48.20]But this seems mean and childish. [02:52.88]Freezing people out is something we might have done as children. [02:58.52]If you ever have had a friend try to freeze you out of a group, [03:03.24]if can hurt -- even years later. [03:07.60]That memory can be frozen in your mind. [03:11.08]It is unchanging and unaffected by the passing of time. [03:21.96]Now let's talk about the verbal phrase "freeze up." [03:27.12]If something "freezes up" it stops working. [03:30.64]An engine, for example, can freeze up [03:34.48]– meaning it stops running. [03:38.12]People can also freeze up. [03:40.96]If a person freezes up, they are so afraid or worried, [03:45.96]they are unable to speak or move. [03:50.28]For example, if I am afraid of public speaking, [03:54.28]I might freeze up while speaking in front of a large group of people. [04:00.56]I'm not able to say or do anything. [04:04.16]Sometimes we can also just say "froze." [04:09.08]I was so afraid that I just completely froze. [04:14.40]Of course, the word "freeze" also describes some weather conditions. [04:20.56]The verbal "freeze over" is usually used to describe a body of water. [04:28.56]If a lake has frozen over it is completely frozen. [04:33.64]You can safely walk or skate on it. [04:38.12]But before we leave "freeze over," [04:41.04]there is another way we use that expression. [04:45.76]For example, if something is never going to happen, [04:50.04]like not a chance, I can say "when hell freezes over." [04:56.40]Hell is supposed to be a hot place. [04:59.72]So, if it freezes over, you know things are bad. [05:05.64]Here's an example, [05:07.68]Hey, Alyssa I got my boating license yesterday. [05:12.68]How about you join me on the river sometime? [05:16.36]Sure ..Bradley ... when hell freezes over! [05:20.20]Aw come on! It'll be fun! Why not? [05:23.80]First, I can't swim. [05:26.16]That's okay. You can stay in the boat. [05:29.40]And second, I've seen you drive. [05:32.56]There's no way I'm getting in a boat with you. [05:35.24]That's cold, Alyssa. Real cold. [05:39.56]So, it's a funny way to say "never." [05:43.32]We use it jokingly. [05:45.72]Personally, I would not use it in any serious situations, [05:51.12]such as during a job interview [05:54.24]or when meeting someone's parents for the first time. [05:59.04]And that's all the time we have for this Word and Their Stories. [06:03.32]If you know friends who might like this show, [06:06.20]don't freeze them out! Invite them to listen. [06:09.60]Until next time ... [06:11.04]I'm Anna Matteo. [06:12.40]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM