让你戛然而止的表达
📖 逐句对照翻译
And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
现在是VOA学英语的《词汇掌故》节目。
In many parts of the world, temperatures are dropping for the winter season.
在世界许多地方，冬季的气温正在下降。
But even for those in warm weather, our show on the word “cold” will help your English.
但即使对于那些身处温暖天气的人来说，我们关于“cold”一词的节目也会对您的英语有所帮助。
“Cold” is not just an adjective describing temperature.
“Cold”不仅仅是描述温度的一个形容词。
It can also describe stopping something suddenly and surprisingly.
它也可以用来描述突然且出人意料地停止某事。
It also means starting or doing something without preparation.
它也意味着在没有准备的情况下开始或做某事。
These definitions give us several expressions and idioms.
这些定义为我们提供了几种表达方式和习语。
When someone or something stops cold, it stops completely, suddenly, and perhaps with surprise.
当某人或某物突然完全停住时，它会彻底地、突然地停下来，也许还带着惊讶。
For example, I was surprised when my car stopped cold on a recent trip.
例如，在最近的一次旅行中，我的车突然熄火，让我大吃一惊。
I had just had it fixed!
我刚把它修好！
With this expression, we often say the thing or person being stopped.
用这个表达时，我们通常会说出被阻止的事物或人。
So, in that example, I could say engine trouble stopped my car cold.
所以，在那个例子中，我可以说发动机故障让我的车彻底熄火了。
When we stop (someone) cold, we completely stop them from doing something suddenly or immediately.
当我们突然完全阻止某人做某事时，就是指我们突然或立即彻底制止了他们。
Here's an example.
这里有一个例子。
The sunset was so beautiful; it stopped me cold.
日落太美了，让我一下子停住了脚步。
Sometimes, we add “in my tracks” to this expression, such as:
有时，我们会在这个表达中加入“in my tracks”，例如：
The sunset was so beautiful; it stopped me cold in my tracks.
日落太美了，让我顿时驻足不前。
Other variations of this expression include to stop (someone) dead in their tracks and to stop (someone) on a dime.
这个表达的其他变体包括“让（某人）戛然而止”和“让（某人）瞬间停住”。
They all mean the same thing – something or someone has come to a standstill.
它们都表达同一个意思——某物或某人已经停滞不前。
And we can use them the same way.
我们可以用同样的方式使用它们。
Now, let’s talk about how we use cold in the business world.
现在，我们来谈谈在商业领域中我们是如何利用“冷”的。
Sometimes, we need to call someone who does not know us, and we do not know them.
有时，我们需要给素不相识的人打电话。
These are cold calls.
这些是陌生电话。
A cold call can also be a visit to a person or business.
冷访也可以是对个人或企业的拜访。
And usually we want to sell something.
而我们通常是想卖点东西。
For example, a salesperson may have a cold call list to get new business.
例如，销售人员可能会有一份用于开拓新业务的冷呼叫名单。
Cold calls, whether on the phone or in-person, are unsolicited.
无论是电话还是当面，陌生拜访都是未经请求的。
This means that no one asked or requested contact.
这意味着没有人主动联系或请求联系。
In business and also in life, if you come to something cold or come into something cold, you are not prepared.
在商业和生活中，如果你cold地接触某事或cold地进入某事，你就是没有准备好。
Here is an example:
这是一个例子：
Last week, I came into the meeting cold.
上周，我毫无准备地参加了会议。
I hadn’t read any of the materials.
我没有读过任何材料。
However, if you come in from the cold, you are in luck.
不过，如果你从寒冷中走进来，那你就走运了。
It means you rejoin a group or a normal society again after being outside.
它意味着你在脱离之后重新加入一个群体或重新融入正常社会。
We often use this expression to describe someone like a spy who was able to come in from the cold and enjoy a normal life.
我们常用这个表达来形容像间谍这样的人，他们能够摆脱潜伏状态，回归正常生活。
Come in from the cold can also be used when someone or something becomes popular, accepted, or active again after being unpopular, unaccepted, and inactive for a time.
“从寒冷中走进来”也可以用来形容某人或某事物在经历了一段不受欢迎、不被接受、不活跃的时期后，重新变得受欢迎、被接受或活跃起来。
And that’s all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories.
以上就是我们这一期《词汇与故事》的全部时间。
Until next time ...
下次见……
I’m Anna Matteo.
我是安娜·马特奥。
Anna Matteo wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English.
安娜·马特奥为VOA英语学习频道编写了这节课程。
