VOA慢速英语2021--Eek! Ghosts in our Expressions

 

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning¹ English.

In the United States, October 31 is Halloween – the night when magical, frightening creatures and ghosts, the spirits of those no longer with us, walk the land!

Okay, not really. But it is fun to make believe.

To mark the day when children dress up frightfully to collect candy from their neighbors, our program today will be haunted³ by ghost – expressions!

For example, did you know that the word "ghost" is also used as a verb? But it does not mean to haunt² a place.

When you ghost an event, like a party, you leave without saying goodbye to anyone – even the host! You just disappear into thin air ... like a ghost! But unlike a ghost, you do reappear later, at work, for example, or your exercise class.

Some people even ghost a relationship. They simply leave the person without any explanation. That could haunt someone for a long time. It could leave them wondering, "What happened? What did I do?"

But dear listeners, I would never do that to you. We are in this English learning effort together. There is not a "ghost of a chance" I will leave. I will keep with it to the end.

Did you catch our next ghost expression? If something doesn't have a ghost of a chance, it is extremely unlikely⁴ that it is going to happen.

Our next ghost expression has to do with towns -- empty towns.

If everyone leaves, a town becomes a "ghost town." It is a place that no longer has any people living in it or at least very few. It is abandoned. The businesses have all closed and the people no longer have a way to make a living. So, they leave.

To me, an abandoned ghost town is a much sadder, emptier place than a town full of ghosts would be. Ghost-hunting tourists would probably enjoy visiting a town populated only by ghosts, especially on Halloween!

But even a ghost town can be a good place for some workers. For example, writers. A writer just needs a computer.

This would be especially good for ghostwriters. A "ghostwriter" writes books or stories for someone else using that person's name, not their own.

Let's say one of the ghost-hunters wants to write a book about her ghost-hunting adventures. But she is not a very good writer. She could pay a ghostwriter to help her write her ghost stories!

Now, let's imagine that their writing partnership⁵ did not go well. Maybe the ghostwriter did not get paid. And the ghost-hunter just ghosted! Then years later they run into each other again at a ghost convention⁶. For the ghostwriter seeing the ghost-hunter is not a pleasant experience. It is like seeing a ghost from the past.

A" ghost from the past" is something unwanted or haunting⁷ from your past that comes back to you. Here is another example. If that man or woman who ghosted you years ago, comes back into your life -- they would definitely⁸ be a ghost from the past - someone you don't want to see again.

Words in This Story

haunted –adj. lived in or visited by ghosts; troubled or upset

host –n. a person (especially a man) who is entertaining guests socially or as a job

abandoned –adj. left by the owner; left without the needed protection or care

tourist –n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure

convention –n. a meeting of people for a common purpose

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 haunt   

vt.常出没于，使苦恼，萦绕；n.常去的地方

参考例句：

• The area was a haunt of criminals.这个地区是罪犯经常出没的地方。
• The college library is a favorite haunt.大学图书馆是人们喜欢的地方。

3 haunted   

adj.闹鬼的；受到折磨的；令人烦恼的v.“haunt”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• There was a haunted look in his eyes. 他眼中透露出忧虑的神色。
• The country is haunted by the spectre of civil war. 内战仿佛一触即发，举国上下一片恐慌。

4 unlikely   

adj.未必的，多半不可能的；不大可能发生的

参考例句：

• It was very unlikely that he would do that.他不见得会做那种事。
• It is unlikely that she will come. 她不大可能来了。

5 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

6 convention   

n.惯例，习俗，常规，会议，大会

参考例句：

• How many delegates have checked in at the convention?大会已有多少代表报到？
• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。

7 haunting   

adj.萦绕心头的；不易忘怀的；无法甩脱的；给人以强烈感受的v.常去；缠扰（某人）；萦绕心头

参考例句：

• The film's haunting musical theme stayed in my head for days. 那部电影挥之不去的主题旋律多日来萦绕于我的脑际。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The carol has a primitive strength and haunting simplicity. 这首颂歌有一种原始的力量和令人难忘的纯朴。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。