VOA词汇掌故2022--Let the 'Doors of Opportunity' Open Wide!

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Let the 'Doors of Opportunity' Open Wide!

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

We walk through doors many, many times a day. If we want to enter any building, we must go through a door. And that building could be a new home, an interesting store or restaurant. Maybe it is a school, library or laboratory².

We don't know for sure what is on the other side of a door. If you think about it, doors offer us many possibilities and opportunities!

That may be why we have several expressions that connect doors with opportunity.

First, let's talk about an opportunity. An opportunity is a chance for greater success. It is a good chance for advancement³ or progress. Or it can be just a chance for something different. But you won't know unless you open the door.

So, "when opportunity comes knocking, be ready to answer the door." This expression means you do not want to miss an opportunity. There is a certain sadness and regret involved in a missed opportunity.

You don't always get another second chance. That is why we also say, opportunity knocks but once. You may also hear it said this way: opportunity seldom knocks twice.

Both expressions mean that great opportunities are usually only offered to us one time. We use these expressions to urge people to act quickly and to take an opportunity when it comes to them.

Now, sometimes an opportunity is not a completely open door. Maybe the door is open just a little – a crack. If that happens and you want to get in, you should make sure to put your "foot in the door."

Imagine you are standing⁴ in a doorway⁵ and you want to get inside the building. You want to be part of whatever is happening in there. With your foot in the door, you are one step closer to making that happen.

When you have a foot in the door, you have an opportunity to get inside a building. The same can be said for a situation.

Sometimes, all you need to succeed is a small chance or opportunity to prove yourself. This is especially true for people who do not have connections that can open doors for them.

Getting your foot in the door is a way to open that door of opportunity for yourself. Here is an example: I had short-term⁶ job in New York City in the publishing industry. The job did not pay very much. But it was a good way for me to get my foot in the door.

Now, sometimes in life, things do not go our way. The door of opportunity slams⁸ in our face. But that's okay. We have another expression that can fix that problem.

"When one door closes, another one opens."

This expression means that the end of one situation or opportunity may often followed by the start of a new one. You can use this expression to offer hope to someone who may have lost a good opportunity.

And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories.

Words in This Story

opportunity – n. a chance for greater success

regret – n. sadness or disappointment caused especially by something beyond a person's control

crack – n. a narrow opening

slam⁷ – v. to shut forcibly and noisily

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 laboratory   

n.实验室，化验室

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a laboratory.她捐款成立了一个实验室。
• Our laboratory equipment isn't perfect,but we must make do.实验室设备是不够理想，但我们只好因陋就简。

3 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

6 short-term   

adj.短期的

参考例句：

• The short-term training class has been run three times.短训班办了三期。
• For this they are running short-term courses and evening classes.为此，他们办了短训班和夜校。

7 slam   

v.猛力地推、放或扔；砰地关上

参考例句：

• They were surprised by the slam of a car door.关汽车门时发出的声音使他们很吃惊。
• Why should you slam the window?你干吗要使劲关窗户呢？

8 slams   

v.砰地关上（门或窗）( slam的第三人称单数 )；用力一放；使劲一推；猛劲一摔

参考例句：

• I'm sick of your slams. 对于你的谩骂我真受够了。 来自辞典例句
• Kentucky steal Ball and Ron Mercen slams for two. 肯塔基队争到球，罗恩默塞扣篮得2分。 来自互联网