你知道暴风雪这个描述冬天的词汇吗?

Do You Know This Blizzard¹ of Winter Words? 你知道暴风雪这个描述冬天的词汇吗?

Hello and welcome to the VOA Learning² English program Words and Their Stories!

People all over the world love to talk about the weather. Today, we talk about expressions that come from extreme winter weather.

Winters in the northern United States are cold and snowy. Sometimes, the snows come with extremely strong winds. These snowstorms⁴ are called blizzards⁵.

It is difficult to see through the fast blowing snow of a blizzard. So, they are often described as blinding.                        

The dictionary Etymology⁶ Online says blizzard came to mean a severe snow storm during the late 1800s. Before then, the word blizzard had nothing to do with snow. It had several other meanings. One was a sharp blow, like hitting a ball with a stick. Another meaning was a gun shot. And blizzard was also defined⁷ as a most extreme statement or event.

These days, we do not use blizzard to mean any of those things. Blizzard is only used to mean an extreme snow storm.

The first such use was in 1870. An especially violent and heavy snowstorm³ struck the state of Iowa. This storm was the worst winter storm in a long time. A newspaper editor in a small Iowa town called the terrible storm a blizzard.

Much like a blizzard, the use of the word blew across the country over the next few years. Just as snow sticks to the ground, the word blizzard stuck as meaning any really bad winter storm.

Snow changes the world around us. When snow is falling, the world seems somehow soft, peaceful and quiet. 

But blizzards are different. They can be dangerous.

Blizzards create white-out conditions. A white-out is when snow is falling fast and winds drive the snow so much that is impossible to see. Driving a vehicle in driving snow can be deadly. Cities sometimes declare a temporary state of emergency. This tells people to stay off the roads. This prevents accidents and also lets the snow removal⁸ trucks do their work.

Deep, heavy snow is difficult to move. Clearing snow from roads and sidewalks is hard work. During a blizzard, people often get snowed in. They cannot leave their houses because snow drifts⁹ block doorways¹⁰.

To make matters worse, high winds and heavy snow can break limbs¹¹ off trees. These limbs often hit power lines, cutting power and sometimes heat to homes and businesses.

People who stock¹² up on food and supplies are better prepared to deal with a blizzard. They hunker down -- or remain in their homes for many days. Often before a blizzard, people panic shop. Stores see a run on things like bread, milk, eggs and toilet paper – all classic¹³ blizzard supplies.

Even though blizzards can be dangerous, some people still enjoy the excitement caused by this extreme weather.

But no one likes to be snowed.

Snow as a verb means to tell someone many pleasant but false statements. This action is also called a snow job. If someone tries to snow you, you could say they are being cold, meaning their actions are rough, mean or unfeeling.

Blizzards may be hard to see through. But if you are smart, snow jobs are not. For example, if someone tells you that you can learn English without working hard, they are trying to snow you. 

But listening to VOA Learning English is a good way to help your English studies. And that is no snow job.

1 blizzard   

n.暴风雪

参考例句：

• The blizzard struck while we were still on the mountain.我们还在山上的时候暴风雪就袭来了。
• You'll have to stay here until the blizzard blows itself off.你得等暴风雪停了再走。

2 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。

3 snowstorm   

n.雪暴，暴风雪

参考例句：

• After several weeks of travel,snowstorm hit us first.我们旅行了几个星期，初次碰上了暴风雪。
• A severe snowstorm blocked up railroads.一场暴风雪使铁路中断。

4 snowstorms   

n.暴风雪，雪崩( snowstorm的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• However, they can avoid becoming victims of winter snowstorms. 但是，他们有能力避免成为冬季暴风雪的牺牲品。 来自互联网
• Snowstorms played hell with the flow of city traffic. 暴风雪严重地影响了市内交通。 来自互联网

5 blizzards   

暴风雪( blizzard的名词复数 )； 暴风雪似的一阵，大量（或大批）

参考例句：

• Even in the summertime we might be struck by blizzards. 甚至在夏天，我们也可能受到暴风雪的袭击。
• Blizzards battered Britain for the third day. 大风雪袭击英国已进入第三天。

6 etymology   

n.语源；字源学

参考例句：

• The hippies' etymology is contentious.关于嬉皮士的语源是有争议的。
• The origin of OK became the Holy Grail of etymology.OK的出典成了词源学梦寐以求的圣杯。

7 defined   

adj 定义的; 清晰的

参考例句：

• These categories are not well defined. 这些类别划分得不太明确。
• The powers of a judge are defined by law. 法官的权限是由法律规定的。

8 removal   

n.去除，消除；挪走，移走，搬迁

参考例句：

• After the removal of the soup,fish was served.汤撤去后，鱼就上来了。
• The factory announced its removal to another town.这家工厂宣布迁往另一座城镇。

9 drifts   

漂流物( drift的名词复数 )； 趋势； 流向； 水流

参考例句：

• He has no ambition or aim in his life.He only drifts along. 他生活中没有雄心或目标，只能随波逐流，混日子。
• The cars were snowed under by drifts. 车辆被积雪覆盖了。

10 doorways   

n.门口，门道( doorway的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The houses belched people; the doorways spewed out children. 从各家茅屋里涌出一堆一堆的人群，从门口蹦出一群一群小孩。 来自辞典例句
• He rambled under the walls and doorways. 他就顺着墙根和门楼遛跶。 来自辞典例句

11 limbs   

肢( limb的名词复数 )； 大树枝； 肢体

参考例句：

• For a while, she lost the use of her limbs. 好一会儿她四肢都动弹不得。
• The prisoner's limbs flailed violently because of the pain. 那囚犯因为疼痛，四肢剧烈地抖动着。

12 stock   

n.存货，储备；树干；血统；股份；家畜；adj.存货的；平凡的，惯用的；股票的；畜牧的；vt.进货，采购；储存；供给；vi.出新芽；进货

参考例句：

• The shop takes stock every week on Friday mornings.这家商店每星期五早晨盘点存货。
• Experts have forecast an upturn in the stock market.专家已预测股票市场价格有上升趋势。

13 classic   

n.经典作品；adj.经典的，一流的；古典的

参考例句：

• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。
• The football match was a classic.那场足球比赛堪称典范。