VOA词汇掌故2022--Is It Time to 'Clean House'?

Do You Feel Stuck in 'Groundhog Day'?

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

February 2 is known² as Groundhog Day in the United³ States. On this day, so the old story goes, the groundhog wakes from its winter sleep and leaves its underground home. If the groundhog makes a shadow when it surfaces, winter will continue for six more weeks. But, if no shadow appears, spring will start early.

Groundhog Day is also a popular American film from 1993. Actor Bill Murray plays a selfish⁴ and mean reporter. He doesn't want to go to a small town and report on the seasonal⁵ prediction⁶ of its famous groundhog. So he is angry and insults⁷ everyone as a result.

To learn his lesson, he gets trapped⁸ in time and has to relive the same Groundhog Day over and over and over. He is freed only after he learns to treat people better.

Because of that movie, "Groundhog Day" has become its own term in English. If the same bad thing keeps happening to you, or if you feel like you're stuck in a bad dream – you can say you're having a Groundhog Day.

Here is an example. I went to a new restaurant and the food tasted bad. But I gave them another chance. I went back again, but the food was just as bad. When it happened a third time, I felt like I was trapped in Groundhog Day.

There is another word, a French word, that is commonly used in English to express a similar idea -- déjà vu.

Déjà vu is a feeling that you have seen or heard something before. As déjà vu in French means⁹ "already seen," it makes sense that we use it that way too.

When we get déjà vu, we feel like we are experienced¹⁰ something that has already happened. And that can feel spooky.

When it happens, we often just stop talking and say, "Déjà vu! This has happened before, and I know what's going to happen next!"

Now let's hear two friends use the expression Groundhog Day.

A: Hey, are you going back to the office soon?

B: I thought so. But then we were told that we'd be working from home a bit longer.

A: How do you feel about that?

B: Well ... I'm used to working from home. But something different would be nice too.

A: I totally agree! I feel like one day is the same as the next.

B: Same here. I feel like I'm stuck in a Groundhog Day! I wake up and I feel like I've been in the same day for ... nearly two years!

A: Well, just make sure to build some variety into your day. Change things up! I do different kinds of exercise on different days. And one day a week I try out a new meal.

B: Good advice. Anything to break the monotony.

A: And remember ... you are not alone. Many people around the world are in the same Groundhog Day together!

Words in This Story

shadow – n. the dark figure cast¹¹ on a surface by a body that is between the surface and the light

spooky – adj. scary¹² and frightening

variety – n. a collection of different things

monotony – n. a boring lack of change

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 known   

adj.大家知道的；知名的，已知的

参考例句：

• He is a known artist.他是一个知名的艺术家。
• He is known both as a painter and as a statesman.他是知名的画家及政治家。

3 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

4 selfish   

adj.自私的，利己主义的，自我中心的

参考例句：

• You must learn to share and not be so selfish.你一定要学会与他人分享，不要那么自私。
• She is a selfish person.她是一个自私自利的人。

5 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

6 prediction   

n.预言；预测

参考例句：

• This great prediction is coming true.这一伟大的预言即将成为事实。
• Weather prediction has never been a perfect science.天气预报从来都不是完美的科学。

7 insults   

侮辱，辱骂，侮辱性的言论( insult的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He shouted insults at the boy who had kicked him. 他大声辱骂那个踢了他的男孩。
• I will by no manner of means put up with such insults. 我绝不会容忍这种侮辱。

8 trapped   

adj. 捕获的，被困的，截留的 动词trap的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• Two passengers are still trapped in the wreck. 有两名乘客仍被困在失事的车辆里。
• The thief was trapped by the police in an old house. 小偷被警察困在一所旧房子里。

9 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

10 experienced   

adj.有经验的；经验丰富的，熟练的

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好，你比我更有经验。

11 cast   

vt./vi.(cast,cast)投掷；投射；抛

参考例句：

• You can cast your vote at the local polling station.你可以在当地的投票站投票。
• He cast off fear and decided to make a try.他去掉害怕心理，决定试一试。

12 scary   

a.引起惊慌的；害怕的

参考例句：

• What animal do you think is the most scary?你认为什么动物最可怕？
• Are you afraid of scary movies?你害怕恐怖电影吗？