Do You Feel Stuck in 'Groundhog Day'?
2022-01-30
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
2February 2 is known as Groundhog Day in the United States.
3On this day, so the old story goes, the groundhog wakes from its winter sleep and leaves its underground home.
4If the groundhog makes a shadow when it surfaces, winter will continue for six more weeks.
5But, if no shadow appears, spring will start early.
6Groundhog Day is also a popular American film from 1993.
7Actor Bill Murray plays a selfish and mean reporter.
8He doesn't want to go to a small town and report on the seasonal prediction of its famous groundhog.
9So he is angry and insults everyone as a result.
10To learn his lesson, he gets trapped in time and has to relive the same Groundhog Day over and over and over.
11He is freed only after he learns to treat people better.
12Because of that movie, "Groundhog Day" has become its own term in English.
13If 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.
14Here is an example.
15I went to a new restaurant and the food tasted bad.
16But I gave them another chance.
17I went back again, but the food was just as bad.
18When it happened a third time, I felt like I was trapped in Groundhog Day.
19There is another word, a French word, that is commonly used in English to express a similar idea -- déjà vu.
20Déjà vu is a feeling that you have seen or heard something before.
21As déjà vu in French means "already seen," it makes sense that we use it that way too.
22When we get déjà vu, we feel like we are experienced something that has already happened.
23And that can feel spooky.
24When it happens, we often just stop talking and say, "Déjà vu! This has happened before, and I know what's going to happen next!"
25Now let's hear two friends use the expression Groundhog Day.
26A: Hey, are you going back to the office soon?
27B: I thought so. But then we were told that we'd be working from home a bit longer.
28A: How do you feel about that?
29B: Well ... I'm used to working from home.
30But something different would be nice too.
31A: I totally agree! I feel like one day is the same as the next.
32B: 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!
33A: Well, just make sure to build some variety into your day.
34Change things up! I do different kinds of exercise on different days. And one day a week I try out a new meal.
35B: Good advice. Anything to break the monotony.
36A: And remember ... you are not alone. Many people around the world are in the same Groundhog Day together!
37And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories. Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo.
1And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English. 2February 2 is known as Groundhog Day in the United 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. 3Groundhog Day is also a popular American film from 1993. Actor Bill Murray plays a selfish and mean reporter. He doesn't want to go to a small town and report on the seasonal prediction of its famous groundhog. So he is angry and insults everyone as a result. 4To learn his lesson, he gets trapped 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. 5Because 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. 6Here 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. 7There is another word, a French word, that is commonly used in English to express a similar idea -- déjà vu. 8Déjà vu is a feeling that you have seen or heard something before. As déjà vu in French means "already seen," it makes sense that we use it that way too. 9When we get déjà vu, we feel like we are experienced something that has already happened. And that can feel spooky. 10When it happens, we often just stop talking and say, "Déjà vu! This has happened before, and I know what's going to happen next!" 11Now let's hear two friends use the expression Groundhog Day. 12A: Hey, are you going back to the office soon? 13B: I thought so. But then we were told that we'd be working from home a bit longer. 14A: How do you feel about that? 15B: Well ... I'm used to working from home. But something different would be nice too. 16A: I totally agree! I feel like one day is the same as the next. 17B: 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! 18A: 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. 19B: Good advice. Anything to break the monotony. 20A: And remember ... you are not alone. Many people around the world are in the same Groundhog Day together! 21And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories. Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo. 22Hey! Déjà vu! I feel like I've said that before! 23__________________________________________________________ 24Words in This Story 25shadow - n. the dark figure cast on a surface by a body that is between the surface and the light 26spooky - adj. scary and frightening 27variety - n. a collection of different things 28monotony - n. a boring lack of change