Cold weather has a great effect on how our minds and our bodies work. Maybe that is why there are so many expressions that use the word “cold”. For centuries, the body’s blood has been linked (联系) closely with the emotions. People who show no human emotions or feelings, for example, are said to be cold-blooded. Cold-blooded people act in a cruel way. They may do brutal (野蛮的) things to others, and not by accident. For example, a newspaper says the police are searching for a cold-blooded killer. The killer murdered someone, not in self-defense. He seemed to kill with no emotion.
Cold can affect other parts of the body, the feet, for example. Heavy socks can warm your feet, if your feet are really cold. But there is an expression — to get cold feet — that has nothing to do with cold or your feet. The expression means being afraid to do something you decided to do. For example, you agree to be president of an organization. But then you learn that all the other officers have resigned. All the work of the organization will be your duty. You are likely to get cold feet about being president when you understand the situation.
Cold can also affect your shoulder. You “give someone the cold shoulder” when you refuse to speak to him. You treat him in a distant, cold way. The expression probably comes from the physical act of turning your back towards someone, instead of speaking to him face to face. You may give a cold shoulder to a friend who has not kept a promise he made to you or to someone who has lied about you to others.
“A cold fish” is not a fish. It is a person. But it is a person who is unfriendly, unemotional and show no love or warmth. A cold fish does not offer much of himself to anyone.
“Out in the cold” is an expression often heard. It means not getting something that everybody else got. A person might say that everybody but him got a pay raise. He was left out in the cold. And it is not a pleasant place to be.
12. What does the passage intend to tell us?
A.Cold weather has a great effect on human bodies. |
B.Many English expressions contain the word “cold”. |
C.Cold is a word closely linked with human emotions. |
D.The word “cold” has many different meanings in English. |
13. What could make you get cold feet?
A.You break the leg of a child and force him to beg for money. |
B.You are the only one who gets a pay raise in your company. |
C.You decide to catch a thief but then you find him take out a knife. |
D.You show no warmth or kindness to the people around you. |
14. If the teacher gives all the boys except Tom a pen as a prize, you can say he ________.
A.is given the cold shoulder | B.is left out in the cold |
C.has got cold feet | D.is murdered by a cold-blooded killer |
15. In which part of a newspaper can we probably read this passage?
A.Culture. | B.Travel. | C.Technology. | D.Advertisement. |