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Now,the VOA Special English program WORDS |
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AND THEIR STORIES. |
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Hot is a simple,easily understood word. |
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So are most ofthe expressions made with |
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the word hot. |
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But not always, |
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as we shall see. |
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The words hot potato,for example, |
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give you no idea at |
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all to the meaning of the expression, |
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hot potato. |
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The potato is a popular vegetable in |
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the United States |
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.Many people like baked potatoes, |
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cooked in an oven |
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or fire.Imagine trying to carry a hot,baked potato |
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in your hand.It would be difficult,even painful, |
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to do so. |
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Now we are getting close to the meaning of hot potato. |
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Some publicly disputed issues are highly emotional. |
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The issues must be treated carefully,or they will |
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be difficult and painful if an elected official |
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has to deal with them.As difficult and painful |
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as holding a hot potato. |
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One such hot potato is taxes. |
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Calling for higher taxes can mean defeat for |
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a politician.And yet,if taxes are not raised, |
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some very popular government programs could be cut. |
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And that also can make a politician very unpopular. |
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So the questions must be dealt with carefully, |
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the same way you would handle any other hot potato. |
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Another expression is not so hot.If you ask someone |
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how she feels,she may answer"not so hot. |
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"What she means is she does not feel well. |
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Not so hot also is a way of saying that you do not |
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really like something.You may tell a friend that |
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the new play you saw last night is not so hot. |
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That means you did not consider it a success. |
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A hot shot is a person,often a young person, |
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who thinks he can do anything.At least he wants to |
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try.He is very sure he can succeed.But often |
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he fails.The expression was born in the military |
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forces. |
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A hot shot was a soldier who fired without |
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aiming carefully. |
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Hot is a word that is often used to talk about anger. |
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A person who becomes angry easily is called a hothead. |
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An angry person's neck often becomes red. |
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We say he is hot under the collar.You could |
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say that your friend is no hothead.But he |
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got hot under the collar when someone took his radio. |
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In nineteen sixty-three,hot line appeared as a new |
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expression. |
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The hot line was a direct communications link between |
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the leaders of the Soviet Union and the United States. |
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The hot line had an important purpose:to prevent |
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accidental war between the two competitors during |
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the period known as the Cold War.The American president |
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and the Soviet leader were able to communicate |
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directly and immediately on the hot line.This helped |
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prevent any conflict during an international crisis. |
