Vocabulary Stories - Are You Afraid of Shadows?

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English. Let's start today's program with a riddle.

Welcome to VOA Slow English's "Words in the Hands" program. Let's start today's show with a riddle.

What follows you all day long, but when the night or rain comes, it is gone? If you said your shadow, you are right!

What follows you all day, but when night falls or it rains, it disappears? If you say it's your shadow, you're right!

This dark, flat image of yourself can seem huge and threatening, although you know it holds no power. But that image helps to explain this saying: someone is afraid of their own shadow.

Although you know that shadows have no power, this black, flat figure may look huge and threatening. But this image helps explain the proverb: someone is afraid of their own shadow.

We use this expression to describe someone who is afraid of everything, even very small things. So, this expression is a little bit of an insult.

We use this expression to describe a person who is afraid of everything, even very small things. So, it's an expression that contains a little bit of insult.

First let's hear two friends use this expression. Hey, can you help me with something?

First, let's hear how the following two friends use this expression. Hey, can you do me a favor?

I need to plant some flowers at a grave, but I need to do it tonight. That's a strange request and usually I say "yes" to those.

I need to plant some flowers in front of the tomb, but I have to plant them tonight. It was a strange request, and usually I would agree.

But I'm busy tonight. Why don't you ask Beth? Beth? Are you serious?

But I'm busy tonight. Why don't you ask Beth? Beth? Are you serious?

What's wrong with Beth? Beth is afraid of her own shadow!

What happened to Beth? Beth was even afraid of her own shadow!

There is no way she is going to help me plant flowers at night in a cemetery. Good point. Okay, I can move some things around and help.

There was absolutely no way she could have helped me plant flowers in the cemetery at night. You're right. Well, I can help you move things.

What time should I meet you at the cemetery? Midnight.

When should I go to the cemetery to meet you? midnight.

Midnight? At the cemetery? Now I'm feeling afraid of my own shadow. In English, a shadow can also be considered a weak form of ourselves.

Midnight? In the cemetery? Now I'm afraid of my own shadow too. In English, shadows can also be considered a weaker form of ourselves.

So, when someone is a weaker version of what they used to be, we can say they are a "shadow of their former self." On the other hand, a person who is "larger than life" casts a big shadow.

So, when a person becomes weaker than before, we can say that they are "not as big as before." On the other hand, a "extraordinary" person will let others live in his great shadow.

In this case, the shadow is not from their actual bodies but from their personality and successes. To "cast" in this case means to send something out or forward.

In this case, the shadow does not come from their real body, but from their personality and success. "cast" here means to emit or project.

Children of very successful people often have problems. They "live in the shadow" of their parents and can feel not successful by comparison.

Children of very successful people often have problems. They "live in the shadow of their parents, and in contrast, they feel unsuccessful.

We could also say that the successes of the parents "cast a shadow" over the lives of the children. Something else that can cast a shadow is our sins--actions considered to be bad.

We can also say that the success of parents has "cast a shadow" on their children's lives. Other things that can cast a shadow are our sins – considered bad behavior.

Here is another expression "old sins cast long shadows." Think about your shadow on a sunny day.

There's also a proverb: "old sins cast long shadows." "Think about what your shadow looks like on a sunny day.

The shadow you cast can be long and far-reaching. The same can be said for our past mistakes and sins.

The shadow you cast can be long, stretching far. The same is true of our past mistakes and sins.

They can reach far into the future. They affect our present-day situation.

They can extend into the distant future. They affect where we are now.

So, the saying "old sins cast long shadows" means that the wrong things we do early in our lives can have long-term effects. I like to read mysteries.

So, the proverb "old sins cast long shadows" means that the wrong things we do in the early years can have long-term effects. I love reading speculative fiction.

And often, the sins of one person comes back to cause them great problems. In one mystery, a jewel thief double-crossed her partner.

Usually, a person's sins come back, causing them great trouble. In a strange case, a jewelry thief betrays her accomplice.

She kept the jewels they stole together for herself. She changed her name and moved to a quiet English village.

She kept all the jewelry they stole together to herself. She changed her name and moved to a quiet English village.

She thought she had gotten away with it. But her partner in crime found her… and eventually so did the police.

She thought she had escaped by chance. But her criminal accomplices found her... Eventually the police found her.

In the end, they were both arrested. When the police came to take the jewel thief away, she said, "How did you find me? My crime was so long ago."

In the end, they were all arrested. When the police came to take the jewel thief away, she said, "How did you find me?" I was a sin I committed a long time ago. ”

The detective answered, "Old sins cast long shadows." "Old sins cast long shadows" also can be used in another way.

The detective replied, "All the sins of the past cast a long shadow." "Old sins cast long shadows" can also be used in another way.

It can be used to talk about other people's sins and how they affect us. It means that sometimes people suffer from the sins of others.

It can be used to talk about other people's sins and how they affect us. It means that people sometimes suffer for the sins of others.

As far as usage, please note that the verb "cast" is often used with shadow and shadow expressions. And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories. Until next time… I'm Bryan Lynn.

As for usage, note that the verb "cast" is often used in conjunction with shadow and shadow-related phrases. That's all there is to it. See you next time... I'm Brian Lynn.