Learn
Watch & LearnLearning Paths
Daily EnglishSocial EnglishProfessional EnglishVOA English
Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Compare expressions for staying calm, appearing emotionally distant, and shifting between warm and unfriendly behavior.
VOA source audio
Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcriptIn the opening part of a winter mystery, VOA uses cold imagery to describe people’s behavior. These cards focus on staying composed, seeming hard to move emotionally, and changing from friendly to unfriendly. The labels reflect a narrator’s impression, not a reliable diagnosis of a person’s inner life.
Cultural note: “Cold fish” is an insulting label and is already taught in another lesson, so it is omitted here. The source also uses “sell ice to an Eskimo”; that phrase is excluded because it relies on a dated stereotype about Inuit people. Describe observable behavior rather than treating a metaphor as proof of someone’s personality.
Keep exploringCold imagery can suggest self-control, emotional distance, or an unpredictable mood. Compare the phrases before choosing one to describe a real person.
Phrase guide · 4 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Describe control over visible reactions during a tense moment.
Meaning
Relaxed and able to control one’s reactions, especially under pressure.
Tone & use
Positive or admiring in many contexts. It describes outward composure; it does not prove that a person feels no stress.
Example
“Even when the presentation screen failed, Noor stayed calm, cool, and collected while the team restarted the slides.”
Meaning
Cause someone to feel fear, excitement, or a strong emotional reaction.
Tone & use
Vivid and dramatic. The context tells you whether the feeling is frightening or thrilling.
Example
“The quiet footsteps behind the theater curtain sent shivers down the audience’s spines.”
Recognize a metaphor for seeming difficult to upset or emotionally moved.
Recognition caution
Meaning
Seem unusually calm or unmoved by situations that would upset most people.
Tone & use
Informal and strongly judgmental; it can imply a lack of feeling. Use only as a quoted impression, not as a factual claim about someone’s emotions.
Example
“When the final buzzer sounded, the player with ice water running through her veins calmly thanked both teams.”
This is a metaphorical impression, not evidence that a person lacks empathy or emotion.
Describe someone whose friendliness seems to change from one moment to the next.
Meaning
Alternate between showing interest or friendliness and seeming distant or unfriendly.
Tone & use
Informal. Use it to describe a pattern of changing behavior, while remembering that a short interaction may not show someone’s usual manner.
Example
“The vendor ran hot and cold during negotiations—warm and helpful one day, abrupt the next.”
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
Try it · Choose the best expression
1 of 3
