How Colleagues Can Reignite Your Motivation At Work
B1 English listening practice · British English · Curated for intermediate learners
What does “fall into a trap” mean in English?
To fall into a trap means to end up in a bad situation without meaning to — usually because each small step along the way seemed harmless. In this clip, a psychologist lists everyday examples: sending an email instead of talking to a colleague, wearing headphones to focus, skipping lunch to save time. None of these choices feels wrong by itself. But do them again and again, and you fall into the trap of feeling disconnected from the people around you.
English uses “trap” for many situations that catch people slowly. You can “fall into the trap of” comparing yourself to others, saying yes to everything, or always checking your phone. The word suggests something that looks safe at first, like a hidden trap in the ground, but quietly catches you. Noticing the pattern early is the best way to step out of it.
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Source: wordfreq 3.1.1 (general) · SUBTLEX-US 2012 (spoken). Buckets approximate; exact ranks not stored.