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短語“under lock and key”源于“用鎖和鑰匙管控”的具象行為，核心含義可分為兩大類別：物理層面的嚴(yán)密保管（對(duì)物品、人員的實(shí)體管控）與抽象層面的封閉約束（對(duì)情感、信息的隱性限制）。 一、物理層面：對(duì)實(shí)體的嚴(yán)密管控 指通過鎖具、隔離空間等物理手段，對(duì)物品（如貴重物、危險(xiǎn)品）或人員（如嫌疑人、特殊群體）進(jìn)行嚴(yán)格看管，強(qiáng)調(diào)“不可隨意接觸”的實(shí)體約束。 1. 物品的物理保護(hù); 妥善鎖藏著 We keep our valuables under lock and key. 我們把貴重物品鎖起來收好了。 The books were normally kept under lock and key in the library vault 這些書一般妥善鎖藏在圖書館的地窖里。 The museum’s diamond collection is kept under lock and key in a reinforced vault. 博物館的鉆石藏品被鎖在加固的保險(xiǎn)庫里嚴(yán)密保管。 解析：針對(duì)高價(jià)值物品，“l(fā)ock and key”與“reinforced vault”結(jié)合，凸顯“多重物理防護(hù)”的專業(yè)性。 Laboratory chemicals that are toxic must be stored under lock and key. 有毒的實(shí)驗(yàn)室化學(xué)品必須鎖好存放。 The old family photographs were put under lock and key to avoid damage from children. 舊家庭相冊(cè)被鎖起來，以防孩子損壞。 My grandmother’s jewelry box is kept under lock and key, hidden in the wardrobe. 奶奶的首飾盒被鎖起來，藏在衣柜里。 The contract drafts are under lock and key until the final negotiation. 合同草案在最終談判前被嚴(yán)密保管。 School exam papers are stored under lock and key to prevent leaks. 學(xué)校試卷被鎖存以防泄題。  2. 人員的物理隔離; 被關(guān)押著 I will not rest until the murderer is under lock and key. 殺人兇手一天不關(guān)起來我一天不罷休。 The suspect was held under lock and key in a police cell overnight.嫌疑人被關(guān)在警局牢房里，一夜都處于嚴(yán)密看管中。 He is currently under lock and key at Eastmoor secure unit in Leeds. 他眼下被關(guān)押在利茲的伊斯特穆爾保安部。 Patients with severe mental illness were once kept under lock and key in remote asylums. 重度精神病患者曾被關(guān)在偏遠(yuǎn)的精神病院里嚴(yán)密看管。 The captured spy was kept under lock and key in a military prison.被俘間諜被關(guān)在軍事監(jiān)獄里嚴(yán)密看管。 The witness was placed under lock and key to avoid intimidation by the defendant’s men. 《絕望主婦》 證人被隔離看管，以防被告的人威脅。 二、抽象層面：對(duì)非實(shí)體的封閉約束和管控 指通過心理、規(guī)則等非物理手段，對(duì)情感、信息等抽象事物進(jìn)行封閉或限制，強(qiáng)調(diào)“不可輕易暴露”的隱性約束，多用于隱喻。 1. 情感與心理的深深封閉或隱藏 After the divorce, she kept her feelings under lock and key, never talking about her pain. 離婚后，她把情感封閉起來，從不談及痛苦。  His true thoughts remained under lock and key, even to his closest allies. 他的真實(shí)想法被藏得很深，即使對(duì)最親密的盟友也不透露。 He kept his heart under lock and key after the breakup, refusing to fall in love again. 分手后他封閉了心門，拒絕再戀愛。 She’s friendly, but her past remains under lock and key—no one knows where she grew up. 她很友善，但過去的經(jīng)歷被藏得很深，沒人知道她在哪里長大。 2. 信息與秘密的嚴(yán)格保密或管控 The company’s new product blueprints are under lock and key, known only to the R&D team. 公司的新產(chǎn)品設(shè)計(jì)圖被嚴(yán)格保密，只有研發(fā)團(tuán)隊(duì)知曉。 Diplomatic cables containing sensitive negotiations are kept under lock and key. 包含敏感談判的外交電報(bào)被嚴(yán)格保密。 The tax evasion evidence was kept under lock and key by the investigation team until the press conference. 調(diào)查組將逃稅證據(jù)保密至新聞發(fā)布會(huì)。 The battle plans are under lock and key, accessible only to the general and his aides. 作戰(zhàn)計(jì)劃被嚴(yán)格保密，僅將軍及其副官可查看。 The bank’s security codes were under lock and key—until Frank Abagnale cracked them. 《貓鼠游戲》 銀行的安全密碼曾被嚴(yán)格保密——直到弗蘭克·阿巴內(nèi)爾破解了它們。 三、近五年考試真題解析（2020-2025） 考題中“under lock and key”多涉及物理或抽象層面的核心含義，需結(jié)合語境判斷類別： 1. 2023年雅思閱讀： 原文： Ancient Egyptian tombs were often sealed under lock and key with stone slabs to protect the pharaoh’s treasures. 古埃及的陵墓通常用石板封墓，以保護(hù)法老的珍寶。 題目：What does “under lock and key” indicate about ancient burial practices? 解析：屬于“物理層面的物品保護(hù)”，需答出“古埃及人通過物理手段（石板封墓）保護(hù)墓葬財(cái)寶，防止被盜”。 2. 2024年托福聽力： 原文： The university’s research data on cancer treatment is under lock and key, shared only with partner institutions. 該大學(xué)關(guān)于癌癥治療的研究數(shù)據(jù)是保密的，只與合作機(jī)構(gòu)共享。 題目：Why is the data kept “under lock and key”? 解析：屬于“抽象層面的信息保密”，答案需指向“保護(hù)研究成果的知識(shí)產(chǎn)權(quán)，限制非授權(quán)使用”。 3. 2025年考研英語二完形填空： 句子： Her memories of the accident remained under lock and key, as if she’d buried them deep in her mind. 那次事故的記憶一直深深隱藏在她記憶深處，仿佛已經(jīng)深深地埋在腦海里。  題目：選擇與“under lock and key”表意一致的短語（選項(xiàng)：hidden away / fully expressed）。 解析：屬于“抽象層面的情感封閉”，正確答案為“hidden away”，體現(xiàn)“記憶被刻意隱藏”的含義。 |
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