VOA慢速英语2021--什么能引起你的共鸣？

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning¹ English.

On this program, we explore words and expressions in the English language. We give examples that show how to how to use them. And sometimes we explain where they come from.

Today, our expression comes from music. A chord² is three or more musical notes sounded at the same time. The word "strike" means to hit. But when we play a note on a musical instrument, we can also say we struck a note.

So, our expression for today is to strike a chord.

In its most general definition³, to strike a chord means something relates to you somehow. It resonates with you. If something strikes a chord with you, it is familiar to you in some way, for better or for worse.

Something can strike a positive chord. It is familiar to you in a good way. It creates good feelings or thoughts. For example, a love song struck a deep chord with James. It is the song he sang to his wife at their wedding. Or maybe the song was playing on the radio when she left him. In that case, the song would strike a negative chord with James.

As you can see from those examples, you can add other words to describe what type of chord is being struck – a deep chord, a negative chord.

Here are some other examples.

A teacher's advice can strike a responsive chord with students. And a politician's speech can strike a sympathetic⁴ chord with voters. Those two words – sympathetic and responsive – are commonly used with this expression.

You might hear people say something "struck a familiar chord." But to me, this sounds a bit unnecessary. If something strikes a chord, it means it is familiar in some way. So, we don't need to add the word "familiar" to the expression. But I have heard it used that way before. Maybe it means something is really familiar.

Sometimes we use to strike a chord this way: If something creates strong feelings or thoughts, it strikes a chord. And that "something" could be unfamiliar⁵ to the person.

Here is another situation where we use this expression: If something strikes a chord with you, you approve of it. You agree with it. For example, during the election⁶ the politician's position on the economy and jobs must have struck a chord with voters because she won easily.

Let's talk for a minute about sentence structure.

If you look back at our examples, most if not all of them use the word "with" – with James, with students, with voters. But you can use this expression without the word "with." In this way, "strike a chord" means it caused a strong emotional⁷ reaction to something. For example, that movie must have really struck a chord. Everyone came out of the theater crying.

Hopefully learning English continues to strike a chord with all of you ... a positive one!

Words in This Story

resonate – v. to have particular meaning or importance for someone : to affect or appeal to someone in a personal or emotional way

positive – adj. good or useful

negative – adj. a part of something which is harmful or bad

responsive – v. reacting in a desired or positive way : quick to react or respond

sympathetic – adj. having or showing support for or approval of something

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 chord   

n.和弦，和音，弦，心弦

参考例句：

• Her speech struck a deep chord in my heart.她的话深深地拨动了我的心弦。
• This is a chord of a circle.这是个圆的弦。

3 definition   

n.定义；限定，确定；清晰度

参考例句：

• The book attempts a definition of his role in world politics.该书要阐明的是他在世界政局中的作用。
• I made a definition for this word.我给这个字下了定义。

4 sympathetic   

adj.有同情心的；表示好感或赞同的

参考例句：

• He is a sympathetic person.他是一个有同情心的人。
• They were quite sympathetic to our proposals.他们很赞同我们的建议。

5 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

6 election   

n.选举，选择权；当选

参考例句：

• There is no doubt but that he will win the election.毫无疑问，他将在竞选中获胜。
• The government will probably fall at the coming election.在即将到来的大选中，该政府很可能要垮台。

7 emotional   

adj.令人动情的；易动感情的；感情(上)的

参考例句：

• Emotional people don't stop to calculate.感情容易冲动的人做事往往不加考虑。
• This is an emotional scene in the play.这是剧中动人的一幕。