VOA词汇掌故2024--Exploring the 'Butterfly Effect'

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

Butterflies are delicate insects. Their wings are thin and can be easily damaged. So, how can a butterfly cause major things to happen?

That is the idea behind the expression butterfly effect.

The theory goes like this: When a butterfly flaps² its wings on one side of the planet it can make a small change that, over time, could lead to a big event, like a storm, all the way on the other side of the planet.

The butterfly effect is when very small changes lead to large and unpredictable changes in the future.

For example, let's say a group of television writers demand higher pay. Their employers refuse. So, the writers go on strike. Then television actors join the strike. Their action forces the television industry to stop production. Then, other businesses that support that industry are affected³ and so are the towns and communities where those businesses are centered. These changes all resulted from that first demand for higher pay.

A similar expression involves the game of dominoes -- the domino effect.

Dominoes are small rectangular⁴ game pieces. One way to play with dominoes is to set them up in a line or pattern. Then you push the domino at the start of the line into the one next to it and so on and so on ... until all the dominos fall down. You started the domino effect with your single push of a single domino.

The butterfly effect and domino effect are chain reactions. One thing leads to another. We often say that something sets off a chain reaction.

Here is an example:

The angry argument between the two friends set off a chain reaction of events that no one could have predicted. One thing led to another and now they are enemies.

You can also call this a chain of events. Like butterfly effect and domino effect, one event causes, or triggers⁶, the next one to happen.

Now, let's hear two friends use some of these expressions:

A: Hey, I'm having the official opening for my bookstore this weekend. You should stop by.

B: I will! And congratulations. You've been working on that for a while.

A: Nearly a year. There are so many steps in starting a business.

B: How did you begin?

A: It was a domino effect. As soon as I finished the first thing, the next thing to do became clear, and the next and the next.

B: Sounds like starting that chain of events was important.

A: Absolutely.

B: As a writer, did you always want to own a bookstore?

A: It's funny you ask. When I was little, my friend's parents owned a bookstore. I'd hang out there for hours!

B: It's like the butterfly effect. Something that happened a long time ago, affected your future today.

A: Hmm, that sounds like a good story to write.

And that's Words and Their Stories.

Words in This Story

delicate - adj. easily torn or damaged

flap¹ - v. to move or cause to move with a beating motion

domino - n. a flat rectangular block (as of wood or plastic) whose face is divided into two equal parts that are blank or bear usually from one to six dots arranged as on dice⁷ faces

trigger⁵ - n. something that causes something else to happen

1 flap   

n.垂下物，帽沿，袋盖；v.拍打，拍动

参考例句：

• Although I moistened it,the flap doesn't stick to the envelope.我把信封弄湿了，可是信封口盖还是粘不上。
• With a flap of its wings the sparrow flew off.麻雀忒儿一声飞了。

2 flaps   

（兽医）马唇肿胀

参考例句：

• The flag flaps in the wind. 旗在风中飘动。
• He was supposed to furl the side flaps in the morning. 他的任务就是每天早上把两侧的遮帘卷起。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 rectangular   

adj.矩形的，成直角的

参考例句：

• He put a rectangular box on the table.他把一个长方形的箱子放在桌子上。
• The equations are written in rectangular coordinates.这些方程是在直角座标系中写出的。

5 trigger   

n.触发器，板机，制滑机；v.触发（事件）

参考例句：

• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again.他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。
• He pulled the trigger but the gun didn't go off.他打了一枪，没有发火。

6 triggers   

（枪）扳机( trigger的名词复数 )； 引爆器； 扳柄； [电子学]起动线路

参考例句：

• The rapid movement of an object towards the eye triggers the blink reflex. 快速朝眼前移动物体，就会引起眨眼反应。
• Some people say that violent movies are potential triggers for juvenile delinquency. 一些人说暴力影片可能引起青少年犯罪。

7 dice   

n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险

参考例句：

• They were playing dice.他们在玩掷骰子游戏。
• A dice is a cube.骰子是立方体。