Words and Their Stories - Pulling on Your 'Heartstrings'

 

And now, it’s time for Words and Their Stories -- our weekly program about common, everyday expressions in American English.

Americans celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14. It is a day for love and hearts can be seen everywhere! So, naturally, I had my heart set on producing a completely¹ new program about heart expressions. I really wanted to do it!

I found every single “heart” expression that I could. I wrote about how heart-to-heart describes two people talking in private about something important and somewhat² sensitive³. I explained that cold-hearted is a good word to describe a person who doesn’t seem to have feelings for others.

And the heart expressions went on and on and on! My heart was really into it. I threw myself, heart and soul, into the writing process. I felt as if my whole body were involved. I researched and researched. I wrote and wrote. I gave a whole-hearted effort. And it felt good! If you really have your heart set on something, you are not going to do it half-heartedly. That’s for sure. Why do something with only your heart when you can give it all you’ve got.

So, I wrote a story that used all the heart expressions I could find. I wanted to pull at the listener’s heartstrings and really make them feel the powerful⁴ emotions that I was feeling. So, I included a heart-warming example of two people deeply⁵ in love.

The story was really long, but I was pleased with it. Later in the office, I poured my heart out to a coworker. I gushed⁶ and gushed about how hard I had worked on the story. She understood. Well, of course, she did. I was wearing my heart on my sleeve⁷. I told her exactly how I felt.

But then she said that I couldn’t use my story. You see, years ago someone had already written and produced a show all about heart expressions. I would have to write another story!

I was heart-broken!

All that time researching the subject and writing was wasted. After my story was rejected, I just didn’t have the heart to stay in the office. I walked the city streets with a heavy heart. I felt tired and sad.

I knew that I had to find another subject and fast. The publication⁸ date was nearing. But I had no enthusiasm⁹. I had lost heart. I didn’t feel like writing ... anything.

After hours of walking around, friends saw me, seemingly¹⁰ lost in the city. Concerned about me, my friends bought me dinner in a lovely restaurant. After hearing what happened, they offered many ideas about what I could write for Valentine’s Day.

“What about the word 'love,' ” they asked.

“It’s been done,” I answered.

“What about different types of relationships?"

“Been done,” I said.

They tried to think of something else that would be a good subject for Valentine’s Day. But nothing sounded good.

Look, I know that their hearts were in the right place. They are my friends and wanted to help. And they are really kind-hearted¹¹ people. But I still felt alone. I didn’t have the heart to tell them that they couldn’t help me. This was something I had to fix on my own.

But then late in the dinner, something happened.

We ordered a tasty chocolate dessert. One of my friends said that she had had a fabulous¹² dessert recently at another restaurant. She thought it was interesting that the two desserts were made with the exact same ingredients¹³ but tasted completely different.

Suddenly, I had a change of heart. I decided¹⁴ to look at my situation in a new way. Although all the heart expressions had already been used in an earlier program, there was no reason I couldn’t write another story using the expressions in a different way!

And that’s what I did. I also learned¹⁵ something. If you have your heart set on doing something and then find out that someone has done it before, don’t lose heart! Simply follow your heart. Just do what you want and do it your own way!

And that’s Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning¹⁶ English.

I’m Anna Matteo.

"And I'm waiting for your change of heart, waiting for your change of heart."

Words in This Story

sensitive – adj. likely to cause people to become upset

heartstrings - n. deep emotions < That movie really tugs/pulls at your heartstrings. [=makes you emotional] > <a writer who knows how to play on his readers' heartstrings >

soul – n. the spiritual part of a person that is believed to give life to the body and in many religions is believed to live forever

gush – v. to speak in an extremely enthusiastic way

enthusiasm – n. strong excitement about something : a strong feeling of active interest in something that you like or enjoy

dessert – n. sweet food eaten after the main part of a meal

fabulous – adj. very good

ingredient – n. one of the things that are used to make a food, product, etc.

1 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

2 somewhat   

pron.一些，某物；adv.多少，几分

参考例句：

• The cake we made was somewhat of a failure.我们做的蛋糕不大成功。
• The two office buildings are somewhat alike in appearance.这两座办公楼在外形上有点相似。

3 sensitive   

adj.敏感的，灵敏的，过敏的，感光的

参考例句：

• He's very sensitive about his ugly appearance.他对自己丑陋的外貌很敏感。
• It's difficult to avoid stepping on her sensitive feelings.很难不伤害她脆弱的情感。

4 powerful   

adj.有力的，有权力的，强大的

参考例句：

• The UN began to get more and more powerful.联合国开始变得越来越强大了。
• Such are the most powerful voices of our times!这些就是我们时代的最有力的声音！

5 deeply   

adv.深刻地，在深处，深沉地

参考例句：

• I do feel deeply the strength of the collective.我确实深深地感到了集体的力量。
• We're deeply honoured that you should agree to join us.您能同意加入我们，我们感到很荣幸。

6 gushed   

v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话

参考例句：

• Oil gushed from the well. 石油从井口喷了出来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Clear water gushed into the irrigational channel. 清澈的水涌进了灌溉渠道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 sleeve   

n.袖子，袖套

参考例句：

• Will you please mend the sleeve of my blouse?请你把我衬衣的袖子补一下好吗？
• He pulled my sleeve, attracted my attention in this way.他扯了扯我的衣袖以引起我的注意。

8 publication   

n.出版，发行；出版；公布，发表

参考例句：

• They don't think this article is suitable for publication.他们认为这篇文章不宜发表。
• The government has delayed publication of the trade figures.政府已将贸易统计数字延后公布。

9 enthusiasm   

n.热情，激情；巨大兴趣；热衷的事物

参考例句：

• We set about our task at once with great enthusiasm.我们立刻兴致勃勃地干起来。
• A team which is full of enthusiasm is more likely to win.情绪高涨的球队更可能获胜。

10 seemingly   

adv.从表面上看起来，似乎是

参考例句：

• Seemingly,we can do nothing to prevent this from happening.我们似乎没有什么办法阻止这件事发生。
• For several seemingly interminable seconds no one spoke.有几秒钟没有人讲话，这几秒钟似乎十分漫长。

11 kind-hearted   

adj.好心的

参考例句：

• She is one of the most kind-hearted girls that I saw.她是我看到的姑娘中最善良的一个。
• Mike is a very kind-hearted boy.迈克是一好心肠的小伙子。

12 fabulous   

adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的

参考例句：

• We had a fabulous time at the party.我们在晚会上玩得很痛快。
• This is a fabulous sum of money.这是一笔巨款。

13 ingredients   

n.（混合物的）组成部分( ingredient的名词复数 )；（烹调的）原料；（构成）要素；因素

参考例句：

• All ingredients are readily available from your local store. 所有的原料都可以方便地从你当地的商店买到。
• We never use second quality ingredients to build building. 我们决不使用次等材料用于建筑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

15 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

16 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。