【英语趣味课堂】恐怖电影-Horror Movies

 Ruth: So Akane, is there anything that you’re frightened of?

 

Akane: Well… I’m, I’m really scared of horror¹ movies. I never watch them, cuz they really really frighten me.

 

Ruth: Horror movies wow. Have your ever seen a horror movie?

 

Akane: Well, um, when I was little I used to watch them with my friends, because, back in the 80’s, horror movies used to be really popular. Like ah “Jason”, and “Freddy Cruger”. (Oh yeah) and things like that yeah. But ah, they used to keep me up at night and I couldn’t sleep.

 

Ruth: Yeah, my friend actually had a “Freddy Cruger” poster. It used to frighten me.

 

Akane: Did she?

 

Ruth: Yeah, it wasn’t my favorite. So, ah, what don’t you like about horror movies?

 

Akane: Well, um, I think, I think uh, I don’t know, I think it’s the psychological² aspect of it. They just really make me feel scared.

 

Ruth: Ah, heh.. What was the last horror movie that you watched?

 

Akane: Um, the last one I watched was, I think it was the “Blair Witch³ Project”.

 

Ruth: Oh I know that film, yeah

.

Akane: The first one, I saw it in the theatre with my friend. And I couldn’t sleep properly for a week after that.

 

Ruth: Oh no!

 

Akane: Ya, I mean, I know it’s stupid. A lot of people think it’s a pretty stupid movie. Um, but I think it was just, just the psychological aspect of it that really made me feel scared. And uh, I think, with that movie, after people saw it, they weren’t really sure whether it was real or not. 

 

Ruth: Oh yeah.

 

Akane: And so there was that element⁴ as, as well. 

 

Ruth: Was that the same film that I’m thinking of. The one where they filmed people in a forest, is that right?

 

Akane: Yeah, that’s right. It was in a forest. And the whole thing was done with a camcorder. A hand held camcorder. And so, it was, a lot of it was, I think, black and white. I can’t remember. And uh, and the camera was very shaky, and…

 

Ruth: So it wasn’t professionally⁵ filmed?

 

Akane: Um, I guess it didn’t look like it was.

 

Ruth: Right.

 

Akane: Yeah, I heard that the movie actually only took um, It didn’t take a lot of money to film it. 

But it, it made a lot of money.

 

Ruth: Yeah, I can believe that actually, I can believe that. Well, thanks for that.

 

学习内容：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

horror movies

 

I'm really scared of horror movies, so I never watch them. 

 

'Horror movies' are scary⁶ movies that usually include a lot of blood and killing⁷. Notice the following:

 

Every Halloween my friends and I get together and watch horror movies.

He love horror movies.

keep me up at night

 

Those horror movies used to keep me up at night and I couldn't sleep. 

 

In this case, something that 'keeps you up at night' is something that makes you so scared that you can't sleep.  This can also be used to talk about something that you worry about so much that you can't sleep. Notice the following:

 

You probably shouldn't watch this, because it will keep you up at night.

It was an image that kept me up at night for weeks.

stupid movie

 

A lot of people think it's a pretty stupid movie, but it really made me feel scared. 

 

A 'stupid movie' is one that is dumb⁸ and maybe doesn't make any sense. Notice the following:

 

What a stupid movie.  I can't believe the actors agreed to be in it.

I'm not surprised you haven't seen this.  It's a really stupid movie.

camcorder

 

The whole thing was done with a hand-held camcorder, and a lot of it was in black and white. 

 

'Camcorder' is another way to say 'video camera.' Notice the following:

 

My parents were always holding a camcorder when we were children.

People with children usually have their camcorders with them.

made a lot of money

 

The movie didn't take a lot of money to film it, but it made a lot of money. 

 

Something or someone that 'makes a lot of money' generates⁹ income.  Used like this, it means¹⁰ that many people paid to see the movie, so the producer got a lot of money for making the film. Notice the following:

 

Many people have made a lot of money with only one successful invention.

He made a lot of money in his first job, but he spent all of it.

1 horror   

n.惊骇，恐怖，惨事，极端厌恶

参考例句：

• The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation.公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。
• The thought of working nights fills me with abject horror.一想到要夜间工作我就觉得惨兮兮的。

2 psychological   

adj.心理的，精神上的

参考例句：

• Work also provides psychological well-being.工作还能使人身心健康。
• The psychological advantage of direct control is impressive.直接控制所收到的心理效果很大。

3 witch   

n.巫婆，女巫；vt.施巫术，迷惑

参考例句：

• The witch changed the prince into a frog.巫婆把王子变成了青蛙。
• The heartless witch cast a spell on the poor little girl.狠心的女巫对孤苦无助的小女孩施了妖术。

4 element   

n.元素；组成部分，成分；零件，元件

参考例句：

• Justice is an important element of good government.公正是仁政的要素。
• Carbon is an element,while carbon dioxide is a compound.碳是一种(化学)元素，而二氧化碳则是一种化合物。

5 professionally   

adv.职业地；专业地

参考例句：

• You need a complete change,both professionally and personally.你需要在工作上和自身两方面有彻底的改变。
• A professionally installed alarm will cost from about ￡500.请专业人员安装的警报器要花费至少500英镑。

6 scary   

a.引起惊慌的；害怕的

参考例句：

• What animal do you think is the most scary?你认为什么动物最可怕？
• Are you afraid of scary movies?你害怕恐怖电影吗？

7 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 dumb   

adj.哑的；不会说话的；笨的；愚蠢的

参考例句：

• She is very kind to the dumb children.她对哑童非常好。
• It was dumb of you to say that.你说这种话太愚蠢了。

9 generates   

v.生（儿、女）( generate的第三人称单数 )；（通过物理或化学过程）发生；生成；引起

参考例句：

• This new boiler generates more heat than the old one. 这个新锅炉产生的热量比旧锅炉多。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy. 原子反应堆发出大量的热能。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。