【一起听英语】美国电影

今天讨论的主题是美国国家电影的那些事...

Neil: Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil and

with me today is Jennifer.

Jennifer: Hi Neil.

Neil: Now we're talking about films today. Are you a film buff, Jennifer?

Jennifer: A buff is someone who's very interested in a certain subject and knows a lot about

it. I do like watching films both at the cinema and at home, but I wouldn't really

say I'm a film buff because I don't have a lot of knowledge. What about you Neil?

Neil: Likewise, I do enjoy the cinema; though Hollywood movies aren't really my

favourite. I do like a good art-house film though. The movies we're talking about

in today's programme aren't any old films. We're talking about the United States

National Film Registry. But before we get onto that I have a quiz question for you,

Jennifer. Are you ready?

Jennifer: Go on then.

Neil: Taking into account inflation, which is the amount money loses value over time,

which film has made more money than any other in the history of cinema? Is it:

a) Avatar

b) Gone with the Wind

c) Titanic¹ 

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Jennifer: That's a difficult one but I think it will be 'Titanic'. I remember it coming out in

the cinema around 1998 and everyone I knew would have to go and see it. So I

think it must be that one.

Neil: Well, we'll find out the answer to that at the end of the programme. Now, before

that question, I was talking about the United States National Film Registry. Every

year it adds about twenty-five titles to its list.

Jennifer: The films aren't always famous blockbusters and sometimes haven't been seen

for decades.

Neil: That's true, the films aren't always famous blockbusters – a blockbuster is usually

an American film which makes lots of money.

Jennifer: But the films do have this in common: it's been decided² that they are all of lasting³

cultural, historical and aesthetic⁴ importance.

Neil: Yes, the US National Film Registry has decided that all the films are of lasting

cultural and historical importance for the United Stated. They're also beautiful and

artistic⁵ – so they're 'of aesthetic importance'. Here's more from the BBC's Arts

Reporter, Vincent Dowd

Vincent Dowd, Arts Reporter, BBC

Seventy years on the US National Film Registry has placed it on its list of historically important

American films. The list's been going since 1989 and around 25 titles are added annually⁶. In part

it's to ensure they get the highest level of preservation⁷: not really a problem with a much rereleased

Disney classic. But even well-known films sometimes need securing for posterity⁸.

Neil: That was the BBC's Arts Reporter, Vincent Dowd. He was talking about 'Bambi'

which is seventy years old but it's just been added to the Registry's list, although

the list was started in about 1989. 'Bambi' is an animated⁹ film. You know, Jennifer, 

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I think it was one of the first films my parents took me to see – so for me anyway

it's of historical importance!

Jennifer: Do you remember what you thought of it at the time?

Neil: Well for those listeners who haven't seen it, Bambi is a little deer who becomes

orphaned¹⁰, meaning its parents died. I was tiny, but I loved it and learned

important lessons from it about grief, family and friends.

Jennifer: Grief is a feeling of great sadness. Well, perhaps I'd better watch it.

Neil: What, you mean you've never seen 'Bambi'?! I can't believe that! You've got to go

home and watch it immediately!

Jennifer: OK I will, though it sounds like it might make me cry!

Neil: I think there's no shame in crying about Bambi! Now luckily for you, Jennifer, the

US National Film Registry helps to make such old films available to future

generations by looking after them in the best way possible. As the reporter

Vincent Dowd said: films "get the highest level of preservation"

Jennifer: He says "even well-known films need securing for posterity".

Neil: That's right, even famous films need to be made safe – or secure - for future

generations, or as the reporter said: "for posterity". And let's just listen to that clip

from the BBC's Arts Reporter Vincent Dowd once again:

Vincent Dowd, Arts Reporter, BBC

Seventy years on the US National Film Registry has placed it on its list of historically important

American films. The list's been going since 1989 and around 25 titles are added annually. In part

it's to ensure they get the highest level of preservation: not really a problem with a much rereleased

Disney classic. But even well-known films sometimes need securing for posterity.

Neil: That was the BBC's Arts Reporter Vincent Dowd talking about the film 'Bambi'. 

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Jennifer: Well, we had a look at the list to find out which films were on it before the latest

2011 additions.

Neil: And Jennifer has a few titles for us, of films which caught her eye. Tell us about

an early film memory.

Jennifer: Well, an early film memory for me is 'ET', which was made in 1982 and added to

the registry in 1994. It's about an alien which lands on earth and befriends a young

boy. I like it because it's a real heart-warming tale of friendship and it's a great

story.

Neil: Anything else on the list you like?

Jennifer: 'The Sound of Music' from 1965. That was added to the registry in 2001. It's a

musical about a nun¹¹ that looks after a family and it's great fun. And then as a

complete contrast there's 'Psycho' from 1960 which was added to the registry in

1992. It's a thriller¹² and it's really scary.

Neil: Yes it's absolutely terrifying, isn't it? Well, we've just got time now for the answer

to the quiz question I asked you at the beginning. It was: taking into account

inflation, which film has made more money than any other in the history of

cinema? Is it:

a) Avatar

b) Gone with the Wind

c) Titanic

Jennifer: Well I said, I thought it would be 'Titanic'.

Neil: And you were wrong, I'm afraid. The answer is 'Gone with the Wind', which didn't

make as much money as 'Avatar', but if you take into account inflation it has. 

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Thank you for joining us and listen to more 6 Minute English from BBC Learning

English. Bye!

Jennifer: Bye! 

1 titanic   

adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的

参考例句：

• We have been making titanic effort to achieve our purpose.我们一直在作极大的努力，以达到我们的目的。
• The island was created by titanic powers and they are still at work today.台湾岛是由一个至今仍然在运作的巨大力量塑造出来的。

2 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。

3 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

4 aesthetic   

adj.美学的，审美的，有美感

参考例句：

• My aesthetic standards are quite different from his.我的审美标准与他的大不相同。
• The professor advanced a new aesthetic theory.那位教授提出了新的美学理论。

5 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

6 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

7 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

8 posterity   

n.后裔，子孙，后代

参考例句：

• Few of his works will go down to posterity.他的作品没有几件会流传到后世。
• The names of those who died are recorded for posterity on a tablet at the back of the church.死者姓名都刻在教堂后面的一块石匾上以便后人铭记。

9 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

10 orphaned   

[计][修]孤立

参考例句：

• Orphaned children were consigned to institutions. 孤儿都打发到了福利院。
• He was orphaned at an early age. 他幼年时便成了孤儿。

11 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

12 thriller   

n.惊险片，恐怖片

参考例句：

• He began by writing a thriller.That book sold a million copies.他是写惊险小说起家的。那本书卖了一百万册。
• I always take a thriller to read on the train.我乘火车时，总带一本惊险小说看。