英语畅谈中国文化50主题 43

 
43 english as a door opener
A: many people still remember zhang ziyi’s poor English at an oscar ceremony several years ago. It has become a permanent embarrassment¹ to her.
B: people such as joan chen who went to Hollywood many years earlier had to speak good English in the fist place. It is a different story today. Hollywood is eager to break into the Chinese market with its 1.3 billion people. Therefore, English proficiency² has become a secondary consideration when selecting a Chinese actor. Gong li’s English was very bad when she made her debut³ in Chinese box, but she was given a subsequent role in Miami cice. As many as eight people were hired to help her speak English with a Cuban accent. Hollywood wanted to get into the Chinese market by having gong li in the movie.
A: jet li had to go through a crash course in English after he was selected by Hollywood. “you have to learn English if you wang to have a role in Hollywood movies,” he said.
B: it seems Hollywood’s criterion is the person’s appeal rather than their English proficiency.
A: talking about appeal, I think Hollywood is wrong in assuming that its movies can only find their way into china by engaging certain actress.
B: you are right. No matter how fluent they are in English, it is almost impossible for gong li and zhang ziyi to be as famous in the united states as tom cruise and Julia Roberts are in asia. Only when china can produce movies, not just one or two but a lot, that appeal to American theater-goers, can Chinese movies stars become popular over there.
A: unfortunately, many Chinese performers believe that English is very important for them to get a foothold in Hollywood. I am currently teaching English to a Chinese actor and I’ve heard many other performers have hired foreigners to teach them English.
B: that’s correct. Zhang ziyi, for example, is spending a lot of time learning English. Her English was much better at last year’s oscar award ceremony. Now she even speaks a few English words when doing promotions⁴ for her movies. Obviously she is very proud of her grogress.
A： every young artist has a dream to speak English as good as an American. Hollywood is a dream factory. These young artists are hoping to realize their dreams in Hollywood some day. Naturally English has become a door opener to this dream factory.

1 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

2 proficiency   

n.精通，熟练，精练

参考例句：

• He plied his trade and gained proficiency in it.他勤习手艺，技术渐渐达到了十分娴熟的地步。
• How do you think of your proficiency in written and spoken English?你认为你的书面英语和口语熟练程度如何？

3 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

4 promotions   

促进( promotion的名词复数 )； 提升； 推广； 宣传

参考例句：

• All services or promotions must have an appeal and wide application. 所有服务或促销工作都必须具有吸引力和广泛的适用性。
• He promptly directed the highest promotions and decorations for General MacArthur. 他授予麦克阿瑟将军以最高的官阶和勋奖。