英语听力精选进阶版 7255

伦敦奥运会开幕式的细节已经透露出来。总策划是影剧导演丹尼·博伊尔。他说，他想创造一个全新的开幕式，向世界展现英国的历史和文化。

At 55, the director Danny Boyle already has a 30-year career behind him marked by audacity¹ and imagination. He started out in the theatre and TV then moved with success into the cinema: Trainspotting, Sunshine and the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire are all his: it's notable that each is totally different. So when the London Olympics took on Danny Boyle to create this year's opening ceremony they knew to expect the unexpected.

The traditional walk-through of competing athletes will still happen but it'll be preceded by an hour's pageant² called 'Green and Pleasant' which will be unlike anything seen at any Olympics. The set will transform the huge Olympic stadium into a recreation of the British countryside, with rolling meadows and a bucolic³ village green. There'll be horses, cows, geese and three sheepdogs.

Danny Boyle says it will be the starting point of a definition of what modern Britain is, not just London. Danny Boyle says that four years ago Beijing was the highpoint of a certain type of ceremonial spectacle. What we see next month will be more inclusive and warmer. As a director Danny Boyle has always shown a talent for avoiding the obvious so we can expect further surprises to come.

Quiz 听力测试

What does the word audacity mean: being bold or being clever?

Being bold.

True or false? When people expect the unexpected they are prepared to be surprised.

True. The word unexpected means something unpredicatable.

Which word means ‘to change into’?

transform.

True or false: The ceremony will only focus on London.

False. Not just London but the whole of Britain.

Glossary 词汇表

audacity 大胆无畏

notable 特别的

expect the unexpected 期待着惊讶

walk-through 步行入场

preceded 先前的

bucolic 乡村的

inclusive 包括所有人在内的

talent 才能

1 audacity   

n.大胆，卤莽，无礼

参考例句：

• He had the audacity to ask for an increase in salary.他竟然厚着脸皮要求增加薪水。
• He had the audacity to pick pockets in broad daylight.他竟敢在光天化日之下掏包。

2 pageant   

n.壮观的游行；露天历史剧

参考例句：

• Our pageant represented scenes from history.我们的露天历史剧上演一幕幕的历史事件。
• The inauguration ceremony of the new President was a splendid pageant.新主席的就职典礼的开始是极其壮观的。

3 bucolic   

adj.乡村的；牧羊的

参考例句：

• It is a bucolic refuge in the midst of a great bustling city.它是处在繁华的大城市之中的世外桃源。
• She turns into a sweet country girl surrounded by family,chickens and a bucolic landscape.她变成了被家人、鸡与乡村景象所围绕的甜美乡村姑娘。