VOA标准英语2010年-'The Social Network' Tells True Story

In less than a decade, Facebook has become a worldwide phenomenon; but despite its overnight success, the creation of this Internet-based community was not without controversy¹ and a new film, The Social Network, is based on that true story ... or, actually, the various versions of that true story.

"People want to go on the Internet and check out their friends, so why not build a website that offers the friends, pictures, profiles ..."
"This idea is potentially worth millions of dollars."
"Millions!"

Getting dates, not making money seems to have been the motivation for Mark Zuckerberg in 2003 when, smarting from a break-up, the Harvard student and computer whiz sat down at the keyboard with his best friend Eduardo.

Their "Facemash" website became an instant hit on campus. It took a few refinements² to expand the scope and turn it into something that captured the attention of the world just by posting information members want their friends to know.

 

"You don't know my name, do you? How do you go to a party and you meet somebody ..."
"Amelia Ritter, but you prefer Amy. You're from Orinda. Your father is in commercial real estate and your mother is 10 years sober."
"What's my major?"
"French. Your major is French."

Facebook quickly grows into a global connection with some 500 million 'friends;' but, as the movie's advertising³ points out, you don't get that many friends without making a few enemies.

"You stole our website!"
"They are saying we stole the Facebook ..."
"I know what it says."
"So did we?"

The legal battle pits friend against friend and shatters relationships. English actor Andrew Garfield, who plays Eduardo Saverin, says the technology they invented is not the story.

"Facebook is just a backdrop to these incredibly universal themes that are playing out between people," explains Garfield, "like brotherhood⁴, love, betrayal, power - all of these Shakespearean, Greek things."

Jesse Eisenberg stars as the computer genius at the center of the tempest, but he never spoke⁵ with the real Mark Zuckerberg (who, like the other principals, did not cooperate with the making of the movie).

"I spent six months thinking about him every day," says Eisenberg. " I developed a great affection for my character and, of course, by extension, the man. I'd be very interested to meet him."

The Social Network script is by award-winning playwright⁶ and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, who says the multiple (and conflicting) versions of the truth challenged and intrigued⁷ him.

"The antagonist⁸ and protagonist⁹ in this story shifts as we go along," notes Sorkin. "I don't think this movie belongs to any particular drama, but the one that it is most closely related to is actually courtroom drama, where we are certain of someone's guilt¹⁰ or innocence¹¹ at the beginning and we change our minds five times all the way through. Strictly¹² speaking, Mark is the anti-hero for the first hour and 55 minutes and the final five minutes being the tragic¹³ hero, which means that he has paid a price and is experiencing remorse¹⁴. Protagonist and antagonist in this case don't relate to 'good guy' and 'bad guy.'

Sorkin insists his script is fair to all sides in the ongoing¹⁵ argument; but star Eisenberg says it is important to keep in mind that The Social Network is the dramatized version of events, not a documentary.

"In the movie that Aaron created is a guy that is desperately¹⁶ trying to fit in and doesn't have the social wherewithal to do so. I could certainly relate to that," admits Eisenberg. "Almost to cope, he creates this incredible tool to interact in a way that he feels comfortable. Because of his incredible insights, 500 million other people also feel comfortable using that tool. It's just a fascinating character, complicated in all the right ways, so even though he acts in a way that might be hurtful to other characters, by the end of the movie it's totally understandable.

The Social Network, directed by David Fincher and executive produced by Kevin Spacey, also features pop star Justin Timberlake as an early Facebook supporter, Sean Parker, founder¹⁷ of the Napster file-sharing website. The eclectic, electronic-themed soundtrack is composed by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor

1 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

2 refinements   

n.（生活）风雅；精炼( refinement的名词复数 )；改良品；细微的改良；优雅或高贵的动作

参考例句：

• The new model has electric windows and other refinements. 新型号有电动窗和其他改良装置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is possible to add a few useful refinements to the basic system. 对基本系统进行一些有益的改良是可能的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

4 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 playwright   

n.剧作家，编写剧本的人

参考例句：

• Gwyn Thomas was a famous playwright.格温·托马斯是著名的剧作家。
• The playwright was slaughtered by the press.这位剧作家受到新闻界的无情批判。

7 intrigued   

adj.好奇的，被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式)；激起…的兴趣或好奇心；“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧！
• He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。

8 antagonist   

n.敌人，对抗者，对手

参考例句：

• His antagonist in the debate was quicker than he.在辩论中他的对手比他反应快。
• The thing is to know the nature of your antagonist.要紧的是要了解你的对手的特性。

9 protagonist   

n.(思想观念的)倡导者；主角，主人公

参考例句：

• The protagonist reforms in the end and avoids his proper punishment.戏剧主角最后改过自新并避免了他应受的惩罚。
• He is the model for the protagonist in the play.剧本中的主人公就是以他为模特儿创作的！

10 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

11 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

12 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

13 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

14 remorse   

n.痛恨，悔恨，自责

参考例句：

• She had no remorse about what she had said.她对所说的话不后悔。
• He has shown no remorse for his actions.他对自己的行为没有任何悔恨之意。

15 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

16 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

17 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。