美国国家公共电台 NPR--Blaster used in the first 'Star Wars' film could break memorabilia auction record

Blaster used in the first 'Star Wars' film could break memorabilia auction¹ record

Transcript²

The original blaster used in the first Star Wars film could break records when it goes up for auction next month. The futuristic weapon was wielded³ by Han Solo.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Rock Island Auctions⁴ in Illinois specializes in selling unique and historic firearms, things like two pistols belonging to Ulysses S. Grant, that gun that killed Billy the Kid, Wild Bill Hickok's Smith & Wesson revolver, but never something like a BlasTech DL-44 heavy blaster.

ASMA KHALID, HOST:

Because it's an antique from a galaxy⁵ far, far away.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "STAR WARS")

PETER MAYHEW: (As Chewbacca) (Growls)

HARRISON FORD⁶: (As Han Solo) Look out, he's loose.

MARK HAMILL: (As Luke Skywalker) He'll tear us all apart.

FORD: (As Han Solo) I'll get him.

KHALID: It's also a movie prop⁷ - the fictional⁸ weapon wielded expertly by Han Solo in "Star Wars."

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "STAR WARS")

FORD: (As Han Solo) Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.

FADEL: Joel Kolander with Rock Island Auctions says the blaster was made from a semi-automatic pistol and modified with surplus parts.

JOEL KOLANDER: It starts off as a Mauser C96 broom handle. It's a standard issue sidearm of Germany in World War I. Like, with most surplus, it's either junked or sold cheaply to the populace at large.

FADEL: Three DL-44s were made. Two were lost. The one left happened to end up at the London prop house that George Lucas hired for his low-budget sci-fi movie.

KOLANDER: George Lucas, of course, is known for this departure from, like, these lush, high-tech⁹, clean utopia science fiction settings. He wanted the gritty, the real, the, quote-unquote, "used future."

KHALID: The surviving blaster has a machine gun muzzle¹⁰ and a World War II-era scope, which Han Solo did not really use. Han shot first and at close range.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "STAR WARS")

FORD: (As Han Solo) Over my dead body.

PAUL BLAKE: (As Greedo) (Speaking Quechua).

FORD: (As Han Solo) Yes, I'll bet you have.

FADEL: "Episode IV: A New Hope" became a blockbuster hit. And for the later movies, Harrison Ford strapped¹¹ models of the blaster made out of resin¹² or metal to his thigh¹³ holster. Bidding on the blaster starts at 300 to $500,000, but with its combined value as an antique firearm and relic¹⁴ of Star Wars fandom, the fictional weapon is likely to fetch a much higher final bid.

(SOUNDBITE OF JOHN WILLIAMS' "STAR WARS MAIN THEME")

1 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 wielded   

手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的过去式和过去分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）

参考例句：

• The bad eggs wielded power, while the good people were oppressed. 坏人当道，好人受气
• He was nominally the leader, but others actually wielded the power. 名义上他是领导者，但实际上是别人掌握实权。

4 auctions   

n.拍卖，拍卖方式( auction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They picked up most of the furniture at auctions in country towns. 他们大部分的家具都是在乡村镇上的拍卖处买的。 来自辞典例句
• Our dealers didn't want these cars, so we had to dump them at auctions. 我们的承销商都不要这些车子，因此我们只好贱价拍卖。 来自辞典例句

5 galaxy   

n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物)

参考例句：

• The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
• The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。

6 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

7 prop   

vt.支撑；n.支柱，支撑物；支持者，靠山

参考例句：

• A worker put a prop against the wall of the tunnel to keep it from falling.一名工人用东西支撑住隧道壁好使它不会倒塌。
• The government does not intend to prop up declining industries.政府无意扶持不景气的企业。

8 fictional   

adj.小说的，虚构的

参考例句：

• The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
• The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。

9 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

10 muzzle   

n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默

参考例句：

• He placed the muzzle of the pistol between his teeth.他把手枪的枪口放在牙齿中间。
• The President wanted to muzzle the press.总统企图遏制新闻自由。

11 strapped   

adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带

参考例句：

• Make sure that the child is strapped tightly into the buggy. 一定要把孩子牢牢地拴在婴儿车上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soldiers' great coats were strapped on their packs. 战士们的厚大衣扎捆在背包上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 resin   

n.树脂，松香，树脂制品；vt.涂树脂

参考例句：

• This allyl type resin is a highly transparent, colourless material.这种烯丙基型的树脂是一种高度透明的、无色材料。
• This is referred to as a thixotropic property of the resin.这种特性叫做树脂的触变性。

13 thigh   

n.大腿；股骨

参考例句：

• He is suffering from a strained thigh muscle.他的大腿肌肉拉伤了，疼得很。
• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。

14 relic   

n.神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物

参考例句：

• This stone axe is a relic of ancient times.这石斧是古代的遗物。
• He found himself thinking of the man as a relic from the past.他把这个男人看成是过去时代的人物。