节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2014-01-16
难易度:High
关键字:inspirational, villain, assert, obsess
(Music).
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Studio Classroom.
My name is Gabe.
And my name is Carolyn.
And your English will improve today.
We have a lot to learn.
And so will your knowledge about Benedict Cumberbatch.
That's the name of our lesson, and that's the name of a one-of-a-kind actor.
Carolyn, have you heard of Benedict Cumberbatch?
Well, sure! He's Sherlock Holmes.
You're exactly right.
He is the star of the television series Sherlock.
And there's a lot more to learn about this man.
So let's get started with the first reading.
Then we'll join Michelle in the Language Lab.
Benedict Cumberbatch.
Just like his name, he's one of a kind.
Benedict Cumberbatch is an actor - simple as that.
The story of his becoming one is not amazing or inspirational but really just
natural.
It's the daring choices of this unique individual that make him someone worth
watching.
Choosing range, not renown.
Cumberbatch challenges himself at every turn, playing hero (TV's Sherlock),
villain (Star Trek Into Darkness and The Hobbit) or maybe both (The Fifth
Estate).
In this variety of roles, he has proved himself very capable at each but finds
adjusting to fame much more puzzling.
Cumberbatch jumped at the chance to learn the violin as Sherlock and asserted
his ability to capture the dragon Smaug's motions as well as its voice.
(Chinese).
Thank you, Michelle.
Well, Benedict Cumberbatch is quite an incredible actor.
He is obviously able to play a variety of roles as we read at the very beginning
just beneath the title:
Just like his name, he is one of a kind.
What does that mean, Gabe?
Well, that means he's unique and original or unlike anyone else.
There's nobody like him.
He really stands out from the crowd.
Well, you can use this phrase "one of a kind" to talk about talented people or
people who are really interesting.
If you want to describe something as being unique, use this phrase.
For example, I really enjoy my history teacher's teaching style.
She is really one of a kind.
Or I really like movies by Steven Spielberg.
He is a one-of-a-kind director.
Notice I use this phrase like an adjective here, a one-of-a-kind director.
If you want to write it as an adjective, make sure you use hyphens between each
word.
Otherwise, you can just say someone is one of a kind, without the hyphens.
Just like in our lesson.
Well, we read on that Benedict Cumberbatch is an actor - simple as that.
You could also say it's as simple as that.
That means it's not very difficult to understand or explain.
However, our author does go on to explain why it's just that simple.
Right. He says the story of his becoming an actor is not amazing or
inspirational but really just natural.
Now why would he say this, Carolyn, his story's not amazing or inspirational?
Well, first of all, if something is inspirational, that means it either
encourages you in some way or motivates you to do something.
I think our author writes like this because so many times we hear of actors,
singers or other celebrities becoming famous in a kind of an odd way.
But nothing was strange about Cumberbatch's background.
I see what you mean.
Well, does our author really think Cumberbatch is not amazing or inspirational?
No. But as we will find out in the lesson, the reason he is inspirational is
because of his choices and not because of things that just happened to him.
And I think that's probably the best way to influence others - by the choices
you make in life.
You can't be an example to others just by letting things happen to you no matter
if they're good or bad things.
You need to make daring choices to really stand out.
And I really like that word: daring.
It's an adjective that describes brave things that you do or things that might
be a little risky or dangerous.
Doing daring things will take you out of your comfort zone.
It will be challenging, and things may not go the way you plan, but it's good to
be a daring person.
Do you know any daring people?
Do you dare to go do things that are uncomfortable but that will make your life
better?
Actually, yeah. Carolyn, I think you made a daring decision.
You do?
Yeah. When you decided to go vegan, eating only vegetables, that wasn't the
easiest choice, right?
Uh, well, not at first, but it's a choice that made a big difference in my life,
and I don't regret it at all.
And that is good to hear.
Friends, what is something daring that you could do?
Now don't confuse the word daring with the word foolish.
Make bold, daring choices that will affect your life for the better.
Right, like Benedict Cumberbatch.
His daring choices make him someone worth watching.
If someone is worth watching, that means you don't waste your time watching him.
It's a good use of your time.
And you can use this word to describe other things that are a good use of your
time.
Take a book for example.
This can be worth reading.
Carolyn, I noticed you are reading The Hobbit again.
I have to say that book is definitely worth reading.
I think so, too.
Now we also say sometimes that something is worth the wait or worth waiting for.
That's important to remember in a time when everyone wants to do everything
right away.
Now I know it's a sensitive topic, but sex is something many people think they
should do whenever they want.
However, it's supposed to be for a husband and wife.
I think I know where you're going with this, Carolyn.
Sex is worth waiting for until marriage.
That's because you are worth waiting for.
Are you with someone who will wait for you to be married to them?
You are worth the wait.
That's right.
Well, you know how to use the word "worth" in many ways now.
So let's move on to some of the choices Cumberbatch has made.
He chooses range, not renown.
Renown is another word for fame.
Cumberbatch isn't concerned with being famous.
We read here that he challenges himself at every turn.
That means he challenges himself every chance he gets.
Yes. Every time it's his turn to play any kind of role or do anything, he's
challenging himself.
We read that he jumped at the chance to learn the violin as Sherlock.
And I like that phrase: to jump at the chance.
If you jump at the chance to do something, that means you say yes right away
when the chance comes.
Have you ever jumped at the chance to do something?
Yeah, a lot! I jumped at the chance to teach for Let's Talk in English many
years ago.
I jumped at the chance to play drums for different kinds of events.
I jumped at the chance to teach Studio Classroom, and it has been worth it.
Now Cumberbatch also asserted his ability to capture the dragon Smaug's motions
as well as its voice.
He was actually not too happy when people said he was the voice for Smaug.
He became the dragon for the movie.
And when we read that he captured the motions and the voice, that means he was
able to present them in the best way possible.
Well, he really seems amazing so far.
But what does he feel about fame?
Well, we will learn about that afterthis.