节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-12-29
难易度:High
关键字:credential, intent, on the horizon, in store, BAFTA [British Acadamy of
Film and Television Arts]
Welcome back, everybody.
Don't know much about Hobbits?
Well, they're kind of like humans, but they're shorter.
And they live a little longer.
Hobbits usually lead quiet, uneventful lives.
Their most distinctive feature is their feet - on the top is a bunch of fur, and
on the bottom it's like leather.
OK. Let's wrap up this lesson about the human who plays Hobbit Bilbo Baggins on
line 14.
Martin Freeman: The Hobbit's Leading Star.
In fact, filmmakers were so intent on having Freeman for the part that they
delayed production of The Hobbit to give him time to finish Sherlock.
For now The Hobbit and its second installment are the biggest films on the
horizon for Freeman.
But for this talented actor, there is sure to be more in store.
Freeman is clear in his feelings about his work: "Acting, for me, feels like an
absolute expression - a really necessary one.
It would be a lie if I said it's just a job.
It's a lot more than that.".
(Music).
Friends, I don't know about you, but I am really excited to watch this month's
The Hobbit and see Martin Freeman in action.
That's right.
Now we're talking about why he's good for this role.
The director Peter Jackson said he's just like Bilbo in a lot of his
characteristics.
He's brave, he's smart, he's funny.
But it's even more than that.
Peter Jackson really, really wanted Martin Freeman for this role, so much so
that he even went out of his way to get him.
Exactly. And not just Peter Jackson, all of the people working on this film,
all of those filmmakers were so intent on having Freeman for the part that they
actually delayed production of The Hobbit to give him more time to finish
Sherlock first.
OK. So the filmmakers were intent.
To be "intent" means you are determined to do or to achieve something.
So they were intent, they were determined that it had to be Martin Freeman who
played Bilbo Baggins.
Now Ryan, unusually if you're trying out for a part that you're acting, you act
for it.
And then if they want you, you go right away because you want to keep the part.
But people... these filmmakers wanted him so badly that they even delayed the
production of an entire movie.
Yeah. That's actually really big.
People usually don't delay production.
If you delay something, that means you stop working on it and then begin working
on it at a later time.
And they delayed the production of this huge movie.
That's right.
Now, it's unheard of, especially for a movie this big and this anticipated,
people are so excited for it, for them to wait to film it, but they like him so
much.
This is saying just how good of an actor he is.
Exactly, yeah.
To delay film production means you are not going to be working on that film or
creating that film at all.
And that never happens in the movie industry.
Especially to let someone finish filming a TV show, this show Sherlock, which, I
still think you should watch.
I recommended it yesterday.
And it's still a great show.
That's right.
Now we already know that The Hobbit is going to be really big.
There's the first and the second installment.
And those are both the biggest films on the horizon for Freeman.
That's right.
Now it's not on the horizon for all of us, but definitely for him as an actor.
Now for something to be "on the horizon," this is a phrase that we use quite
frequently in English.
First, "horizon" is that line in... if you look straight out over the land, the
horizon is the final line that you can see.
But it's still something you can't see.
It's just distant.
So what does it mean to be "on the horizon"?
Well, if you can see something that's on the horizon, that means it's very far
away.
So when we use this phrase, that means we're talking about something that will
eventually happen.
It's likely to happen sometime in the future, probably pretty soon.
So if we compare that to the word "horizon," it's like we can see it is out
there but it's not quite here yet.
So it lays in the future.
So if something is on the horizon, that means it will most likely happen, but it
will take a little bit longer to get there.
Maybe if you are in junior high school, going to university is on the horizon
for you.
Exactly. It's probably going to happen pretty soon, but you're going to have to
wait a little bit.
And unfortunately, friends, we have to wait for the second installment of The
Hobbit now.
OK. So it says this is the biggest for him on the horizon, meaning it's coming
out, it's going to be great for him.
But this talented actor is sure to... there's sure to be so much more in store
for him.
This is not the end of his acting career.
Exactly. More is going to happen.
He says there's more in store.
The phrase "in store" means there's more that will come soon.
Ryan, do you think we could kind of compare these two phrases?
To be "on the horizon" - it's coming, it's going to happen; and to be "in store"
means it's going to happen.
Are those kind of the same?
They... friends, these phrases really are pretty similar.
But if we said that these two films are some of the biggest in store for
Freeman, well, that means they might only be the biggest films for him ever.
So maybe I like the way they used it in this article better.
So "on the horizon" means there's probably more coming after it as well.
"In store" means that maybe that's what is, that's all there is left there.
Exactly. And we know there is a lot more that will exist for Freeman, so there's
a lot more for him in store.
That's right.
Now Freeman is clear in his feelings about his work.
When we say he's clear, that means he is direct about it.
He doesn't make up things.
He's very... he's focused.
He understands.
Yeah. And he has very... true ideas.
He knows what he believes, and he is sticking to it.
Now he says that: Acting, for me, feels like an absolute expression, and a
really necessary one.
An expression is how you communicate with people around you.
So it's an absolute expression; it's the best way he can communicate.
Right. Something that is absolute, that means that is exactly as it should be.
It includes everything.
So he thinks that acting is really one of the best ways to communicate and
express.
And it's necessary.
It's important.
We need it.
Now he said: It would be a lie if I said it's just a job.
OK. So if you say something's just a job, that means you're only doing it for
the money.
He's doing this for a lot more than just money.
Probably if you work at a restaurant and you're a waitress, it's just a job.
You don't love your job.
It's just for the money.
But for him, acting is more than that.
He says it's a lot more than that.
Yeah. And you can see it in the way that he acts.
Friends, I hope you enjoy watching The Hobbit and getting a taste for the way
Martin Freeman acts.
That's right.
Now let's jump to today's skit.
What do you think about Hobbits?
Well, it depends.
There are good habbits and bad habbits.
No, no! I didn't say habbits.
Oh. Did you say "rabbits"?
No! Hobbits!
What do you think about Hobbits?
Oh, Hobbits.
You mean those little fictional characters that live in Middle-earth?
Yes. I want to see The Hobbit movie.
It's another Peter Jackson masterpiece.
Oh, yes. It's the story of Bilbo Baggins.
He's a Hobbit.
That's right.
He's a Hobbit just like me.
And in the movie, he's played by Martin Freeman.
Oh, Martin Freeman... who's he?
Well, he's got impressive acting credentials.
Then why haven't I heard of him?
He's relatively unknown outside the U.K., but that's about to change.
Why did filmmakers choose him to play Bilbo Baggins?
Freeman is the perfect fit.
He's intelligent, funny, surprising and brave.
Oh, just like me.
No, just like Bilbo.
And what's on the horizon for Freeman after the second installment of The
Hobbit?
I don't know, but there is sure to be more in store.
So why are we talking about Hobbits?
I'm looking for someone to go see the movie with me.
I have two free tickets.
Free tickets?
Oh, I love Hobbits! Let's go.
Hi, everyone. I'm Michelle.
(Chinese).
And that concludes our Language Tips today.
Don't forget to come back next time.
Bye-bye.
Versatile British actor Martin Freeman has been in the acting business for more
than 20 years.
But playing Hobbit Bilbo Baggins in two new Peter Jackson movies will be
Freeman's biggest role yet.
Check Martin Freeman out this month in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
And friends, remember the saying "If you don't use it, you'll lose it," this
applies to your English too.
So this weekend, please go out and use what you know.
And then join us on Monday when we talk about some way-out dreams that became
reality.
Until then, take care.