UNIT2

 

 

II. Listening Skills

1.      W: From what I can remember, the director asked us to rehearse this a hundred times.

M: One hundred times? Is the director out of his mind?

Q: What does the man imply?

 

2.      M: what did you think about the move you saw last night?

W: I should have stayed at home. It was a complete waste of money.

Q: What does the woman imply?

 

3.      W: She said she might become a famous movie star.

M: Yes, and pigs might fly.

Q: What does the man mean?

 

4.      M: so if you give me 20 dollars for three tickets, I can give you eight dollars change

W: Oh, that’s cheaper than I expected.

Q: how much is the ticket?

 

 

5.      W: She’s the best woman director ever. I’ve seen all her movies.

M: Are you sure? She’s never won any awards.

Q: What does the man mean?

 

1.      A 2.D 3.B 4.C 5.B

 

III. Listening In

Task 1: Finally, we’ve found something in common.

Amy: What did you think of the movie, Peter? Did you like it?

Peter: Not really, Amy. It seemed that the director was just trying hard to impress us with strange close-ups and special sound effects, but he forgot to include a good story.

Amy: The movie made you think. It was different from the superficial dialogs you usually see in films these days.

Peter: But the movie seemed to be too dark and sad. Why does a movie have to be sad to be deep?

Amy: But it is better than some violent movies with nothing but gunfights and exploding cars. I prefer thought-provoking movies.

Peter: Sometimes you don’t want to think. You just want light-hearted movies. By the way, did you see the new mystery movie shown at the local cinema yesterday?

Amy:Oh, it was so suspenseful. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Peter：I loved it too. The plot was great, and the acting was unbelievable.

Amy: Now we’ve found something in common. I guess we can watch mysteries together in the future.

 

 

Task 2: An actor forgetting his line

There was once a great actor who could no longer remember his lines. After several years of searching, he finally found a theater that was willing to give him a try. The director said, “This is the most important part, and it has only one line. At the opening you walk onto stage carrying a rose. You hold the rose to your nose with just one finger and thumb, smell it deeply and then say the line on praise of the rose: ‘Ah, the sweet smell of my love.’” The actor was excited. All day long before the play he practiced his line over and over again. Finally, the time came. The curtain went up, the actor walked onto the stage, looked at the audience, and with great emotion said the line, “Ah, the sweet smell of my love.” The audience exploded in laughter. Only the director was furious! “Ahhhhhh! You damned fool!” he cried. “You’ve ruined my play! You’ve ruined me!” The actor was puzzled, “What happened? Did I forget my line?” “No!” shouted the director. “You forget the rose!”

1.      what was the problem with the actor?

2.      What job did the director offer him?

3.      What was the actor NOT Expected to do with the rose?

4.      What did the actor do after he walked onto the stage?

5.      Why was the director extremely angry?

 

1.D 2.C 3.D 4.A 5.B

 

 

Task 3: The Academy Awards

The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented every year by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science to recognize excellent professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers.

The formal ceremony at which the awards are presented is one of the most important award ceremonies in the world. It is televised live in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and gathers large numbers of viewers elsewhere throughout the world. This year’s ceremony was watched by more than 40 million Americans. It is said that only the Super Bowl, the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, and the Football World Cup Final draw more viewers in the United States.

However, the Academy Awards are not without criticism. It has been observed that several of the Academy Award winners have not stood the test of time. Critics claim that many films with artistic value, cultural influence and innovative qualities have not received enough attention. Since the 1980s, money-making blockbusters have often been best Picture winners, but they are not necessarily great films with depth. The Academy Awards have also been criticized for favoring certain types of films and neglecting other types. The Best Picture Prize has rarely been given to an animated film or a science fiction film, with Avatar as an exception.

 

V. Let’s Talk

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock was a British director. His movies frequently show innocent people caught up in situations beyond their control or even understanding. Hitchcock preferred the use of suspense in his movies. In surprise, the director provides the viewer with frightening things. In suspense, the director tells or shows things to the audience which the characters in the movie do not know, and then skillfully builds up tension around what will happen when the characters finally learn the truth. Hitchcock had a great sense of humor. Once at a French airport, a suspicious customs official looked at Hitchcock’s passport, which was marked simply PRODUCER. The curious official asked, “And what do you produce?” “Gooseflesh.” replied Hitchcock. Alfred Hitchcock always managed to make a brief appearance in his movies: He was sometimes getting on a bus, or crossing a street, pr walking in front of a store, or across the courtyard in an apartment. However, for the movie Lifeboat in 1944, he was faced with a difficult problem. The entire movie was set in a lifeboat out at sea, and there were only a few characters in the boat. Originally, he wanted to float by as a dead body, but he was afraid he’d sink! His clever solution was to place a photograph of himself in a newspaper that one of the characters read during the course of the movie.

1.      Which of the following is not a characteristic of Hitchcock and his movies?

2.      What does the passage say about suspense in a movie?

3.      When Hitchcock told the customs official he produced “gooseflesh”, what did he mean?

4.      Which of the following is not true of Alfred Hitchcock in his movies?

5.      How did Hitchcock manage to make an appearance in the film Lifeboat?

 

 

VI. Furthering Listening and Speaking

Listening Task 1: Only One Line

Peter has always wanted to be an actor, but never succeeded because he had a hard time memorizing lines. A friend of his told him about a small part in a play. He promised Peter that he could do it because he’s only have to remember one line. Peter decided to take the part. His only line was, “Listen, I hear the guns roar!” Peter practiced and practiced, “Listen, I hear the guns roar!” On the opening night of the play Peter was very nervous. Backstage, he practiced his line, over and over again, “Listen, I hear the guns roar! Listen, I hear the guns roar!” Finally came his turn, Peter went onto stage. He heard a loud BOOM and cried out in spite of himself, “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?”

 

Task 2: Movie reviews

I love movies! And after I see them, I like to comment on them. These are movies I saw this year I would like to recommend: Among comedies I highly recommend “Monsoon Wedding”. It’s an Indian movie. The story is about an Indian wedding. Preparations for the wedding bring out funny and sad situations touching on love and a past rape. This movie shows some of the wonderful customs of India, and the importance of family and love. It’s great! Among dramas, I like “Adaptation”. It is an excellent movie! But for me the first part of the movie was too fast to follow. I hope to see it again on DVD with captions. “The Pianist” is set in the Second World War. It’s about a young Polish-Jewish pianist, who lives in Warsaw with his family. The Nazis sent his family to die in the concentration camps. He was safe, but would have died without unusually good luck and the kindness of a few non-Jews. This is a powerful movie with thought-provoking themes. “Rabbit-Proof Fence” is set in the 1930s in Australia, and it’s based on real events. It is about three native girls who are separated from their families by the racist police who send them to special centers. There the girls are taught practical skills, and the government tries to integrate them into white Australian society. They can away from the camp and walked 1,500 miles to find their mothers. This is a sad, touching story that you should not miss.

1.      What does the speaker imply by saying he wants to see the movie Adaptation again on DVD?

2.      What happened to the young Polish-Jewish pianist in the movie The Pianist?

3.      Which of the following is true of the three native girls in the movie Rabbit-Proof Fence?

4.      How many comedies does the speaker recommend?

5.      Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?

 

Key: ACCAD

 

 

Task 3: Let’s go and see the movie

Lisa: What kind of movie do you want to see, Nick?

Nick: I really want to see Monster Night, the horror movie advertised in newspapers.

Lisa: Monster Night? It sounds scary. I don’t like horror films.

Nick: OK. It’s not yet in theaters anyway. It won't be coming out until next week. What movies are playing now?

Lisa: Let me check… there’s an action film starring Jet Li, and … Monster Night! It’s already in theaters.

Nick: What? It is? Which theater is it playing at?

Lisa: It’s showing at the theater in the mall. But I really don’t want to see it.

Nick: All the critics have given Monster Night great reviews. What time is the next showing?

Lisa: Well, if we hurry, we can make the three o’clock show. The show after that is at 4：30. But I’m too frightened to see this one.

Nick: Come on, Lisa! Don’t be c chicken. Let’s go! We have to get tickets before they sell out!

Key: FTFTF