作為全球電影行業(yè)最權(quán)威的頒獎禮之一,奧斯卡一直都備受關(guān)注膊升。但因為入圍影片熱度低怎炊,各大獎項毫無懸念,以及互聯(lián)網(wǎng)和流媒體開始分流廓译,近年來奧斯卡頒獎禮的收視率持續(xù)下滑评肆。2018年,第90屆奧斯卡金像獎的收視率創(chuàng)下了歷史新低非区,近4小時的頒獎典禮僅有2650萬人收看瓜挽,比2017年下降了近20%。
為了提高日漸慘淡的收視率征绸,2018年8月久橙,奧斯卡主辦機構(gòu)宣布了一系列重磅改革措施,其中一項便是要新增一個“最受歡迎影片”獎項管怠。然而淆衷,美國絕大多數(shù)電影業(yè)內(nèi)人士和影迷對此并不買賬,質(zhì)疑的聲音不絕于耳渤弛。不到一個月吭敢,主辦方就“認慫”,宣布將不會在今年2月登場的第91屆奧斯卡典禮上頒發(fā)新獎項暮芭。
此外鹿驼,奧斯卡頒獎禮主持人原定由喜劇演員凱文·哈特擔(dān)任,但哈特因被曝出曾發(fā)表厭惡同性戀的評論而遭到廣泛抵制辕宏,最終決定退出奧斯卡獎主持工作畜晰。隨后主辦方宣布,本屆頒獎典禮將無人主持瑞筐,由出席嘉賓頒獎介紹來代替主持人串場——這是30年來首次沒有主持人的奧斯卡頒獎禮凄鼻。曾經(jīng)輝煌不可比肩,如今深陷困頓聚假。奧斯卡能否通過改革逆境重生块蚌,隨風(fēng)翻盤呢?
本篇課程首發(fā)于2019年2月25日膘格,選自 The Economist Espresso APP
https://espresso.economist.com/970fb1f772fc2c31ef53234842710ee9
文本難度:
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Oscar Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: film
① The Academy Awards, to be held on Sunday night, have seen their ratings slip from 44m in 2014 to about 27m in 2018, prompting Donald Trump to tweet, "Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don't have Stars anymore—except your President (just kidding, of course)!"
② Efforts to slow this decline have been almost as embarrassing as Mr Trump's tweet.
③ In August, an Academy Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film" was proposed, then scrapped.
④ Comedian Kevin Hart was named as host, but he withdrew after homophobic tweets resurfaced, and the Academy announced that the Oscars would not have a host at all.
⑤ Last week, it emerged that awards for editing, cinematography and other lower-profile categories would be consigned to commercial breaks, but that decision was reversed as well.
⑥ With all the makings of a fiasco, tonight's ceremony will be a nailbiter, but not so much for the nominees as for the organisers.
▍生詞好句
whiskey /?w?ski/: n. 威士忌酒
tango /?t??ɡ??/: n. 探戈舞
foxtrot /?f?kstr?t, ?fɑ?kstrɑ?t/: n. 狐步舞
ratings /?re?t??z/: n. 收視率
slip /sl?p/: vi. 下降峭范;變差
prompt /pr?mpt, prɑ?mpt/: vt. 促使;激發(fā)
tweet /twi?t/: vi. 發(fā)推特 n. 發(fā)布推特上的消息
embarrassing /?m?b?r?s??/: adj. 讓人尷尬的
be out of touch with the average moviegoer: 普通觀眾不了解
scrap /skr?p/: vt. 取消(cancel瘪贱;側(cè)重因不切實際而被放棄)
comedian /k??mi?di?n/: n. 喜劇演員
withdraw /w?e?dr??, w?e?drɑ?/: vi. 退出(pull out)
homophobic /?h??m??f??b?k/: adj. 討厭或害怕同性戀的
homosexual /?h?m?(?)'sek???l/: adj. 同性戀的
germaphobic /d???m??f??b?k/: adj. 恐懼細菌的
resurface /?ri??s??f?s, ?ri??s??rf?s/: vi. 再次出現(xiàn)(be unearthed)
emerge /??m??d?, ??m??rd?/: vi. (事實纱控、情況)被知曉辆毡;公布(become known)
editing /?ed?t??/: n. 剪輯
cinematography /?s?n?m??t?ɡr?fi, ?s?n?m??tɑ?ɡr?fi/: n. 電影攝像藝術(shù);電影制作方法
low-profile /l???pr??fa?l/: adj. 低調(diào)的甜害;關(guān)注度不高的
category /?k?t?ɡri, ?k?tɡ??ri/: n. 類別舶掖;種類
be consigned to /k?n?sa?n/: 被安置;被安排(to put someone or something in a place in order to be rid of it or them)
reverse /r??v??s, r??v??rs/: vt. 推翻
have (all) the makings of: 極有可能變成……(to seem likely to develop into something)
fiasco /fi??sk??/: n. 徹底的失敗 (a complete failure)
nailbiter /?ne?l?ba?t?, ?ne?l?ba?t?r/: n. 令人緊張的事物尔店;咬指甲的人
nominee /?n?m??ni?, ?nɑ?m??ni?/: n. 被提名者
▍詞匯拓展
1. whiskey tango foxtrot = WTF
It is a sly way to sneak in a cuss word without censors realizing it.
這是罵人不帶臟字的一種方式眨攘,過審都沒有問題。
2. slip: vi. 下降嚣州;變差
Many people feel standards have slipped.
很多人都感覺服務(wù)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)有所下降期犬。
3. prompt: vt. 促使党巾;激發(fā)
Curiosity prompted him to look inside.
好奇心促使他向內(nèi)探尋耻涛。
4. embarrassing: adj. 讓人尷尬的
Oh, that's embarrassing.
噢茉贡,好尷尬啊旬蟋。
I feel embarrassed.
我覺得挺尷尬的
That must be an embarrassing moment for you.
對你來說祟滴,那會應(yīng)該挺尷尬的豁辉。
5. scrap: vt. 取消(cancel庶橱;側(cè)重因不切實際而被放棄)
We believe that car tax should be scrapped.
我們認為汽車稅應(yīng)該取消夷恍。
He supports the idea that road tax should be scrapped.
他支持公路稅應(yīng)該被取消的觀點拱雏。
6. low-profile: adj. 低調(diào)的棉安;關(guān)注度不高的
I'm a low-profile person.
我是個低調(diào)的人。
I like to keep low-profile.
我喜歡保持低調(diào)铸抑。
I like to lead a low-profile life.
我喜歡低調(diào)過日子贡耽。
7. have (all) the makings of: 極有可能變成……(to seem likely to develop into something)
She has all the makings of a great violinist.
她極有可能成為一位優(yōu)秀的小提琴家。
You have all the makings of fluent English speakers.
你們極有可能講一口流利的英語鹊汛。
8. fiasco: n. 徹底的失敗 (a complete failure)
It would (definitely) be a fiasco.
肯定是要完敗的蒲赂。
9. nailbiter: n. 令人緊張的事物;咬指甲的人
Don't bite your nail.
別咬指甲了刁憋!
▍責(zé)任編輯
高晴滥嘴、李煥
▍內(nèi)容校對
武志琳、章曉丹
whiskey tango foxtrot
WTF
whiskey /?w?ski/: n. 威士忌酒
tango /?t??ɡ??/: n. 探戈舞
foxtrot /?f?kstr?t, ?fɑ?kstrɑ?t/: n. 狐步舞
It is a sly way to sneak in a cuss word without censors realizing it.
說臟話不帶臟字至耻。
ratings /?re?t??z/
n. 收視率
slip /sl?p/
vi. 下降若皱;變差
Many people feel standards have slipped.
很多人都感覺服務(wù)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)有所下降。
prompt /pr?mpt, prɑ?mpt/
vt. 促使尘颓;激發(fā)
Curiosity prompted him to look inside.
好奇心促使他向內(nèi)探尋走触。
tweet /twi?t/
vi. 發(fā)推特 n. 發(fā)布推特上的消息
embarrassing /?m?b?r?s??/
adj. 讓人尷尬的
Oh, that's embarrassing.
噢,好尷尬啊疤苹。
I feel embarrassed.
我覺得挺尷尬的
That must be an embarrassing moment for you.
對你來說互广,那會應(yīng)該挺尷尬的。
scrap /skr?p/
vt. 取消(cancel痰催;側(cè)重因不切實際而被放棄)
We believe that car tax should be scrapped.
我們認為汽車稅應(yīng)該取消兜辞。
He supports the idea that road tax should be scrapped.
他支持公路稅應(yīng)該被取消的觀點迎瞧。
comedian /k??mi?di?n/
n. 喜劇演員
withdraw /w?e?dr??, w?e?drɑ?/
vi. 退出(pull out)
homophobic /?h??m??f??b?k/
adj. 討厭或害怕同性戀的
homosexual /?h?m?(?)'sek???l/: adj. 同性戀的
germaphobic /d???m??f??b?k/: adj. 恐懼細菌的
resurface /?ri??s??f?s, ?ri??s??rf?s/
vi. 再次出現(xiàn)(be unearthed)
emerge /??m??d?, ??m??rd?/
vi. (事實夸溶、情況)被知曉逸吵;公布(become known)
editing /?ed?t??/
n. 剪輯
cinematography /?s?n?m??t?ɡr?fi, ?s?n?m??tɑ?ɡr?fi/
n. 電影攝像藝術(shù);電影制作方法
low-profile /l???pr??fa?l/
adj. 低調(diào)的缝裁;關(guān)注度不高的
I'm a low-profile person.
我是個低調(diào)的人扫皱。
I like to keep low-profile.
我喜歡保持低調(diào)。
I like to lead a low-profile life.
我喜歡低調(diào)過日子捷绑。
category /?k?t?ɡri, ?k?tɡ??ri/
n. 類別韩脑;種類
be consigned to /k?n?sa?n/
被安置;被安排(to put someone or something in a place in order to be rid of it or them)
reverse /r??v??s, r??v??rs/
vt. 推翻
have (all) the makings of
極有可能變成……(to seem likely to develop into something)
She has all the makings of a great violinist.
她極有可能成為一位優(yōu)秀的小提琴家粹污。
You have all the makings of fluent English speakers.
你們極有可能講一口流利的英語段多。
nominee /?n?m??ni?, ?nɑ?m??ni?/
n. 被提名者
nailbiter /?ne?l?ba?t?, ?ne?l?ba?t?r/
n. 令人緊張的事物;咬指甲的人
Don't bite your nail.
別咬指甲了壮吩!
fiasco /fi??sk??/
n. 徹底的失敗 (a complete failure)
It would (definitely) be a fiasco.
肯定是要完敗的进苍。