teens n. 十几岁(13至19岁的年龄) ordinary adj. 平常的;普通的 bored adj. 厌烦的 subtle adj. 微妙的;精巧的;技艺精湛的 entertain vt. vi. 使欢乐;款待
entertaining adj. 愉快的;有趣的 charming adj. 迷人的;有魅力的 tramp n. 流浪汉;行乞者 throughout prep. 遍及;贯穿 adv. 到处;始终;全部 homeless adj. 无家的;无家可归的
moustache n. 小胡子 worn adj. 用旧的;用坏的;破烂的 worn-out adj. 磨破的;穿旧的 stiffly adv. 僵硬地 failure n. 失败(者)
optimism n. 乐观;乐观主义 overcome vt. vi. (overcame,overcome) 战胜;克服 underdog n. 失败者;处于劣势的一方 snowstorm n. 暴风雪 leather n. 皮革
pick out 挑出;辨别出 lace n. 饰带;花边;鞋带 cut off 切断;断绝 chew vt. vi. 嚼碎;咀嚼(食物) mouthful n. 一口;满口
enjoyment n. 享受;欢乐;乐趣 convince vt. 使信服 convincing adj. 令人信服的 direct vt. vi. 导演;指示;指挥 adj. 直的;直接的;直率的 star in 担任主角;主演
Oscar n. 奥斯卡 outstanding adj. 突出的;杰出的;显著的 Switzerland n. 瑞士(欧洲中部国家) confidence n. 信心;信念 costume n. 服装;戏装
gesture n. 姿态;手势 vi. 做手势 particular adj. 特殊的;特别的 n. 细节;细目 particularly adv. 特殊地;特别地 occasion n. 时刻;场合 budget n. 预算;开支
actress n. 女演员 slide vt. vi. (使)滑动;(使)滑行 n. 滑;滑动;幻灯片 amuse vt. 使发笑;使愉快 amusing adj. 好笑的;有趣的 pancake n. 烙饼;薄饼
explanation n. 解释;讲解;说明 detective n. 侦探 Sherlock Holmes n. 夏洛克?福尔摩斯 mountainous adj. 多山的;山一般的 whisper n. 耳语;低语 vt. vi. 低语;小声说
vast adj. 巨大的;辽阔的 rhythm n. 节奏 mess n. 脏或乱的状态 react vi. 作出反应;回应 porridge n. 粥;麦片粥
drunk adj. 醉的
A MASTER OF NONVERBAL HUMOUR
As Victor Hugo once said, "Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face", and up to now nobody has been able to do this better than Charlie Chaplin. He brightened the lives of Americans and British through two world wars and the hard years in between. He made people laugh at a time when they felt depressed, so they could feel more content with their lives.
Not that Charlie's own life was easy! He was born in a poor family in 1889. His parents were both poor music hall performers. You may find it astonishing that Charlie was taught to sing as soon as he could speak and dance as soon as he could walk. Such training was common in acting families at this time, especially when the family income was often uncertain. Unfortunately his father died, leaving the family even worse off, so Charlie spent his childhood looking after his sick mother and his brother. By his teens, Charlie had, through his humour, become one of the most popular child actors in England. He could mime and act the fool doing ordinary everyday tasks. No one was ever bored watching him -his subtle acting made everything entertaining.
As time went by, he began making films. He grew more and more popular as his charming character, the little tramp, became known throughout the world. The tramp, a poor, homeless man with a moustache, wore large trousers, worn-out shoes and a small round black hat. He walked around stilly carrying a walking stick. This character was a social failure but was loved for his optimism and determination to overcome all difficulties. He was the underdog who was kind even when others were unkind to him.
How did the little tramp make a sad situation entertaining? Here is an example from one of his most famous films, The Gold Rush. It is the mid-nineteenth century and gold has just been discovered in California. Like so many others, the little tramp and his friend have rushed there in search of gold, but without success. Instead they are hiding in a small hut on the edge of a mountain during a snowstorm with nothing to eat. They are so hungry that they try boiling a pair of leather shoes for their dinner. Charlie first picks out the laces and eats them as if they were spaghetti. Then he cuts off the leather top of the shoe as if it were the finest steak. Finally he tries cutting and chewing the bottom of the shoe. He eats each mouthful with great enjoyment. The acting is so convincing that it makes you believe that it is one of the best meals he has ever tasted!
Charlie Chaplin wrote, directed and produced the films he starred in. In 1972 he was given a special Oscar for his outstanding work in films. He lived in England and the USA but spent his last years in Switzerland, where he was buried in 1977. He is loved and remembered as a great actor who could inspire people with great confidence.