【#我们一起学英语#本课内容】:在这一课中,我们将继续欣赏爱情短剧:《I am Sorry, but I Love You》的第7-9场景。在在今天的三个小节中,故事的情节将出现风格的巨大转换,从爱情轻小说转向另外一个西方常见的文学体裁:spy story。爱情短剧也会在今天结束。猜猜看,Veronica 和Steven 有没有在一起?
【课前讲解】Who are You, Steven?你究竟是谁?
在本课的短剧中,我们将又会听到三个场景:
1)Veronica 和Steven达成了谅解。Veronica 原谅了Steven,也向Steven 道了歉。Steven 再次向Veronica倾诉了衷肠,可是就在这个时候,响起了枪声。
2) 当他们安全以后, Steven 向 Veronica 解释说,自己其实并不是一名fireman ,而是一名印度的情报人员 (an agent of Indian Intelligence agency)。Steven小的时候,一天,美国情报部门(CIA)找到了他的父亲,从此Steven 再也没有见过自己的父亲。Steven 发誓要找到父亲的下落。
3) Steven 告诉Veronica,自己在美国的任务已经完成,就要回到印度的Hyderabad,然而, Steven 对Veronica 说:“you are the best thing that has ever happened to me!”。Steven 向Veronica求婚了,并请求Veronica和自己一起去印度。Veronica 说:“I am sorry… I love you”。
这句话是什么意思呢?Veronica 答应了Steven 吗?
【#英语#刘博士英语学习答疑】:你所喜欢的英语会不会是一个叫“英语”的口语艺术/技能呢?
我在与许多许多网友解答其学习英语的学习问题时,探讨最多的,也是网友们最难解释清楚的问题就是:“我为什么要/喜欢学英语?”。如果每个人对于这一个人问题不能清楚的理解,他就很难真正实现学英语的目标。
成人网友们最常回答的学英语目标如下:
l 酷爱英语,就是喜欢学英语,习惯/爱好等等。
l 学英语的目的:1;学好英语;2:说一口好英语;3:能看美剧,能交流等;
l 其他的不多了。只有一个人提及“能看英语书”。
我不是非要让大家把读英语书作为学英语的目的,而是因为成人在学习第二语言时,已经错过了儿童期的从听开始的自然语言学习生理期和自然语言积累。此时学习英语语言的唯一输入信息就是文字。成人外语学习而言,从文字/书籍系统阅读开始学习是“掌握”一门外语的唯一途径。如果不采用这一途径的话,请遵照现在国内普遍的英语单词教学法就好,此时,请记住,我们国内英语教育的最主要目的就是让你能把中文用英语单词流利说出来(翻译)而已,请背字典就好。请不要抱怨不能理解国外英语人士的英语或看不懂英语原文,这不是英语教育的任务,而是由你自己来决定的!
另一方面,我们对于学英语的目的,某种程度上还可能受到我们母语语言学习习惯以及中国语言特殊性的影响。比如说,中国语(口语)和中文文字是两套可以分离的语言体系(即文字不表音)。这一点太复杂,不再赘述。但是中国语言的文字确有一个独特的可以与内容无关的艺术功能,那就是书法。所以在传统上学中文有一个很重要的学习分支就是“写一手好字”。当英语在国内不具备交流功能,然而我们又不得不学的时候,我们也许也无意识地也给“英语”发明了一个与内容无关的艺术性学习分支,那就是“说一口好/流利的英语”,尤其是当我们常说“我喜欢美国音/我喜欢英国音”的时候。如果说,中国书法艺术是从文字的表意特征延申出来的话,我们对“说一口流利地英国音/美国音”的听觉艺术喜好也许是从英语的标音特性延申出来的。
我讲一个自己的亲身经历。在英国做研究期间,一年假期前,我告诉我的导师,我会去西安旅游。导师非常激动,说,你知道西安有一个世界上非常著名的石碑吗?我真的不知道。导师告诉我,那是一块在明末清初时期出土的一块石碑,当时中国政府只是猜测到了这可能是写于唐朝的石碑,但是对于石碑的内容却难以理解。恰巧当时有传教士在西安,他们看到了这块石碑以后,吃惊地发现,石碑上刻的也许是讲述基督教的一支最早进入唐代中国的历史和兴衰。后期国际上有许多著名的汉学家都对这一块石碑从考古到历史进行了广泛的研究。这块石碑的名字叫做《大秦景教流行中国碑》,这块碑就在西安的碑林。导师让我一定把这块碑的照片照给他。
等我到了西安的时候,问工作人员在哪里可以找到这块石碑,工作人员用很奇怪的眼光看着我,说,到这里来的人都是练字的,你问问他们?没有人知道这块石碑,直到我找了两个多小时,才在一个石亭里看见这块被玻璃罩保护得很好的《大秦景教流行中国碑》。
我得承认,我不懂太多书法知识。然而,从我对一些喜欢书法的人士的理解来看,中国传统的书法艺术似乎已经使书法爱好者能够脱离文字的内容来练习文字了。这一点,在书法字帖中的佛经字帖的流行体现得最为明显。我不知道,我们喜欢用《金刚经》或是《金刚般若波罗蜜经》练书法的人是否知道这两部经的名称或内容是什么意思。
不说了。你喜欢的英语是不是也和中文书法一样,是一个可以和内容分离的“英语口语艺术”呢?
下面,我们将进入全英语的基础英语内存构建时间,请切换你的语言程序,进入纯英文模式。
刘博士英语学习法的学习方式:
1) 首先阅读文字材料,完全理解对话的书面内容,包括扫除单词障碍和语法障碍,领会对话的含义。
2) 然后开始听音频材料,将书面文字和声音表达进行匹配:即能够看着阅读材料清晰地听出音频内容 (这一步是听清楚的练习。如果可能,可以在有空时试着做听写练习)。
3) 将听力内容从他人的声音信息转化成你的口语声音信息:请一边阅读,一边跟着音频复述,最终,学习者可以流利地将音频内容跟读下来,并同步理解(这一步是练习你的口语表达,也是为了让你形成自己的英语声音内存)。
【Audio Transcript】I am Sorry, I Love You (the End)
【Scene 7】
A: Thank god you showed up when you did! He’s insane! Do you think we should call the police?
B: Don’t worry about it, I’ll call my friend and have him take care of it. I can’t believe he was stalking you all these years. What a nut job!
A: I know! Well... he said I’m not pregnant. I’m sorry if I got you all worked up over nothing. I want you to know that I didn’t do it on purpose...
B: Don’t apologize! From the moment I met you, not a day has gone by when I haven’t thought of you. And now that I’m with you again, I’m... I’m just scared, Veronica. The closer I get to you, the worse it gets. The thought of not being with you, I mean, I just can’t handle it! We were made for each other, Veronica. You are my everything, my soul mate. What can I do?
A: Just hold me... I’ll always be here for you, no matter what. And together, we can tackle whatever life throws at us. I believe in us, Veronica.
B: I’m so happy to hear that! I knew we belong together.
I love you so much.
【Scene 8】:
A: Veronica! Veronica! Veronica! Are you OK?
B: Steven! What’s going on! Who were those guys? I didn’t know you have a gun! What’s going on!
A: I will come clean as soon as we get to safety, OK?
For now, you have to trust me, please! I would never do anything to hurt you.
B: Steven, I...
A: Okay, run! I haven’t been completely honest with you Veronica, I’m sorry. I’m not a fireman. I’m not even from the United States. I’m a spy for the Indian government.
B: What? Why didn’t you tell me before? What are you doing here?
A: When I was a young boy, I used to play cricket with my father back in my hometown of Hyderabad. It was a peaceful town, and my father was a renowned chemist. One day, he was approached by members of the CIA, claiming that my father had made the discovery of the millennium in his small lab back at the university where he taught bio-chemistry. I never saw him again. I vowed to discover the whereabouts of my father and consequently joined the Indian Intelligence Bureau.
B: What does that have to do with those men shooting at us? Most importantly, why did you lie to me!
A: I’m sorry, I wasn’t supposed to meet you. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with you, but you have to believe me when I tell you that what I feel for you is real.
B: I can’t believe this! Why are all these things happening to me! I can’t take it anymore! Let me out of the car!
A: Veronica, wait!
【Scene 9】:
Steven: Veronica wait! Come on honey, get back in the car. Let’s talk it over, okay?
Veronica: No! I’m tired of your lies! I don’t know who you are anymore!
Steven: Veronica. It’s me, the man that has and always will love you. I’m sorry that I’ve lied to you. Believe me, it’s been so hard for me as well, and time and again, I’ve thought of coming clean. But, I couldn’t put you, or my mission at risk. It’s all over now. My assignment is complete and now I have to go back to India.
Veronica: What? Are you kidding? Is there anything else I should know before I never see you again? How could you deceive me like that?
Steven: Yes... Veronica... I know that this isn’t the best time and that you probably hate me right now but, I want to be completely forthright with you. I know deep in my heart that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Veronica... will you marry me? Come with me to India baby, I can’t make up for everything that’s happened, but
I can promise you my undying love. I will be the most devoted husband, and I will cherish you always.
Veronica: Steven... I can’t just leave everything at the drop of a hat! With everything that has happened between us, I just don’t know you anymore. I just can’t build a relationship on a foundation of lies. I do love you but... I can’t go with you. I’m sorry... I love you...
【AIRPORT】: This is the last call for flight eight one five from Los Angeles to Hyderabad.
【Airline worker】: I’m sorry sir we can’t wait any longer. You must board the plane. Are you waiting for someone?
Steven: I was but, I don’t think she is coming...
(The End)
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