Girl in Midstream

A girl stood before him in 1)midstream, alone and still, gazing out to sea. She seemed like one whom magic had changed into the likeness of a strange and beautiful seabird. Her long slender bare legs were delicate as a crane’s and pure save where an 2)emerald trail of 3)seaweed had fashioned itself as a sign upon the flash. Her thighs, fuller and soft-hued as ivory, were bared almost to the hips, where the white 4)fringes of her drawers were like feathering of soft white down. Her slate-blue skirts were 5)kilted boldly about her waist and 6)dovetailed behind her. Her bosom was as a bird’s, soft and slight, slight and soft as the breast of some dark-7)plumaged dove. But her long fair hair was girlish: and girlish, and touched with the wonder of mortal beauty, her face.

She was alone and still, gazing out to sea; and when she felt his presence and the worship of his eyes, her eyes turned to him in quiet sufferance of his gaze, without shame or 8)wantonness. Long, long she suffered his gaze and then quietly withdrew her eyes from his and bent them towards the stream, gently stirring the water with her foot 9)hither and 10)thither. The fist faint noise of gently moving water broke the silence, low and faint and whispering, faint as the bells of sleep; hither and thither, hither and thither; and a faint flame trembled on her cheek.

注释：
1) midstream [5mid5stri:m] n. （河流的）中流
2) emerald [5emErEld] a. 翠绿的
3) seaweed [5si:wi:d] n. 海草，海藻
4) fringe [frindV] n. 穗状物，缘饰似的东西
5) kilt [kilt] v. 卷起或撩起（裙子）
6) dovetail [5dQvteil] n. 鸠尾榫
7) plumage [5plu:midV] n. 鸟的羽毛
8) wantonness [5wCntEnis] n. 嬉戏，放荡
9) hither [5hiTE] ad. 临近，这里
10) thither [5TiTE] ad. 那里，向那里
My Mistress's Eyes

My mistress’s eyes are nothing like the sun
1)Coral is far more red than her lips’ red,
If snow be white, why then her breasts are 2)dun,
If hairs be wires, black wires grow upon her head.
I have seen roses 3)damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks,
And in some perfumes is there more delight,
Than in the breath that from my mistress’ 4)reeks.
I love to hear her speak: yet well I know
That music 5)hath a far more pleasing sound,
I 6)grant I never saw a goddess go,
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground,
And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare,
As any she belied with false compare.

注释：
1) coral [5kCrEl] n. 珊瑚
2) dun [dQn] a. 暗褐色的
3) damask [5dAmEsk] v. 为……饰花纹
4) reek [ri:k] n. 水蒸气，这里指“呼出的气息”
5) hath [hAW] v. （古语）have的第三人称单数现在式陈述语气
6) grant [^rB:nt] v. 承认
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Curse of the Black Pearl

SCENE 1

Elizabeth: A pirate’s life for me...Uh!
Mr. Gibbs: Quiet 1)missy! Cursed pirates sail these waters, you don’t want to bring them down on us now do you?
Norrington: Mr. Gibbs that will do.
Mr. Gibbs: She was singing about pirates! Bad luck to be singing about pirates with this 2)mired in this unnatural fog, mark my words.
Norrington: Consider them marked, on your way.
Mr. Gibbs: Aye, lieutenant! It’s bad luck to have a woman on board too, even a miniature one.
Elizabeth: I think it’d be rather exciting to meet a pirate.
Norrington: Think again, Miss Swann. 3)Vile and 4)dissolute creatures the lot of them. I intend to see to it that any man who sails under a pirate flag or wears a pirate brand gets what he deserves. 5)A short drop and a sudden stop.
Governor Swann: Lieutenant Norrington I appreciate your fervor but I’m uh, I’m concerned about the effect this subject will have upon my daughter.
Norrington: My apologies Governor Swann.
Elizabeth: Actually, I find it all fascinating.
Governor Swann: Yes, that’s what concerns me.
Elizabeth: Look, a boy! There’s a boy in the water!
Norrington: Man overboard! Down the ropes, Major Hot! Haul him aboard! He’s still breathing!
Mr. Gibbs: Mary, Mother of God!
Governor Swann: What happened here?
Norrington: It’s most likely the powder 6)magazine, merchant vessels run heavily armed.
Mr. Gibbs: A lot of good it did them. Everyone’s thinking it, I’m just saying it － pirates!
Governor Swann: There’s no proof of that, probably an accident.
Norrington: Rouse the captain immediately!
Sailor: Yes, sir.
Norrington: 7)Heave to and 8)take in sail, launch the boats!
Governor Swann: Elizabeth, I want you to accompany the boy, he’ll be in your charge, take care of him.
(Will wakes up a moment later and spits water out.)
Will: Whew!
Elizabeth: It’s OK, my name’s Elizabeth Swann.
Will: Will Turner.
Elizabeth: I’m watching over you Will. (Will loses consciousness again. She finds a medal engraved with pirate’s mark on Will’s chest.) You’re a pirate!
Norrington: Has he said anything?
Elizabeth (She quickly hides the medal behind her.): Huh, his name’s William Turner, that’s all I found out.
Norrington: Take him below.

SCENE 2

Governor Swann: It’s a beautiful day. I have a gift for you.
Elizabeth: Oh, it’s beautiful.
Governor Swann: Isn’t it?
Elizabeth: May I enquire as to the occasion?
Governor Swann: Does a father need an occasion to dote upon his daughter? Try on. Actually I, uh, I had hoped you might wear it for the ceremony today.
Elizabeth: The ceremony?
Governor Swann: Captain Norrington’s promotion ceremony.
Elizabeth: I knew it!
Governor Swann: Commodore Norrington as he’s about to become, fine gentleman, don’t you think? He 9)fancies you. (The dress is too tight which makes it difficult for Elizabeth to breathe.) Elizabeth? How’s it coming?
Elizabeth: It’s difficult to say.
Governor Swann: I’m told it’s the latest fashion in London.
Elizabeth: Well, women in London must have learnt not to breathe, huh.
Servant: My lord, you have a visitor.
(Governor Swann comes to the hall to meet the blacksmith Will Turner.)
Governor Swann: Ah, Mr. Turner, good to see you again.
Will: Good day, sir. I have your order.
Governor Swann: Ah, well.
Will: The blade is folded steel, that’s gold 10)filigree laid into the handle. If I may? Perfectly balanced, the 11)tang is nearly the full width of the blade.
Governor Swann: Impressive, very impressive and Commodore Norrington’s going to be very pleased with this. Do pass my compliments on to your master.
Will: I shall, a craftsman is always pleased to hear his work is appreciated.
Governor Swann: Oh Elizabeth you look absolutely 12)stunning!
Elizabeth: Will, it’s so good to see you, I had a dream about you last night.
Will: About me?
Governor Swann: Elizabeth, is that entirely proper for you...
Elizabeth: About the day we met, do you remember?
Will: How could I forget, Miss Swann?
Elizabeth: Will, how many times must I ask you to call me Elizabeth?
Will: At least once more, Miss Swann, as always.
Governor Swann: There see, at least the boy has a sense of propriety. Now, we really must be going.
Elizabeth: Good day, Mr. Turner.
Governor Swann: Come along.
Will: Good day, Elizabeth.

SCEME 3

Soldier 1: This dock is off limits to civilians.
Jack: I’m terribly sorry I didn’t know. If I see one, I shall inform you immediately. Apparently there’s some sort of high toned and fancy to do up at the fort, hey? How could it be two upstanding gentlemen such as yourselves, did not merit an invitation?
Soldier 2: Someone has to make sure this dock stays off limits to civilians.
Jack: It’s a fine goal to be sure, but it seems to me a...a ship like that makes this one here a bit 13)superfluous really.
Soldier 2: Oh the 14)Dauntless is the power in these waters true enough, but there’s no ship that can match the 15)Interceptor for speed.
Jack: I’ve heard of one, it’s supposed to be very fast, nigh uncatchable, the Black Pearl.
Soldier 1: Hah well, there’s no real ship that can match the Interceptor.
Soldier 2: Black Pearl is a real ship.
Soldier 1: No, no it’s not.
Soldier 2: Yes it is, I’ve seen it.
Soldier 1: You’ve seen it?
Soldier 2: Yes.
Soldier 1: You haven’t seen it.
Soldier 2: Yes, I have.
Soldier 1: You’re seen a ship with black sails that’s crewed by the damned and captained by a man so evil that hell itself 16)spat him back out?
Soldier 2: No.
Soldier 1: No.
Soldier 2: But I have seen a ship with black sails.
Soldier 1: Oh and no ship that’s not crewed by the dammed and captained by a man so evil that hell itself spat him back out could possibly have black sails, therefore couldn’t possibly be any other ship than the Black Pearl, is that what you’re saying? No. Like I said there’s no real ship that can match the Interceptor.

SCENE 4

Elizabeth: What sort of a man trades a man’s life for a ship?
Will: Pirate. Here, let me.
Elizabeth: Thank you.
Will: You said you gave Barbossa my name as yours. Why?
Elizabeth: I don’t know. (She takes out the medal.) It’s yours.
Will: I thought I’d lost it the day they rescued me. It was a gift from my father. He sent it to me. Why did you take it?
Elizabeth: Because I was afraid that you were a pirate, that would have been awful.
Will: It wasn’t your blood they needed. It was my father’s blood, my blood. The blood of a pirate.
Elizabeth: Will, I’m so sorry please forgive me.

SCENE 5

Jack and Elizabeth: We’re really bad eggs. We’re not beyond yo ho! Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate’s life for me!
Jack: I love this song! Really bad eggs! Ooh. When I get the Pearl back I’m gonna teach it to the whole crew and we’ll sing it all the time!
Elizabeth: And you will be positively the most fearsome pirates in the Spanish Maine.
Jack: Not just the Spanish Maine love, the entire ocean, the entire world. Wherever we want to go, go. That’s what a ship is, you know, it’s not just a 17)keel and a 18)hull and deck and sails, that’s what a ship needs. But what a ship is, what the Black Pearl really is, is freedom.
Elizabeth: To freedom.
Jack: To the Black Pearl.

SCENE 6

Norrington: I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt, but not from you.
Governor Swann: On our return to Port Royal I granted you 19)clemency, and this is how you thank me, by throwing in your lot with him? He’s a pirate!
Will: And a good man. If all I have achieved here is that the 20)hangman may earn two pairs of boots instead of one, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear.
Norrington: You forget your place, Turner.
Will: It’s right here, between you and Jack.
Elizabeth: As is mine.
Governor Swann: Elizabeth. Lower your weapons. For goodness sake put them down!
Norrington: So this is where your heart truly lies then?
Elizabeth: It is.
Jack: Well, I’m actually feeling rather good about this. I think we’re all arrived at a very special place hey. Oh spiritually, 21)ecumenically, grammatically. I want you to know that I was 22)rooting for you there, know that. Elizabeth, it would never have worked between us, darling. I’m sorry. Will, nice hat. This is the day that you will always, remember as the day that...

注释：
1) missy [5misi] n. （非正式语）小姐，小姑娘
2) mire [5maiE] n. 泥潭
3) vile [vail] adj. 卑鄙的，低下的
4) dissolute [5disElju:t] adj. 放荡的，风流的
5) A short drop and a sudden stop. 这句话是指给人施以绞刑。a short drop指绞刑架下的踏板忽然裂开，犯人猛地往下坠；a sudden stop是指由于犯人脖子上吊着绳子而猛然被吊在半空
6) magazine [7mA^E5zi:n] n. （城堡或战舰的）弹药库，弹药仓
7) heave to 使船停驶；顶风浪停船
8) take in 卷（帆）
9) fancy [5fAnsi] v. 想象，喜爱
10) filigree [5filE^ri:] n. 金银丝细工，易损之物
11) tang [tAN] n. 柄脚，柄舌
12) stunning [5stQniN] a. 极漂亮的
13) superfluous [7sju:5pE:fluEs] a. 多余的；奢侈的
14) dauntless [5dC:ntlIs] a. 不屈不挠的，大胆的
15) interceptor [IntE5septE(r)] n. 拦截机
16) spit [spit] v. 吐唾沫
17) keel [ki:l] n. 龙骨，平底船
18) hull [hQl] n. 外壳，船体
19) clemency [5klemEnsi] n. 仁慈；宽厚
20) hangman [5hANmEn] n. 刽子手
21) ecumenically [7i:kju(:)mE5nisiti] ad. 普遍地；世界范围地
22) root for 极力支持；全力赞助
Jonny “Pirate” Depp

I noticed that you have some gold teeth and I bet that’s for the movie that you’ve just did, The Pirates...
Yes it was for The Pirates.
Is that...are those on permanently, will you have those taken off?
I meant to have them taken off but, I left Los Angeles immediately after the film and forgot to take them off, so I’ll go get them off next week.
Now, and the last time you were supposed to be here you were having 1)root canal too.
Double root canal.
Double root canal, how did that go? Everything alright? An emergency root canal?
Oh yeah, double, yeah.
I understand that’s quite painful the root canal?
Oh, it’s 2)hideous, yeah.
That procedures alright?
Yeah, that one was alright and then I had another one again, another double root canal while I was doing the pirate film.
Did you enjoy this movie making The...
Oh yeah.
Yeah?
Oh yeah it was a gas.
You liked being a pirate?
Yeah, it was sort of you know childhood dream.
And where was it actually filmed?
Uh, a lot in Los Angeles and then quite a bit in the Grenadines.
Oh I understand it’s beautiful there.
Very beautiful.
Was it great?
Yeah.

注释：
1) root canal 牙根管填充手术
2) hideous [5hidiEs] a. 可怕的；令人震惊的

The Truth about Marriage

I think that we should all have two lives. One to live to make mistakes and then one to come back and do it again. You know so you don’t make mistakes. I mean because parents will not tell you things － nobody ever tells you. Parents don’t want to sit down and really 1)garb and say: well now this is what this is about and this is why we are doing this and this － No it’s a big secret!

When I got married I said to my father, “I’m going to get married, can you help me?” He said no. I went to my mother, I said “I’m going to get married, Ma, tell me something about it.” She said, “Oh, that’s wonderful. Your father and I have never argued, and he’s just been wonderful all through life. ”Which is a lie! Lie! I heard him in there, and, “I’ll now tell you another thing I’ll take your arm and 2)rip it off and rararara...”

And now in my marriage, my wife and I love each other but I will tell you 3)in a minute we’ve had some arguments! I mean I’ve never 4)punched her and she’s never punched me but we’ve had some arguments, I’ve called her some names that I was proud I even thought of. And my wife has 5)run some of on me that I’ve written down, yeah, but nobody will tell you that. The only person who ever made an attempt was a priest. Think about that. A priest! Said, “I’ll tell you about it,” I beg your pardon.

Marriage, you can’t beat it. The first day we got married, both of us scared and everything, there we got married and we went to our hotel room for our honeymoon and just stared at each other － just sat there on the edge of the bed with our clothes on looking at each other. Then finally we got in the car and went to the 6)drive-in and then we knew what to do.

注释：
1) grab [^rAb] v. 攫取
2) rip [rip] v. 撕，扯
3) in a minute 马上，立刻
4) punch [pQntF] v. 用拳猛击
5) run on 继续
6) drive-in （美）免下车的路旁餐馆；可以坐在车内观看的露天电影院
A Valentine for Grandma

It was just a harmless 1)prank, that’s all it was.

And it wasn’t as if Old Lady Hayes didn’t deserve it. The way she used to scream at us for “borrowing” a few of her precious 2)raspberries each summer, like we were stealing gold out of 3)Fort Knox － well, she had it coming.

At least, that’s the way we saw it as George finished tying the string to the red, heart-shaped box. We giggled as Ron added the final touch: two plastic red roses, glued to the lid. “I wonder what will surprise her most,” I asked as George practiced 4)jerking the box out of reach by 5)yanking on the string, “seeing a box of candy on her step, or watching it fly away when she tries to pick it up?”

We laughed as we watched George make Albert chase the box around the garage. For a 6)chubby 10-year-old, Albert did a good imitation of Mrs. Hayes’s 7)hunched 8)hobble and her seemingly permanent 9)scowl. And we howled when he picked up a broom and pretended to ride it through the 10)midwinter air while shouting, “I’m Old Lady Hayes, the 11)driedest-up old 12)prune in the West!”

Ron was first to notice my dad in the doorway. Within seconds, Ron’s anxiety was shared by all but Albert, who continued to 13)swoop around the garage until he came 14)face-to-belt-buckle with our silent observer. For a moment, the only movement in the room came from the little puffs of steam escaping our mouths. Dad broke the stillness by walking slowly to the empty candy box lying on the floor. He picked it up, and 15)dangled it by the string and watched it swing back and forth. Then he looked into the eyes of the frightened boys. And, as was his custom, he looked into their hearts as well.

“It doesn’t seem so long ago that I was pulling Valentine’s Day pranks,” he said as he laid the box on a 16)workbench. “One year my cousins and I decided to pull one on our Grandma Walker even though we loved her － she was the sweetest grandma a boy could have. We were just feeling 17)devilish and decided to have some fun at her expense.

“Early in the evening we 18)snuck up to her doorstep with a can of red paint. Grandma was hard of hearing, so we didn’t have to worry about being very quiet, which was a good thing, because every time we thought about how funny it was going to be to see Grandma try to pick up a valentine that was just painted on her doorstep, we couldn’t keep from laughing.

“It didn’t take long, and it wasn’t very artistic. But for an old woman with bad eyes, it would do. We kicked the door and hid behind the bushes. When Grandma finally appeared she stood in the doorway, her gray hair pulled back tightly into her usual 19)bun, wiping her hands on her usual apron. She must have heard the 20)commotion in the bushes because she looked in our direction and spoke loudly enough for us to hear, ‘Who could be knocking at my door?’ Then she looked down. Even from 15 feet away we could see the joy in her eyes when she 21)spotted a splash of red at her feet.

“’A valentine for Grandma!’ she 22)exclaimed. ‘And I thought I’d be forgotten again this year!’

“She tried to 23)retrieve her prize. This was the moment we had been waiting for, but somehow it wasn’t as much fun as we expected. Grandma 24)groped at the fresh paint for a moment. Slowly, she figured out our prank. She tried to smile. Then, with as much dignity as she could 25)muster, she turned and walked back into her house, absently wiping red paint on her clean, white apron.”

Dad paused, and for the first time I noticed that his eyes were moist. He took a deep breath. “Grandma died later that year,” he said. “I never had another chance to give her a real valentine.”

He took the box from the bench and handed it to me. Then he turned and left the garage. Later that night a red, heart-shaped box with two plastic roses on it was placed on Mrs. Hayes’ front doorstep by six giggling boys. We hid behind snow-covered bushes to see how she would react to receiving a full pound of candy and nuts.

With no strings attached.

注释：
1) prank [prANk] n. 胡闹，恶作剧
2) raspberry [5rB:zbEri] n. 山莓
3) Fort Knox 纳克斯堡，美国国家黄金储藏地，位于肯塔基州
4) jerk [dVE:k] v. 急拉
5) yank [jANk] v. 猛拉
6) chubby [5tFQbi] a. 圆脸的；丰满的
7) hunch [hQntF] v. 使（背部等）弯成弓状；使隆起
8) hobble [5hCbl] n. 跛行
9) scowl [skaul] n. 怒容；愁眉苦脸
10) midwinter [mId5wIntE(r)] n. 仲冬，冬至（十二月二十二日左右）
11) dried [draid] a. 弄干了的。dried-up，干缩的
12) prune [pru:n] n. （美俚）傻瓜；讨厌的人
13) swoop [swu:p] v. 飞扑，猛扑
14) face-to-belt-buckle   belt-buckle是皮带上的搭扣。因为父亲比阿尔伯特高，因此阿尔伯特一转身，刚好只及父亲腰部，面对父亲皮带上的搭扣
15) dangle [5dAN^l] v. 使摇晃地挂着
16) workbench [5w\:kbentF] n. 工作台
17) devilish [5devliF] a. 精力旺盛的
18) sneak [sni:k] v. 鬼鬼祟祟地走。其过去式可以是sneaked或snuck，尤其是在方言中snuck用得比较多
19) bun [bQn] n. 小面包状的卷发
20) commotion [kE5mEuFEn] n. 混乱；骚动
21) spot [spCt] v. （口）认出，发现
22) exclaim [iks5kleim] v. （由于惊讶、痛苦、愤怒、高兴等而）呼喊；大声说
23) retrieve [ri5tri:v] n. 取回，收回
24) grope [^rEup] v. （暗中）摸索
25) muster [5mQstE] v. 振起，鼓起
Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt:
Hollywood Golden Couple

Silver Career

Jennifer Aniston really struck gold with Friends. Now that’s nice but Brad gets a raise to four million for Seven and takes home millions and a 1)Golden Globe for Twelve Monkeys.

Jennifer also gets a raise on Friends to 960,000 dollars a year. “Brad’s star power was so hot that he made four million dollars for Seven and by the time he did Sleepers he was getting ten million 2)bucks.”

Huh, in 1997 Brad also gets ten million for The Devil’s Own and ten million for Seven Years in Tibet. We’ve got a ballgame now. That year Jennifer makes two films, three million each and gets two million for another season on Friends, that’s almost ten million for that year alone.

Nice try, next year Brad’s salary jumps to 17.5 million for Meet Joe Black. She makes four movies and another season of Friends, only six million.
Fight Club, 17.5 million. Oh, eat my dust! Friends 18 million.
The Mexican, ten million. Rock Star, three million.
Spy Game, 17.5 million. Friends, still 18 million.
Ocean’s Eleven, ten million, alright so he took a little pay cut for his friend George Clooney’s film but his new movie Troy, 17.5 mil. Friends, 24 million dollars.

Whatever, he could make two to three movies a year and get back in profits for about ten percent of the movie’s gross. Uh huh, sorry, the money Jen can make of Friends re-runs will probably reach the 20 million mark.

It’s true that Brad and Jen have access to lots of cash, but they’re also very generous with that cash. That’s right, the truth is Brad and Jen contribute millions to charity and rarely even seek press for it. That’s really sweet.

Golden Life

When Brad Pitt moved from Missouri to Hollywood, he crashed on his agent’s couch. Well, when Jennifer started her career she answered phones to pay the rent. I’ll say, today the Pitt’s are proud owners of four homes. Even before they met, Brad and Jen were building a real 3)estate empire.

“The year after Jennifer started on Friends she bought the American Dream: A home in the Hollywood Hills where everybody wants to be, swimming pool, garden.” That same year 1995 Brad bought his first home also in the Hollywood Hills. However, his was five bedrooms cost 1.7 million and came with a lake.

How about when they 4)hooked up as a couple? First up a 5)beachfront retreat. A million dollar wedding, a house at the beach, what else do these two people need? The perfect 6)Beverly Hills 7)mansion. “Everything you can imagine, believe me by the time this is done, it will be a castle fit for the prince and princess of Hollywood.”

They’re not just sun 8)worshippers, Brad and Jen have been known to hit the Whistler Resort in British Columbia for a little ski holiday. And then there’s the 9)posh Ashford Castle in Ireland where a weekend in the presidential suite can be had for a 10)wee $3,500. Jen and Brad also hang out at San Francisco’s Mark Hopkins Hotel where the 1,500 square foot 11)penthouse suite goes for 3,500 a night. Yeah, and then there was the quick trip by private jet to Spain, where the happy couple strolled through the majestic palaces of Grenada. And let’s not forget they also stay at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York where a suite goes for as much as $ 9,500 a night.

Ah, these two are spreading sunshine all over town. Yeah, wouldn’t you? With four homes, three personal assistants, two matching Mercedes SUVs, and one big fat bank account. Brad and Jen, you’ve come a long way. From an aspiring actor in a chicken costume, and a waitress in a burger joint, to a Hollywood power couple.

Wow, it really is good to be Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston!