Welcome to American Mosaic from Learning English.
Im Caty Weaver.
People around the world were shocked and saddened by the death of entertainer Robin Williams. Many of you commented on the Learning English website. Several of you said you had learned from his movies and other work.
So, today we listen to some famous Robin Williams movie lines that can help teach English.
Dead Poets Society
A good place to start is Dead Poets Society, a 1989 film in which language is central. Robin Williams plays a professor of English at a respected private boys school in the northeastern United States. He teaches his students about poetry, prose and life.
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. The Latin term for that sentiment is carpe diem.
In this part of the movie, he is teaching the boys about a poem hundreds of years old. The first line is Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. The teacher tells the students what the poet is saying.
Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.
Carpe diem means to seize the day in Latin. In other words, act now when you can. No time like the present is another way Americans sometimes express this thought. It means do not wait for a future you might not have.
Mrs. Doubtfire
Mrs. Doubtfire was another very popular Robin Williams movie. It was released in 1993. In it, Mr. Williams plays a man who separates from his wife and misses his children. He dresses as a woman to hide his identity so his wife will employ him as a nanny -- someone who takes care of children. That way, he gets to see his children every day. Here, Robin Williams, as Mrs. Doubtfire, explains what is important about family.
But if theres love, dear, those are the ties that bind and youll have a family in your heart forever.
Mrs. Doubtfire is saying that love keeps people together emotionally even if they are separated physically. The ties that bind are good in this case. Ties that bind could also be undesirable. They could be restrictive.
Aladdin
Robin Williams acted in more than 70 movies. Aladdin was one of the most successful. But you could only hear him in the movie. That is because he played the voice of the Genie in the animated Disney film. A genie is a creature with magical powers. Robin Williams as the Genie sings to the boy Aladdin. The song Friend Like Me explains that Aladdin now controls how the Genie uses his magic.
One part says Yes sir, we pride ourselves on service. That is another way of saying we do great work. You can pride yourself on any activity. For example, a good bike rider might say, I pride myself on cycling.
Other terms in the song include youre the boss, in your corner, and youve never had a friend like me. What do you think these mean? You can post your answers below.
We leave you with Robin Williams performing Friend Like Me.
词汇讲解：
1. shock vt. 使休克; 使震惊
例句：Im sorry to shock you.
让你受惊了，非常抱歉。
2. respect vt.尊重; 尊敬
例句：Its aim is to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.
它的目的是要尊重各国的主权和领土完整。
3. seize vt. 抓住; 逮捕
例句：We should try to seize the opportunity.
我们应该设法把握住这次机会。
4. release vt.释放; 放开; 发布
例句：He had won his first release from the fences of home.
他第一次成功地脱出家庭的樊笼。
5. identity n.身份; [逻]同一性; 个性
例句：Nobody knows her real identity.
谁也不知道她的真实身份。
6. include vt.包括; 包含
例句：Business goals include the following:
商业目标包括以下内容。
短语讲解：
1. Several of you said you had learned from his movies and other work.
learn from 向学习，从获得[吸取]
例句：What can we learn from this?
我们能从中学到什么呢?
2. So, today we listen to some famous Robin Williams movie lines that can help teach English.
listen to 听 听从
例句：You need to listen to them more.
你需要更多地听取他们的意见。
3. Mrs. Doubtfire is saying that love keeps people together emotionally even if they are separated physically.
even if 即使，纵然
例句：Even if the face is actually chinese.
哪怕餐厅的大厨实际上是中国人。
4. Robin Williams acted in more than 70 movies.
more than 多于
例句：Rob likes apples more than bananas.
罗勃对苹果比对香蕉还喜欢。
下一篇： 2014英语四级听力备考之场景解析(5)