基础英语轻松学：追忆幽默大师—卓别林
“Action is more generally understood than words.” That was the opinion of the greatest comedy star of silent films, and one of the most important names in movie history, Charlie Chaplin.
所谓“穷人的孩子早当家”，卓别林儿时的贫困也为他以后的艺术生涯奠定了基础：
Millions of fans all over the world came to love the antics（滑稽的动作） of his “Little Tramp（流浪者）”, a character that grew out of（源于） the actor's own youth.
In 1889, Charlie Chaplin was born in London, England to parents who both worked in theater. His father's death and mother's illness left Charlie in poverty for most of his childhood. He first went on stage at the age of five, and by seventeen he was a leading member of a music hall group. While Chaplin's group was traveling in the United Stated he got his big break.
可是，在美国的发展也不是一帆风顺的。卓别林的电影表达了太多对社会上贫穷和无权势的人的同情，引起了美国政府的反感：
The U.S. government attacked Chaplin for the political ideas they believed he had. He left the country in 1952 and stayed in Switzerland until he died in 1977, only going back to Hollywood in 1972 to receive a special award for his remarkable work in film.
「读书笔记」
“动作比语言更能深入人心” （“Action is more generally understood than words.”逐字翻译就是“大体而言，行动比语言容易被人理解。”is understood是被动语态的用法。）这是默片时代最伟大的喜剧明星，也是电影史上最重要的人物之一——查理·卓别林的观点。（That was the opinion of the greatest comedy star of silent films, and one of the most important names in movie history, Charlie Chaplin.）
opinion意思是“观点”，常用in someone's opinion来表示“依某人的看法”，如：In my opinion, the scheme is unsound.（依我看,这计划不够妥当。）
全世界数以百万计的影迷为屏幕上“流浪者”的滑稽动作深深着迷，而这个角色其实是卓别林少年生活的写照。（that grew out of the actor's own youth修饰a character）
1889年，卓别林出生于英国伦敦，父母都在剧场工作。（Charlie Chaplin was born in London, England to parents who both worked in theater）父亲的去世与母亲的疾病缠身让他在贫困中度过了童年的大部分时光。（His father's death and mother's illness left Charlie in poverty for most of his childhood）
生活在贫困之中，常用介词in，如：He lived in poverty.（他生活贫穷。）poverty line就是“贫困线”，生活在贫困线以下，用介词below，如：His family lives below the poverty line.（他的一家生活极端艰苦。）
卓别林五岁初次登台表演，（He first went on stage at the age of five）到十七岁他已经是一个喜剧综艺团中的主要演员了。（and by seventeen he was a leading member of a music hall group）当他与剧团一起到美国巡回表演时，他得到了一个大展身手的机会。（While Chaplin's group was traveling in the United Stated he got his big break.）
break在这里是“机会”的意思，如：As a long-distance runner his main break came last spring in Australia.（作为一位长跑选手,他是上个春天在澳大利亚真正交上好运的。）此外，在口语中，break还可以指without money，我没钱了，就可以说成：I'm break! （当着女朋友可千万别说出来，呵呵……）
美国政府借口卓别林的政治观点不当而抨击他。（The U.S. government attacked Chaplin for the political ideas they believed he had.）
还记得“911恐怖袭击”怎么说吗？对，就是September 11th terrorism attacks，而这句话里的attack指的可是“抨击”，再如：The governor was attacked by the press for failing to keep a campaign promise. （州长因没能履行一项竞选时的承诺而受新闻界抨击。）
他于1952年离开美国，直到1977年去世一只住在瑞士。（He left the country in 1952 and stayed in Switzerland until he died in 1977,）在这期间，卓别林只在1972年回到好莱坞，接受一个表彰他对影坛的卓越贡献的特别奖项。（only going back to Hollywood in 1972 to receive a special award for his remarkable work in film.）
注意award和reward的区别，它们都可以指“奖项，奖品”，但前者侧重于荣誉本身，如：The novel earned him a literary award.（这部长篇小说为他赢得了文学。）而后者侧重于奖金，如：A large reward is offered for the capture of the criminals.（巨额悬赏捉拿这些罪犯。）
「句型留言板」
grow out of“源于”
The mistake grew out of his carelessness.
这错误是由于他的粗心造成的。
The movie grew out of an idea the director had while he was taking a train.
这部电影的故事是导演在搭火车时想到的。
Grow out of还可以指克服某种障碍或困难，如：
To Grow out of Unemployment. 摆脱失业状态。
Everyone knows that the children all “grow out of it.”
每个人都知道，孩子是在不断克服困难中长大的。
| 成人英语三级考试相关内容 |
