例2:Peter:You did get my text,right?“did”以辅音/d/结尾,后一词“get”以辅音/g/开头,因此“吞掉”/d/音而只发/g/的音。
例3:Peter:Specific things.Like“get in line at the video store”?“at”以辅音/t/结尾,而后一词“the”以辅音/e/开头,因此“吞掉”/t/音而只发/e/的音。注意,此句中的“like”虽以辅音/k/结尾而后一词“get”以辅音/g/开头,本应吞掉/k/音,但由于“like”和后面引号部分的内容不属于一个意群,存在明显的停顿,所以不能使用吞音技巧。
对白二
A man was standing on the ledge of a top-floor apartment building.It seemed that he was going to commit a suicide.When the passers-by noticed that,they stopped walking and looked up at him in panic.Carl was right there across the building.At this,he rushed quickly down to the road outside the building.
Jumper:What the hell are you looking at?
Man 1:Don’t do it.
Jumper:Don’t point at me,buddy.Hey,lady,move that dog.Buddy,can you move over a little bit,like two feet?
Carl:Has somebody called the police?
Woman 1:Yeah.He’ll be dead before they get here.Somebody needs to talk him down.
Carl was determined to save this man,so he ran quickly up the stairs and came into his room.
Jumper:Move out the way.
Woman 2:Somebody help him!
Woman 3:Don’t do it.It can’t be that bad.
Carl:(Standing by the window)Hey,buddy.
Jumper:Who are you,man?Don’t try anything.I’m gonna kill myself,so don’t try to stop me.
Carl:Okay.
Jumper:What do you mean,“Okay”?
Carl:No,I don’t mean okay.Just give me a second.I should say something to you here.I don’t really know what it is.
Jumper:Man,you’re terrible at this.Are you even a cop?
Carl:Hold on a second,I’m thinking.(Looking back,he saw a guitar and an idea suddenly jumped to his mind.)Wait.I’ve got it.
Jumper:Where you going,man?
Woman 4:I know it’s not what I think it is.
Man 2:Just stop.
Carl was tuning up the guitar.He was trying so hard that he was seemingly going to give a solo show instead of rescuing someone.
Jumper:My man.Hello?
Carl:Don’t do it.I’m coming.Patience is a virtue1.
Jumper:What the hell you doing in there?
Carl:(Came back and began to sing by playing the guitar)
I wish you would step back
From that ledge2,my friend
You could cut ties with3 all the lies
That you’ve been living in
And if you never want to see me again
I would understand
I would understand Um…
Oh…(forgot the following lyrics)
Carl:(Asking the Jumper)What is it?
Jumper:(Singing)
The angry boy a bit too insane4
Icing over a secret pain
You know you don’t belong
Carl:(Go on singing and playing)
Everyone I know has got a reason
To say
All:(Singing)
You can put the past away
I wish you would step back
From that ledge,my friend
You could cut ties with all the lies
You’ve been living in
And if you never want to see me again
I would understand
I would understand
I would understand
I would understand
I would understand
The jumper was moved by the song and stepping back to the window little by little.Finally,Carl caught him and threw him hard down to the floor of the apartment.The people jumped in joy.Carl:(Complaining)I got blisters5 on my fingers.
注释
1.virtue/"v?:tju:/n.美德
2.ledge/led?/n.(建筑物的)凸缘,窗台
3.cut ties with和……断绝联系
4.insane/in"sein/a.疯狂的,精神错乱的
5.blister/"blist/n.(皮肤上的)水泡,脓疱
译文
一个男子站在公寓楼顶层房间的窗台上,似乎要自杀。当路人注意到了后,纷纷停下脚步,惊慌失措地抬头望着他。卡尔此刻正在公寓楼的对面。他听说此事后,很快跑下楼,来到了大楼外的马路上。
跳楼者:你们看什么?
男1:不要跳。
跳楼者:不要指指点点的,伙计。嘿,女士,牵走你的狗。哥们,你往后挪两步行么?
卡尔:有人报警了吗?
女1:报了,可警察赶到前他就死了。得有人说服他下来。
卡尔拿定主意拯救该名男子,于是迅速跑上楼,冲进了那人的房间。
跳楼者:让开点。
女2:快来人救救他!
女3:别跳啊。没那么糟糕的。
卡尔:(站在窗口)嘿,哥们儿。
跳楼者:哥们儿,你是谁?别想做什么,我要自杀,别想拦住我。
卡尔:好吧。
跳楼者:“好吧”是什么意思?
卡尔:不不,我不是说好,等我一小会儿。这里我得跟你说些什么,真不知道该说什么。
跳楼者:哥们儿,你很不擅长这个。你做过警察么?
卡尔:等等,我想一想。(回头看时,他瞧见了一把吉他,一个想法突然跳入他的脑海里。)等等,我想到了。
跳楼者:哥们儿,你要去哪?
女4:我就知道事情不是我想的那样。
男2:别跳啊。
卡尔开始给那把吉他调音。他调得如此用心,似乎要来一场吉他独奏表演而非救人。
跳楼者:哥们儿,还在吗?
卡尔:别跳,我就来。忍耐是种美德。
跳楼者:你在那里面到底在干什么呢?
卡尔:(回来后开始边弹吉他边唱起来)
我希望你能走回来
从那边缘,我的朋友
你可以和以前生活中的
所有谎言一刀两断
如果你不想再见到我
我能理解
我能理解
嗯……哦……(忘记后面的歌词)
卡尔:(问跳楼者)后面的词儿是什么?
跳楼者:(唱起来)
生气的男生有些癫狂
冰雪覆盖了你的隐痛
你知道你不该有这痛
卡尔:(继续弹唱)
我认识的每个人都有理由
把痛苦讲出来
所有人:(一起唱)你可以抛掉过去
我希望你能走回来
从那边缘,我的朋友
你可以和以前生活中的
所有谎言一刀两断
如果你不想再见到我
我能理解
我能理解
我能理解
我能理解
我能理解
跳楼者被歌声感动了,一点一点地向窗口退回。最终,卡尔抓住了他,将他重重地扔在公寓的地板上。所有人欢呼雀跃。
卡尔:(抱怨)我手指都起泡了。
对白分析
一个男子因为遭遇生活不幸,想要跳楼轻生。卡尔发现后,凭借一把吉他,唱着歌曲,将一个处于生死边缘的生命挽救了回来。他的歌声虽然算不上优美,他弹的吉他虽然算不上动听,但他的鼓励让跳楼者重拾生活的信心。
其实,过去的卡尔自己何尝不是一个一直生活在阴影里的人呢?工作没有一丝乐趣,情感无处寄托,每天下班回家,独守空房,难免孤独寂寥,日子久了,如同行尸走肉,没有了生机活力。女孩阿尔莉森的洒脱开朗和无拘无束,让卡尔对生活有了新的看法,他要对循规蹈矩、唯唯诺诺说“不”,对勇敢自信、热情真诚说“是”。于是,我们看到一个全新的卡尔:他乐于助人,积极生活,微笑面对每一天。他不仅改变了自己,也改变了他帮助的每一个人。
学唱英文歌可以帮助我们更好地掌握英语的发音规则,比如在这首卡尔弹唱的美国乐队Third Eye Blind的歌曲Jumper中,我们既能够听到美音中饱满的元音(如:got/ɡ?t/中的/?/,understand/?nd?"st?nd/中/?/和/?/),也能听到他唱“I would understand”时对“would”的辅音/d/进行了弱读处理,还能听到他唱“And if you never want to see me again”时对“want to”的前一个/t/进行了吞音处理。总之,除了这首歌词简单却旋律优美的歌曲,本书介绍的其他电影插曲也都不失为练习发音的好素材。多模仿,多学唱,才能找准英语的音调和说话的节奏。