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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
VAMPIRES2, we know by now, are allergic3 to the sun, enjoy a liquid-only diet and cannot stand to see themselves in the mirror. But in recent films and fiction, such as the Twilight4 series, they have shed their dark capes6 and castles for an existence more or less like our own.
如今,我们都知道吸血鬼怕阳光,喜流食,不能在镜子中看到自己。但在最近的电影及科幻小说中,例如《暮光之城》,他们却摆脱了黑色的斗篷,走出阴森的城堡,变得和普通人没什么两样。
For those who are worried about the fate of Bella Swan, Edward Cullen and Jacob Black in the Twilight series, the third installment7, The Twilight Saga8: Eclipse, is back with all of the lethal9 and loving bite it was meant to have. The kiss of the vampire1 is cooler, the werewolf is sexier, and Bella sorts through all of her "who do you love?" conflicts with even more passion than before. Because of all this, the new film sometimes seems more like the story of a love triangle among beautiful teenagers.
对那些关注《暮光之城》中贝拉·斯沃、爱德华·库兰和雅各·布雷克命运的粉丝们来说,《暮光之城3:月食》包含了所有应有的爱恨情仇。吸血鬼之吻更迷人了,狼人变得越发性感,贝拉也开始梳理自己的感情问题,感情戏也更加热烈。正因如此,这部新电影更像是年轻帅哥美女之间的三角恋故事。
Before the current crop of "undercover" vampires, the creatures were always portrayed10 as being more mysterious. Back to the 1930s, for example, in the movie Dracula (1931), Count Dracula, the vampire, was a sophisticated European nobleman. He was sensual, exotic, and, of course, he wore a dark cape5 and spoke11 with an accent.
近年来上映了很多“便衣”吸血鬼题材的影片,而在此之前,他们通常被描绘成一种神秘的生物。以20世纪30年代的电影《德古拉》(1931年)为例,吸血鬼德古拉伯爵是一个久经世故的欧洲贵族。他感性,充满异国风情,当然,他总穿着黑色的斗篷,说话还带点口音。
Vampires became more daring, sexual, interactive12 and even friendly to people in Blood for Dracula (1974). Still, though, they retained their old-school Eurotrash look.
但在1974年的影片《吸血鬼之血》中,吸血鬼变得更加大胆、性感、善于社交,甚至对人类很友好。唯一不变的是他们那传统的欧洲贵族派头。
Today vampires have moved into the neighborhood. "The vampire next door" image is having a big cultural moment with popular films and TV series, such as Twilight and True Blood. They look no different from ordinary people - only sexier, thus often finding themselves in romantic relationships with heroines.
到如今,吸血鬼已经摇身一变成了邻家友人。这种“邻家友人”形象成了流行影视作品(例如《暮光之城》、《真爱如血》)中的一大里程碑。他们看起来无异于常人--只是比后者更性感而已,因此总能和女主角擦出爱的火花。
There`s an infrastructure13 in the world that caters14 to vampires, thus they can increasingly be "out of the closet" in today`s fictional15 entertainment. They are accepted and can be honest about who they are-sometimes even a bit cocky. Like what Jacob said to Edward when trying to win Bella over: "Well, I am hotter than you."
由于吸血鬼题材在当今世界广受欢迎,越来越多的虚构影视作品开始让吸血鬼"走出壁橱"。他们被社会所接受,诚实地说明自己的身份--有时甚至对此引以为荣。例如,雅各布试图从爱德华身边夺走贝拉时就曾说:“其实我比你更性感。”
Blood-suckers we have known and loved
我们熟悉并热爱的吸血鬼人物
THE depiction16 of vampires in films and TV shows has evolved over the years. Which vampire look appeals to you most?
吸血鬼在影视作品中的形象已经历经了多年的演变,那么你最喜欢哪个吸血鬼人物呢?
refined
优雅贵族气
Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise as Louis de Pointe du Lac and Lestat de Lioncourt
布拉德·皮特和汤姆·克鲁斯所饰演的吸血鬼路易和吸血鬼莱斯特
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)
《吸血鬼编年史》之《夜访吸血鬼》:(1994)
The two refined and noble socialites were the hottest vampires of the 1990s. Lestat is known for his boldness, enthusiasm and defiance17. Louis enjoys the finer things in life, including music, acting18 and fashion. But they share a charming tenderness. They became the template for all culturally-relevant vampires that followed them.
这两位充满优雅贵族气的社会名流堪称20世纪90年代最受欢迎的吸血鬼人物。吸血鬼莱斯特以敢作敢为和叛逆狂放著称,而吸血鬼路易却乐于享受生活中的美好:包括音乐、表演和时尚。但两者都同样温柔迷人。他们俨然成了之后文化题材中吸血鬼的模板。
[注释: 形容男士“优雅的”可用refined或gentle。其中前者有“名门,上流社会”的意味。Aristocratic和noble都可表示“贵族出身的”,但noble还可以指“修养好的”或“人格高尚的”。]
sexy
性感温柔范儿
Stephen Moyer and Alexander Skarsgard as Bill Compton and Eric Northman
斯特芬·摩耶和亚历山大·斯卡斯加德饰演的吸血鬼比尔·卡普顿和吸血鬼艾瑞克·诺斯曼
True Blood (2008-present)
《真爱如血》(2008年至今)
Besides being masculine and sexy (and frequently shirtless), both vampires have excellent manners and are attentive19 to woman`s needs. While dark-haired Bill exudes20 genteel values, Eric thrills with bad-boy mystique. Their battle for control of heroine Sookie Stackhouse has not only fueled the show but also polarized fans into two camps.
除具备男子气概、性感(经常赤膊上阵)等特点之外,上述两个吸血鬼还举止优雅,对女性关怀备至。黑发的比尔散发出一种绅士风范,艾瑞克则给人一种坏男孩的神秘感。两人为争夺对女主角苏琪·斯塔克豪斯的控制大打出手,不仅为影片增光添色,粉丝们也随之形成两大阵营。
[注释: 表示性感可用sexy或hot。讲男士温柔普遍使用gentle,还可用tender。当然像sweet, attentive, considerate也属于形容男人温柔体贴的范畴。]
亲切随和派
Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen
罗伯特·帕丁森饰演的爱德华·库兰
Twilight (2008-present)
《暮光之城》(2008年至今)
Although he has alabaster22 skin, unkempt hair and a lanky23 frame, Edward Cullen might still be the most approachable vampire to date. Robert Pattinson masters the portrayal24 of a vampire who is kind and amiable, like a boy next door who can play the piano - and who has 100 years of wisdom packed into his 17-year-old brain.
尽管他肤色雪白、发型凌乱,身材瘦高,爱德华·库兰或许仍是迄今为止吸血鬼中最亲切的约会对象。罗伯特·帕丁森娴熟地诠释了亲切随和的吸血鬼形象,就像一个会弹钢琴的邻家男孩--而且是一个拥有100岁智慧的17岁男孩。
[注释: 表示“亲切的,随和的”可说kind, friendly或amiable。另外approachable/easy to get along with也可形容人容易相处。]
badass
邪恶痞子型
Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore
伊恩·萨默海尔德饰演的达蒙·塞尔瓦托
The Vampire Diaries (2009-present)
《吸血鬼日记》(2009年至今)
The older, evil Salvatore character has impressed more than his younger, more introspective brother, Stefan Salvatore. Lots of female fans are totally smitten25 with the villain-not because of his well-defined face and masculine body, but because of his badass qualities. He proves that "ladies don`t always fancy the nice guy".
中年痞子男达蒙·塞尔瓦托比那个较自己年轻、更善于内省的弟弟斯特凡·萨尔瓦托还令人印象深刻。很多女粉丝们都完全拜倒在他痞子男的魅力之下--不是因为他帅气的外表,也并非看重他健硕的身材,而是他的“坏蛋本质”。他的走红恰恰验证了一个理论--“男人不坏女人不爱”。
点击收听单词发音
1 vampire | |
n.吸血鬼 | |
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2 vampires | |
n.吸血鬼( vampire的名词复数 );吸血蝠;高利贷者;(舞台上的)活板门 | |
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3 allergic | |
adj.过敏的,变态的 | |
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4 twilight | |
n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期 | |
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5 cape | |
n.海角,岬;披肩,短披风 | |
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6 capes | |
碎谷; 斗篷( cape的名词复数 ); 披肩; 海角; 岬 | |
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7 installment | |
n.(instalment)分期付款;(连载的)一期 | |
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8 saga | |
n.(尤指中世纪北欧海盗的)故事,英雄传奇 | |
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9 lethal | |
adj.致死的;毁灭性的 | |
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10 portrayed | |
v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 );描述;描绘;描画 | |
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11 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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12 interactive | |
adj.相互作用的,互相影响的,(电脑)交互的 | |
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13 infrastructure | |
n.下部构造,下部组织,基础结构,基础设施 | |
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14 caters | |
提供饮食及服务( cater的第三人称单数 ); 满足需要,适合 | |
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15 fictional | |
adj.小说的,虚构的 | |
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16 depiction | |
n.描述 | |
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17 defiance | |
n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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18 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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19 attentive | |
adj.注意的,专心的;关心(别人)的,殷勤的 | |
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20 exudes | |
v.缓慢流出,渗出,分泌出( exude的第三人称单数 );流露出对(某物)的神态或感情 | |
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21 amiable | |
adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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22 alabaster | |
adj.雪白的;n.雪花石膏;条纹大理石 | |
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23 lanky | |
adj.瘦长的 | |
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24 portrayal | |
n.饰演;描画 | |
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25 smitten | |
猛打,重击,打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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