VOA慢速英语2021--I Want to Thank the Academy

 

The 93rd Academy Award Ceremony is to be broadcast on Sunday, April 25. "Oscar" is the name of the figure on the small statue, so people call the award "an Oscar."

This year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominated a diverse group of actors and movie professionals for awards. Like others who came before them, they will give short speeches thanking those who helped them in their work.

In today's lesson, we will look at the language you will hear in those speeches. If you ever have the honor of receiving an award, you can use this knowledge to make your own acceptance speech. Let us start with how long the speech should last.

Keep it short – you only have 45 seconds

To be a member of the Academy, a person has to work in the production of movies released in theaters. When a winner receives an award, they usually begin by thanking the Academy, moviemakers like themselves. There is a time limit for Oscar acceptance speeches. It is said the Academy decided² to make the rule after Greer Garson gave a nearly six-minute speech in 1942. Now, the speeches are supposed to be less than 45 seconds. However, the winners of the best actor award usually speak for about two minutes. At that point, music usually begins to play, telling the speaker to finish.

The Australian actor, Paul Hogan, gave advice to the winners at the 1987 Academy Awards. He said,

Firstly, winners, when you make your speech, it's a good tip to remember the three Gs: be Gracious, be Grateful, Get off.

"Be gracious" means to be kind and respectful. After all, the winners are speaking to a group of people they want to continue working with in the future. "Be grateful" means to be thankful, and "get off" means to leave the stage. Many Oscar winners use their time to speak in support of their favorite cause. That can make their speech much longer. But people watching on TV usually enjoy hearing shorter speeches.

Present perfect tense

Award winners usually look back over their life or work. They may try to use humor. The grammar you will hear at that point often includes the present perfect tense. Here is Shirley MacLaine in her 1984 acceptance speech.

I have wondered for 26 years what this would feel like.

Marlon Brando used the present perfect as he accepted his first Academy award in 1955. He said,

I don't think that ever in my life have so many people been so directly responsible for my being so very, very glad.

Thank you for...

After thanking the members of the Academy, almost every winner thanks family and coworkers. In 2018, Gary Oldman spoke³ of his 99-year-old mother. He asked her to prepare tea for him and the Oscar.

I say to my mother, thank you for your love and support. Um, put the kettle on, I'm bringing Oscar home.

Note that Oldman said, "Thank you for your love and support." This is the most common way: thanks: 'for + noun."

In 2020, Brad Pitt used the preposition "to."

Thank you. This is incredible, really incredible. Thank you to the Academy for this honor of honors. They told me I only have 45 seconds up here...

Be humble⁴

How do movie makers¹ show that they do not think they are better than other people, in other words, that they are humble? One way is to praise the other nominees⁵ and to say that they should receive the award. In his speech, Tom Hanks said other actors should have won, not him.

I am standing⁶ here in lieu of my fellow nominees who are just as deserving, if not more so, of this moment.

Paul Hogan also gave advice about being too humble.

Secondly⁷, don't be too humble tonight because we have up here a second envelope. So don't get up on stage and say, 'I don't deserve this award.' If you really feel you don't deserve an Academy Award, just give us a wave from your seat.

Inspire others

Finally, a good speech inspires others to work toward their own goals. In many Oscar speeches, the winners say that others can reach success, too.

Lupita Nyong'o, in 2014, wanted children to follow their dreams.

When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you're from, your dreams are valid⁸. Thank you.

Shirley MacLaine said everyone should trust that they can succeed.

God bless that potential that we all have for making anything possible if we think we deserve it. I deserve this. Thank you.

Words in This Story

diverse – adj. made up of people or things that are different from each other

tip – n. useful or secret information

kettle - n. a container used for heating or boiling liquid

incredible – adj. difficult or impossible to believe

stage – n. a raised platform in a theater, auditorium⁹, etc., where the performers stand

deserve –v. used to say that someone should be given something

in lieu of – expression. instead of

envelope – n. an enclosing cover for a letter, card – at the Academy Awards, the winning name is written on a card in an envelope.

inspire - v. to make (someone) want to do something; to give (someone) an idea about what to do or create

potential –n. something that is not real now, but is able to become real in the future

1 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

5 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

8 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

9 auditorium   

n.观众席，听众席；会堂，礼堂

参考例句：

• The teacher gathered all the pupils in the auditorium.老师把全体同学集合在礼堂内。
• The stage is thrust forward into the auditorium.舞台向前突出，伸入观众席。