VOA慢速英语2015 影片“美国狙击手”获奥斯卡提名

 

With Oscar Nomination¹, 'American Sniper' Stirs Debate 影片“美国狙击手”获奥斯卡提名

The Oscar-nominated film “American Sniper” is based on the true story of American Chris Kyle. He formerly² served as a member of the U.S. Navy’s Sea, Air and Land teams, also known as SEALs.  

Chris Kyle served four times in Iraq as a sniper. He saved the lives of countless³ American soldiers and became famous, and infamous⁴, for his expert marksmanship – his skill in shooting a gun at a target.

The film “American Sniper” explores the effects of war on the human spirit.

DOCTOR: “Would you be surprised if I told you that Navy has credited you with over 160 kills?”

CHRIS KYLE (played by Bradley Cooper): “Hmm…”

DOCTOR: “Do you ever think that you might have seen things or done some things over there that you wish you hadn’t?”

CHRIS KYLE: “Oh, that’s not me. No.”

Sniper Chris Kyle, played by Bradley Cooper, is unapologetic about killing⁵ the enemy.

CHRIS KYLE: “The thing that haunts me are all the guys that I couldn’t save.”

“American Sniper” is not about American bravery in war. It is a story about the emotional damage war can cause even on the most efficient and effective of soldiers.

Chris Kyle is a husband and father. The more time he spends in battle, the less able he is to communicate to his wife and friends what he experiences there. 

That vicious circle draws him back to the battlefield.

Ryan Galucci is deputy director of the group Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. He says the movie is about one of the most common emotional traumas⁷ that soldiers experience.

“You just came back from a very profound experience, it is difficult to contextualize for the average civilian⁸. That’s why I think films like this are important in trying to contextualize that experience and some of the emotions that come with going to war and then coming home."

Actor Bradley Cooper stars as Chris Kyle, who slowly loses himself emotionally and mentally and quietly struggles to rebuild his life. His performance earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. He says the movie is neutral on the subject of war.

“This movie is not a pro-war or an anti-war movie or even a war film for that matter. It’s a movie about one character’s struggle to juggle⁹ a family life and a work life and the work life happens to be one which demands giving one’s life for one’s country.”

Not everyone agrees with that opinion, however. Recent discussions between celebrities¹⁰ on Twitter became a little heated over the message of “American Sniper.” American filmmaker Michael Moore tweeted that he had been raised to believe snipers were cowards. His uncle had been killed by a Japanese sniper during World War Two.

Country singers Blake Shelton and Charlie Daniels took issue with Moore’s comments. Shelton tweeted: “Sickens me to see celebrities or anybody slam the very people who protect their right to talk...”

Chris Kyle was murdered in February 2013. His attacker was another war veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder¹¹. Taya Kyle, his wife, says the film helped her.

“I had a little bit of peace before I went into the movie, but coming out I didn’t realize what a weight I maybe was still carrying. And it was lifted because they nailed it. They really got Chris, just who he is with all the good, the bad, everything. It's just sort of out there for the world to see and I think that's what make it beautiful."

“American Sniper” has also received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture for its depiction¹² of the contrast of humanity at war and humanity at peacetime.

Words in This Story

infamous – adj. well-known for being bad : known for evil acts or crimes

marksmanship – n. skill in shooting guns

trauma⁶ n. – a very difficult or unpleasant experience that causes someone to have mental or emotional problems usually for a long time

juggle – v. to do (several things) at the same time

depiction – n. to describe (someone or something) using words, a story, etc.

contrast – n. to compare (two people or things) to show how they are different

1 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

2 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

3 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

4 infamous   

adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的

参考例句：

• He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。
• I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。

5 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

6 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

7 traumas   

n.心灵创伤( trauma的名词复数 )；损伤；痛苦经历；挫折

参考例句：

• She felt exhausted after the traumas of recent weeks. 她经受了最近几个星期的痛苦之后感到精疲力竭。
• Conclusion: Safety lens of spectacles can protect the occurrence of ocular traumas. 结论：安全镜片可以预防眼镜碎片所致的眼外伤。 来自互联网

8 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

9 juggle   

v.变戏法，纂改，欺骗，同时做；n.玩杂耍，纂改，花招

参考例句：

• If you juggle with your accounts,you'll get into trouble.你要是在帐目上做手脚，你可要遇到麻烦了。
• She had to juggle her job and her children.她得同时兼顾工作和孩子。

10 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

11 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

12 depiction   

n.描述

参考例句：

• Double rhythms, resounding through the lyric depiction and connecting with each other, indicate the thespian place of mankind and the cognition of the writer to this thespian place. 这双重旋律互为表里，表明了人类的某种悲剧性处境以及作家对这种悲剧性处境的感受和认识。
• A realistic depiction of scenes from everyday domestic life. 日常家居生活的写实画。