VOA标准英语2012--'The Lady' Features Michelle Yeoh as Burma's Pro Democracy Leader

'The Lady' Features Michelle Yeoh as Burma's Pro¹ Democracy Leader 

When Aung San Suu Kyi left her family in England in 1988, she thought it would be a short visit to Burma to care for her ailing² mother. Instead, "Daw Suu" followed in the footsteps of her father, who was a national hero. She became the leader of a pro-democracy movement.

SUU KYI: "It may be a little late to be saying this, but you realize I've never actually spoken in public before."

MICHAEL: "Well, there's no time like the present."

David Thewlis plays Daw Suu's supportive husband Michael, an Oxford³ don (fellow).

Malaysia-born Michelle Yeoh, who learned to speak Burmese for her role, recalls recreating that 1988 speech to a crowd gathered in front of the Shwedagon Pagoda⁴ in Rangoon. The government would not allow the film to be shot in Burma, so Thailand doubles for its neighbor.

"The first speech that she makes is in Burmese to her people to let them understand that even though she did marry a foreigner and lived outside of Burma for so long, she was her father's daughter. She can not turn away from what is happening to her country. So we can't take liberties and do it in English. It just wouldn't be right," Yeoh says.

"When I did the Shwedagon speech, Luc was saying 'there is someone that is crying behind you the whole time.' We found out that he was there. He said 'in 1988 I was in the audience looking up at 'Daw Suu,' hearing her say the speech. Today I am standing⁵ behind her listening to her say the speech again,'" she explains. 

Yeoh says Luc Besson found many background players who lived through the events being portrayed⁶.

"He went to the Burmese refugee camps up in northern Thailand, and he cast about 200 of them. All of them were not actors, but they were very natural because, of course, they were Burmese," Yeoh notes. "But the way they moved when they were with me helped me tremendously."

Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house arrest in 2010 became a remarkable⁷ post-script that was added to the film. And its arrival now at American and European theaters coincides with her election to parliament. 

"The Lady has a very important message of an awakening," Yeoh says. "I hope that people who did not know about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, about the plight⁸ of the Burmese people, will now have an option to see whether they want to do something because now they know."

Michelle Yeoh met with Aung San Suu Kyi in 2010 before shooting the film. But when she tried to return in June last year, the actress was deported⁹ with no explanation. 

1 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

2 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

3 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

4 pagoda   

n.宝塔（尤指印度和远东的多层宝塔），（印度教或佛教的）塔式庙宇

参考例句：

• The ancient pagoda is undergoing repairs.那座古塔正在修缮中。
• The pagoda is reflected upside down in the water.宝塔影子倒立在水里。

5 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。

6 portrayed   

v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• Throughout the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim. 在审讯过程中，他始终把自己说成是受害者。
• The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard. 作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

8 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

9 deported   

v.将…驱逐出境( deport的过去式和过去分词 )；举止

参考例句：

• They stripped me of my citizenship and deported me. 他们剥夺我的公民资格，将我驱逐出境。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The convicts were deported to a deserted island. 罪犯们被流放到一个荒岛。 来自《简明英汉词典》