(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
I'm Barbara Klein. And I'm Steve Ember with People in America in VOA Special English. Today we tell about film actress Mae West. She was also a writer, producer and businesswoman. The sexual nature of her life and art represented her liberal and often disputed ideas. Her funny jokes have become part of the language of American popular culture. Mae West was born in Brooklyn, New York in eighteen ninety-three. Her father, John West, had several jobs but started his career as a competitive fighter. Mae's mother, Matilda, played an important role in developing her daughter's career as an entertainer.
Mae started to perform in local theater groups as a young child. By nineteen oh seven she was part of a national vaudeville tour that performed across the country. Vaudeville was a theatrical show with several entertainers performing songs, dances and jokes. Vaudeville was very popular in the United States during the early nineteen hundreds. When Mae West was about eighteen years old she started performing on Broadway, the famous theater area of New York City. She appeared in many musical shows such as "Hello, Paris" and "A la Broadway." For the next fifteen years she sang and danced in both Broadway and vaudeville shows.
In the middle nineteen twenties, Mae West started to write, produce and act in her own plays. She also started to create the sexual jokes that would make her famous -- and also get her into trouble. Her first Broadway play was called "Sex." The play was very popular, but soon closed temporarily. City officials put Mae West in jail for more than a week. The police arrested her because they said the play was not moral. Mae West knew that this incident would make her a national success --- and it did.
Serving time in jail did not stop West from writing more plays or causing new disputes over their sexually suggestive subject matter. In fact, she said that she learned from her jail experience. She said the people she met in jail influenced the characters she later created. Mae West wrote many kinds of theatrical productions, but some details remained the same. Her humor was often sexual. But her jokes had two meanings. Her statements were humorous and intelligent because they could be understood in two different ways. She was also funny because she greatly overstated her sexy nature and love for men. Mae West always played the role of a young and strong woman. She also made sure that she always had the biggest role. She wanted everyone to know she was the star and she was in charge.
One of her most famous plays was called "Diamond Lil." Mae West made careful choices when writing this play so that it would be popular with a wide audience. She set the play in a famous New York City area called the Bowery. Audiences knew the history of this dangerous area. West also had the story take place in the late nineteenth century. She knew that the clothing from this period looked good on her large and curvy body. She thought that older people would like the time period. Female audiences would like her rich clothing. And younger people would like the play's action and sexy style. West plays a singer named Lil who works in a saloon, a public drinking place. She walks around in very tight, shiny dresses. She has shiny, golden, wavy hair. She wears diamond jewels and large hats. She has many lovers and adventures.
"Diamond Lil" was a big success. It was performed more than three hundred times on Broadway. Then it was performed all over the country. Lil became the most representative example of Mae West's characters. It was a role she would play many times in her life. "Diamond Lil" shows the way Mae West appeared in many of her productions, and even in real life. Mae West once said: ''It isn't what I do, but how I do it. It isn't what I say, but how I say it, and how I look when I do it and say it."
After the stock market crash of nineteen twenty-nine, Mae West faced a difficult period. Many theaters could no longer remain open in this time of economic depression. She also had to deal with legal battles over the disputed subjects of her plays. Her latest musical was a failure on Broadway. And, in nineteen thirty her mother died. It was soon time for Mae West to make a change.
In nineteen thirty-two Mae West moved to Hollywood, California to start her film career. Her first film was called "Night After Night." At first, Mae West had refused to be in the film because she was not satisfied with her character. But the producer allowed her to rewrite parts of the story. West helped give the film a special humor and excitement. The next year she starred in the movie "She Done Him Wrong." This was the film version of her successful play, "Diamond Lil". But making this movie was not easy. The Hays Office had forbidden several of Mae West's plays such as "Diamond Lil" from being made into movies. The Hays Office was in charge of enforcing a severe production code. This code controlled what was considered morally acceptable subject matter for American movies.
To make this movie, the producers changed the name of the play and its characters. And Mae West brought her intelligence to the film. She created sexy statements that the Hays Office had to accept. Instead of direct sexual comments, she perfected her sexually suggestive jokes. In this film, Cary Grant plays the role of Mae West's main love interest, Captain Cummings. This is one of Cary Grant's earliest roles. He soon became a big Hollywood star. In this scene from the movie, Mae West makes her most famous statement. Her character, Lady Lou, is in love with Captain Cummings. She is trying to get him to "come up and see her."
Lady Lou: You know, I always did like a man in a uniform. That one fits you grand. Why don't you come up sometime and see me…I'm home every evening.
Captain Cummings: I'm busy every evening.
Lady Lou: Busy? So what are you trying to do, insult me?
Captain Cummings: Why no! Not at all. I'm just busy, that's all. You see, we're holding meetings in Jacobsen's Hall every evening. Anytime you have a moment to spare, I'd be glad to have you drop in. You're more than welcome.
Lady Lou: I heard you. But you ain't kidding me any. You know, I've met your kind before. Why don't you come up sometime, huh?
Captain Cummings: Well, I…
Lady Lou: Don't be afraid, I won't tell. Come up, I'll tell your fortune.
This movie made Mae West a great success. "Why don't you come up and see me sometime" became one of the most famous statements in film history. For a period, she was one of the highest paid female entertainers in America. Some experts say her movies helped save the production company Paramount Pictures from financial ruin. Audiences all over the world either loved or hated this wild woman. Mae West both starred in and wrote her next film, "I'm No Angel." She played a circus performer. As always, her character drives men crazy with desire. When the film opened, it broke records for attendance and profits. Here is Mae West performing the theme song of this movie.
Mae West continued to make films – and trouble -- throughout the nineteen thirties and early forties. Critics say this was the most exciting part of her career. They say that after this period, she only repeated herself. While she had offers for films, she refused to play the role of an older or weak woman. West continued to act on stage, wrote books and appeared on television.
At the age of eighty-five she starred in a film called "Sextette." Not surprisingly, Mae West played a sexy woman that men could not resist. Some critics dismissed the film. Others praised her spirit for never surrendering to old age on film. Two years later, Mae West died at her home in California. She was eighty-seven.
Mae West remains one of the most famous and liberated actresses in American film and stage history. She used her yellow hair, playful voice, and shapely body to create a whole new kind of Hollywood star. She was a strong woman who kept careful artistic control over her work. Her independence, humor and sexy nature continue to influence performers today.
重点解析
1.liberal 自由的；开明的
liberal theories
自由主义的理论
2.play an important role 起到重要作用
It is true that in economic activities advertisements play an important role.
广告在经济活动中，确实扮演了重要角色。
3.get into trouble 使自己或他人陷入困扰之境
He had too much time on his hands and that caused him to get into trouble
他手头时间太富裕了，反倒为他惹来了麻烦。
4.temporarily 暂时地
The peace agreement has at least temporarily halted the civil war...
该和平协定至少暂时停止了内战。
5.suggestive 暗示的
She was singing a very suggestive song.
她唱了一个很有暗示意味的歌曲。
6.influence 影响
He is trying to improperly influence a witness.
他正试图不适当地影响一名证人。
参考译文
我是芭芭拉·克莱恩。我是史蒂夫·恩贝尔。这里是VOA慢速英语栏目《美国人物志》。今天我们要讲述电影女演员梅·韦斯特。她也是一名作家、制片人兼女商人。她与生俱来的性感和艺术感代表了她的自由且常受争议的想法。她有趣的笑话成为美国流行文化语言的一部分。梅·韦斯特于1893年出生于纽约布鲁克林。她的父亲约翰·韦斯特兼职几分工作，但他的第一份工作是角斗士。梅的母亲玛蒂尔达在女儿成为艺人的发展中起到了重要作用。
梅小时候就在当地戏剧院表演。到1907年的时候，她成为了一支国家轻歌舞剧演员，该轻歌舞剧在世界巡回演出。 轻歌舞剧是有几个艺人唱歌、跳舞、讲笑话的剧场表演。轻歌舞剧在20世纪初的美国很流行。梅·韦斯特大概18岁的时候，她开始在百老汇舞台表演，这是纽约著名的戏剧场所。她出演过很多音乐剧，比如《Hello, Paris》以及《A la Broadway》。接下来的15年里，她在百老汇和轻歌舞剧中唱歌、跳舞。20世纪20年代中期，梅·韦斯特开始创作、制作并出演自己的戏剧。她还开始创作一些能够让她出名的性笑话—也让她陷入了麻烦。她的首部百老汇戏剧是《Sex》。
这部喜剧非常受欢迎，但很快被暂时禁演。城市官员监禁了梅·韦斯特一个多星期。警察逮捕了她，因为他们说这部喜剧不道德。梅·韦斯特知道此次事件会让她全国出名—确实如此。服刑期间，梅·韦斯特并没有停止写作，关于性暗示主题问题的新争论还在继续。事实上，她说她从入狱经历中吸取了教训。她说她在狱中遇到的人影响了她之后创作的角色。梅·韦斯特写了很多种戏剧作品，但是其中一些细节仍是相同的。她的幽默常充满性暗示，但是她的笑话有两层含义。她的叙述幽默机智，因为它们可以用两种不同的方式理解。她也很搞笑，因为她常夸大她的性感和对男士的爱。梅·韦斯特总是出演年轻或女强人角色。她出演的角色一定是大主角，她想让每个人都知道她是明星，她是老大。
她最出名的戏剧之一是《Diamond Lil》。梅·韦斯特在创作这部剧的时候进行了仔细的选择，所以这部剧受到了广大观众的欢迎。她将这部剧的场景设定在纽约一个最出名的区域—Bowery。观众们知道这片危险区域的历史。韦斯特的这个故事发生在19世纪末期。她知道那个时期的服装穿在她身上曲线优美很好看。她认为老年人会喜欢这个时期，女性观众喜欢她华丽的衣服，年轻观众喜欢这部剧的动作和性感风格。韦斯特扮演一个名叫Lil 的歌手，她在一家沙龙工作，这是一个喝酒的地方。她穿着闪光的紧身裙走来走去。她有一头金色发光的卷发。她戴着珠宝和大帽子。她有很多情人和冒险。《Diamond Lil》取得了巨大的成功。在百老汇上演了三百多场。然后全国巡演。Lil成为了韦斯特的角色中最具代表性的一个。这个角色她一生中扮演过很多次。《Diamond Lil》展现了梅·韦斯特作品，乃至真实生活的很多方面。
梅·韦斯特曾说：“重要的不是我做了什么，而是我怎么做到的。重要的不是我说了什么，而是我如何说以及我在说和做的时候是怎样的。”1929年股市崩盘后，梅·韦斯特经历了一段艰难时期。很多剧院在这个经济萧条时期都不开张了。她还要处理关于戏剧主题争端的官司。她最新的一部百老汇音乐剧失败了。1930年，她的母亲去世了。是时候做出改变了。1932年，梅·韦斯特搬去了加利福尼亚好莱坞开始她的电影生涯。她的第一部电影是《Night After Night》。起初，梅·韦斯特拒绝演出这部电影，因为她不满意她的角色，但是制片人允许她重写这个部分。韦斯特的帮助给了这部电影特殊的幽默和刺激。
第二年，她出演电影《侬本多情》。这部电影是《Diamond Lil》的电影版本。但是制作这部电影并不容易。海斯检查处禁止了梅·韦斯特的几部戏剧，比如被制成电影的《Diamond Lil》。海斯检查处负责实施严厉的产品代码。这个代码对美国电影中被认为是在道德上可以接受的主题进行控制。为了制作这部电影，制片人改了这部戏剧的名字和角色。并且梅·韦斯特将她的智慧运用其中。她创作了海斯检查处不得不接受的性感表达。她没有直接发表和性有关的评论，而是完善了她的性暗示笑话。在电影中，加里·格兰特出演梅·韦斯特主要情人——肯明斯船长一角。这是加里·格兰特最早期角色之一。很快他成了好莱坞巨星。在电影这个场景中，梅·韦斯特说出了她最著名的台词。她的角色是卢女士，和肯明斯船长相爱。她试图让他来看她。
你知道，我一直都很喜欢穿制服的男人，这套制服很适合你。你为什不经常来看看我...我每晚都在家。
我每晚都很忙。
忙？你这是做什么，羞辱我？
没有！完全不是。我只是很忙而已。你看，我们每晚都在雅各布森会议室开会。
任何时候你有时间，我都很高兴你能光临。非常欢迎。
知道了。但你不是在开玩笑吧。你知道，我之前见过你这类型的人。你为什么不过来呢？
嗯，我...
别害怕。我不会说的。来吧，我会给你算命。
这部电影让梅·韦斯特大获成功。“为什么你不过来看看我”成为了电影史上最著名的台词之一。有一段时间，她是美国演出酬劳最高的女艺人之一。一些专家称她的电影将制片公司派拉蒙影业从经济损失中拯救了出来。世界观众对这个狂野的女人又爱又恨。梅·韦斯特出演并创作了她的下一部电影《I'm No Angel》。她扮演一个马戏团演出者。和往常一样，她的角色让男人疯狂的渴望。电影上映时，打破了电影票房和上座率记录。以下是这部电影的主题曲。
整个13到14世纪初，梅·韦斯特继续制作电影和麻烦。影评人认为这是她职业中最刺激的部分。他们说这个时期之后，她只是在重复自己。当她接到电影邀约时，她拒绝扮演年长或弱势女人。韦斯特继续在舞台上演出、写书、上电视。85岁后，她出演电影《Sextette》。不出所料，她还是扮演一名性感到男士无法拒绝的女性。一些影评人对这部电影嗤之以鼻。其他人则赞扬她不向年纪屈服的精神。两年后，梅·韦斯特在加利福尼亚的家中去世，年87岁。梅·韦斯特仍是美国电影和舞台历史上最著名、最自由的女演员之一她用自己的黄头发。幽默的声音和匀称的肢体创造了一种全新的好莱坞明星形象。她是一位女强人，对工作保持严谨和美感。她的独立、幽默和性感继续影响如今的艺人们。
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