Study English by Viewing Original American Films.

　　(一) Words & Phrases from the film POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE

　　Synopsis: Based on actress Carrie Fisher's best-selling autobiographical novel, POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE is a wickedly witty expose of life in the Hollywood fast lane. In a brilliant comic performance, MerylStreep stars as Suzanne Vale, a wisecracking, vulnerable actress determined to jump start her failing career.　As her aging movie star mother, Shirley MacLaine offers the definitive portrait of Hollywood's gutsy glamour queens in scenes spiked with razoredged humor and searing honesty.　Dennis Quaid, Rob Reiner and an all-star cast offer a bird's-eye view of Hollywood's has-beens and wanna-bes.　Funny and uncompromising, POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE dishes the Tinseltown dirt with style and wit, serving up a delicious behind-the-scenes comedy that no film lover can resisit.(from the rear of DVD case)

　　[Slangs]:

　　1. the edge , n by 1980s Perilous territory; a risky situation:　Living closer to the edge somehow makes you more than just a pampered Hollywood pretty boy – New York Times

　　危险境地，处于一种危险状态。

　　2. fast lane (or track), 1960s　A pace and quality of life emphasizing quick success against strong competition, along with the trappings of wealth and style: …amazing woman, lives on a fast lane –Village Voice/ Jean Piaget… started academic life on a fast track – Time/ … certainly influenced the 1960s expression “life in the fast lane” – City in Slang

　　一种强调迅速成功而反对激烈竞争的生活节奏和质量。

　　3. jump-start, v by 1980s To start a car by attaching cables to the battery from a car that runs; start anything that resists going: …they finally jump-start that poor dumb animal/　Mubarak Tries to Jump Start Stalled Mideast Peace Talks/

　　助推起动。

　　4. Tinseltown, n by 1975 Hollywood; the Los Angeles – Hollywood movie and TV area and culture：… if he couldn't nab a ride to Tinseltown in an hour's time/　It sometimes seems that the whole society has spiritually decamped for Tinseltown

　　好莱坞。

　　[Words & Phrases]

　　1. You'd botch that up.

　　botch sth (up), 笨手笨脚地弄坏某事物、把某物修理得很糟

　　2. nasty dream　(=nightmare?)

　　3. It's just a black-out.

　　black-out, 暂时失去知觉，视力或记忆

　　4. Do you always talk in bumper stickers?

　　bumper stickers, 粘贴在汽车保险杠上的小标语

　　5. It's all the rage in the rehab.

　　(be) all the rage, (colloq) (俗)风靡一时之物，极为流行之物

　　rehab, (sl), Rehabilitation, esp of a drug addict, alcoholic, etc: After a few weeks' rehab they sent him back home.

　　6. You only want instant gratification.

　　gratification, 满足，报酬

　　7. You're always judging me.

　　judge, 批评,抨击

　　8. rinse sth out of sth, 略微洗某物

　　9. It's so blah in here.

　　blah, (口)冠冕堂皇的废话

　　10.The upshot of the whole thing is that your being in the clinic – made you a high risk to do a movie.

　　the upshot of sth, 最后结果

　　11.Which one am I endearing myself to today? 今天我蒙谁钟爱?

　　endear sb/oneself to sb.　使某人受人喜爱

　　12.We came by to say hi and make sure everything's up to snuff?

　　up to snuff　(俗)精明老练的;健康正常的

　　13. We're behind you a hundred percent.　It's just a formality.　formality　例行公事

　　14. Don't contradict me.

　　contradict反驳

　　15. Don't say that, even in jest, Suzanne.

　　in jest, as a joke, not in earnest, 开玩笑地，不认真地

　　16. you sure do stink pretty.

　　stink ?　(mean damned??)

　　17. We're hitting the road.

　　hit the road, (esp US) hit the trail　(口)上路，出发

　　18. She'll rattle off at the mouth all night.

　　rattle away, rattle sth. off, 喋喋不休

　　19. Ornery as a mule, just like Owen.

　　Well, you are bull-headed, honey.

　　mule, 骡子，(比喻，口)顽固的人

　　bull-headed, adj. 又笨又顽固的，又笨又执拗的

　　20. Get off my back, woman!　Yap,yap,yap!

　　get off one's back　(口)不再惹恼某人，不再妨碍某人，不再找某人麻烦

　　Yap, (sl)哇啦哇啦地瞎说

　　21. That's all you do, all the livelong day.

　　livelong day/night　(口或修辞) 一整天(整夜)

　　22.I'm going to skedaddle, baby doll.

　　skedaddle, (Brit口)　通常用于祈使句，快走开

　　23. You're no bigger than a pound of soap after a hard day's wash. (形容女子过于消瘦而建议应吃点时说的话。J)

　　24. Darn right you are!

　　25. I've run the gamut, A to Z.

　　run the gamut, 全范围，全部

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