高中英语必修四第三单元

高中英语必修四第三单元
一、课文原文
A MASTER OF NONVERBAL HUMOUR
As Victor Hugo once said, "Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face", and up to now nobody has been able to do this better than Charlie Chaplin. He brightened the lives of Americans and British through two world wars and the hard years in between. He made people laugh at a time when they felt depressed, so they could feel more content with their lives.
Not that Charlie's own life was easy! He was born in a poor family in 1889. His parents were both poor music hall performers. You may find it astonishing that Charlie was taught to sing as soon as he could speak and dance as soon as he could walk. Such training was common in acting families at this time, especially when the family income was often uncertain. Unfortunately his father died, leaving the family even worse off, so Charlie spent his childhood looking after his sick mother and his brother. By his teens, Charlie had, through his humour, become one of the most popular child actors in England. He could mime and act the fool doing ordinary everyday tasks. No one was ever bored watching him -his subtle
acting made everything entertaining.
As time went by, he began making films. He grew more and more popular as his charming character, the little tramp, became known throughout the world. The tramp, a poor, homeless man with a moustache, wore large trousers, worn-out shoes and a small round black hat. He walked around stilly carrying a walking stick. This character was a social failure but was loved for his optimism and determination to overcome all difficulties. He was the underdog who was kind even when others were unkind to him.
How did the little tramp make a sad situation entertaining? Here is an example from one of his most famous films, The Gold Rush. It is the mid-nineteenth century and gold has just been discovered in California. Like so many others, the little tramp and his friend have rushed there in search of gold, but without success. Instead they are hiding in a small hut on the edge of a mountain during a snowstorm with nothing to eat. They are so hungry that they try boiling a pair of leather shoes for their dinner. Charlie first picks out the laces and eats them as if they were spaghetti. Then he cuts off the leather top of the shoe as if it were the finest steak. Finally he tries cutting and chewing the bottom of the shoe. He eats each mouthful with great enjoyment. The acting is so convincing that it makes you believe that it is one of the best meals he has ever tasted!
Charlie Chaplin wrote, directed and produced the films he starred in. In 1972 he was given a special Oscar for his outstanding work in films. He lived in England and the USA but spent his last years in Switzerland, where he was buried in 1977. He is loved and remembered as a great actor who could inspire people with great confidence.
二、课文翻译
默剧大师
维克多·雨果曾说：“欢笑是驱走人们脸上寒冬的太阳。

” 而到现在为止，还没有一个人能做的比查理·卓别林更好。

他在艰苦的两次世界大战期间为美国人和英国人的生活增彩。

他可以让沮丧的人开怀，让他们感受到生活的美好。

但这些不代表查理一直过着舒适的生活。

他于1889年出生在一个穷苦的家庭。

他的父母都是贫穷的乐师。

小查理一会说话就开始学习声乐，一会走路就开始学习跳舞，这是十分令人感到惊奇的。

这种训练在当时的演艺之家是司空见惯的，特别是对收入不定的家庭。

很不幸的是，查理的父亲去逝了，这使得家境更加窘迫，也正是因为这样，查理的童年都用来陪伴生病的母亲和照顾他的弟弟。

在青少年时，查理就以他的幽默，成为英国最受欢迎的童星之一。

他以哑剧形式演出愚蠢的人的日常生活。

没有人对他的表演感到厌烦，他微妙的表演使一切都显得有趣。

慢慢地，他做起了电影。

他以那个迷人的流浪汉的角色在世
界上变得越来越出名。

他那贫穷、无家可归、留着两撇小胡子的流浪汉角色，穿着大裤子、破鞋子和一顶小圆黑礼帽。

他拄着一根拐杖，步履僵硬。

这个角色反映了社会的失败，但他在克服困难时展现的乐观和决心赢得了人们的喜爱。

他虽处于社会低层饱受人们的奚落，但他仍对人慷慨。

那么这个流浪汉是如何使原本悲惨的情况变得引人发笑呢？这里有一个从他最著名的电影《淘金记》中选取的例子。

在19世纪中期，金子在加利福尼亚刚被发掘。

像其他人一样，这个流浪汉和他的朋友一起去那儿淘金，但都无获。

更加雪上加霜的是，他们遭遇大风雪，只好躲在山边的一个小棚子里，还没有食物。

他们是如此的饿以至于他们把一双皮鞋煮了当晚餐。

查理先把鞋袋挑出来当意大利面吃了。

接着他把鞋的皮质表面当牛排切着吃。

最后，他试着切下鞋底来吃。

他吃地十分愉快。

查理演得十分真实，以至于观众觉得这是他所吃过的最好的一顿晚餐。

查理·卓别林自导自演，并包揽写剧本的工作。

在1972年他被授予奥斯卡特别奖，表彰他在电影上的杰出贡献。

他曾在英国和美国居住，但他人生的最后一年是在瑞士度过的，他于1977年逝世，被埋于瑞士。

他以一位杰出表演者的身份被世人铭记和爱戴，并激励着有自信的后人不断前进。