The article review(文章导读):
PEOPLE IN AMERICA - The Marx BrothersBy Shelley Gollust
Broadcast: Sunday, January 09, 2005
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
I'm Mary Tillotson.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English p
Text(正文):
PEOPLE IN AMERICA - The Marx Brothers
By Shelley Gollust
Broadcast: Sunday, January 09, 2005
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
I'm Mary Tillotson.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program, PEOPLE IN AMERICA. Today we tell about the Marx Brothers. They made many funny movies in the nineteen-thirties and nineteen-forties that are still popular today.
(MUSIC)
VOICE ONE:
There were five Marx Brothers. The most famous were Julius, Leonard and Adolph. They were born in New York City between eighteen eighty-six and eighteen-ninety. Their father made clothing. Their mother wanted them to become performers. Julius, Leonard and Adolph started performing when they were children. Along with their two brothers, they performed in stage shows called vaudeville in New York. They sang songs, danced and told jokes.
Graphic Image
Julius, Leonard and Adolph Marx began making funny movies in nineteen twenty-nine. They changed their first names. Julius became Groucho. Leonard became Chico. Adolph became Harpo. Another brother, Herbert, appeared in the first five Marx Brothers movies. He was called Zeppo. He did not play a funny man like the other three. He played a good-looking young man.
VOICE TWO:
Groucho Marx looked funny. He had large black eyebrows and a hairy mustache. But they were painted on his face. He spoke very quickly. And he walked in a funny way. He played people with funny names, like Rufus T. Firefly. Otis B. Driftwood. And Doctor Hugo Z. Hackenbush.
Groucho was not a very nice person in the movies. He often insulted or made fun of rich or important people. He made fun of doctors, college officials, opera singers, diplomats and government officials. He even insulted his son, played in this example by Zeppo.
(SOUND)
((ZEPPO: Dad, let me congratulate you. I'm proud to be your son.
GROUCHO: My boy, you took the words right out of my mouth. I'm ashamed to be your father. I'd have horsewhipped you if I had a horse. You may go now. Leave your name and address for the girl outside and if anything turns up, we'll get in touch with you. Where are you going?
ZEPPO: Well, you just told me to go.
GROUCHO: So that's what they taught you in college. Just when I tell you to go, you leave me. You know you can't leave a schoolroom without raising your hand, no matter where you're going.
ZEPPO: Anything further, father?
GROUCHO: Anything further, father? That can't be right. Isn't it "anything father, further"? The idea! I married your mother because I wanted children. Imagine my disappointment when you arrived!))
VOICE ONE:
Chico Marx talked as if he was born in Italy. He spoke English that was not correct. Many other funny men spoke as though they came from other countries. They were making fun of themselves and other immigrants who did not speak English well. Chico also made funny jokes about words and expressions that sound alike but have different meanings. For example, in one movie a woman sings with a very high falsetto voice. She says "I have a falsetto voice." Chico then says, "Well, my last student had a false set of teeth." |
