On the edge of your seat

2015/05/05 08:41:17 網誌分類: 生活

05 May

         Have you seen the American television drama series House of Cards? If you haven't but want to see it, don't read this column because it discusses the plot! I am now watching it on DVD. It is a political thriller that's keeping me on the edge of my seat. The plot (story, storyline) is far-fetched (hard to believe) but House of Cards is entertaining. A thriller is a movie, book, or TV show with an exciting plot. If you are on the edge of your seat, it means you are very excited about something and giving it your full attention. I find the plot of House of Cards far-fetched because I covered the White House and Congress as a journalist in Washington DC. Many of the things that happen in the plot are so far-fetched they could never happen in real life in the White House or Congress.

        　　The drama series is about an ambitious member of Congress named Frank Underwood who used dirty politics to become the vice president. He then gained the ear of the president by pretending to be his loyal supporter. To gain the ear of someone means to win the trust of an important person. After gaining the ear of the president, he used a hidden agenda (plan) to undermine (damage, hurt) the president so he could take over as president. He murdered a reporter and a member of Congress and asked his most senior assistant to threaten other political enemies. It would be impossible for a US vice president to do that in real life!

        　　The script writers for House of Cards are very good. The word "script" means the words of a movie, TV show, or play. A script writer is a person who writes the words. Frank Underwood says many memorable (worth remembering) things in the TV series. The line I remember most is: "Shake with your right hand but hold a rock in your left". This means you shake hands with your right hand but have a rock in your left hand to hit your enemies with, including those you shake hands with.

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        你有沒有看美國電視劇集《紙牌屋》？如果你未看又想看，就不要讀這篇文章了，因為我將會討論劇情（plot）！我正在看這套劇的DVD。它是一齣政治驚慄片（thriller），令我一直神經繃緊（on the edge of my seat）。《紙牌屋》的劇情（plot）天馬行空，令人難以置信（far-fetched），卻又甚富娛樂性。

         Thriller就是有着驚險劇情（plot）的電影、書或電視節目。若你是on the edge of your seat，即是說你對某事感到很興奮，並全神貫注投入其中。我認為《紙牌屋》的劇情（plot）很牽強（far-fetched），因為我在華盛頓當新聞工作者時，亦有報道白宮和國會。許多在劇情（plot）裏所發生的事都很牽強（far-fetched），現實中的白宮或國會根本不可能發生。

        　　劇集講述一名充滿野心的國會議員Frank Underwood，用骯髒政治手段來登上副總統之位。他其後裝作是總統的忠實支持者，以獲取其信任（gain the ear）。To gain the ear of someone就是去贏取一個很重要的人的信任。在獲取總統的信任（gaining the ear）以後，他又以陰謀（hidden agenda）貶損（undermine）總統，好讓自己能取以代之。他謀殺一名記者和一名國會議員，叫自己最高級的助手去威脅其他政敵。在現實生活中，一位美國副總統是不可能這樣做的！

        　　《紙牌屋》的一眾編劇（script writers）都很厲害。Script就是電影、電視劇或戲劇的劇本。Script writer就是編劇。Frank Underwood在電視劇中說過許多令人難忘（memorable）的說話。我印象最深刻的是這一句："Shake with your right hand but hold a rock in your left"。這句話的意思是，你用右手跟人握手，但左手也得握着一塊石頭去擊打對手，包括那些你正在握手的人。

        mickchug@gmail.com

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

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