Today we're looking at the continuing popularity of the Harry Potter books
written by the British author, JK Rowling. The seventh and final book in the
series is due to be published soon and will definitely create as much if not more
interest than all the other 6. The characters of the trainee wizards, Harry
Potter and his two friends Ron and Hermione, have appealed to children and
adults all over the world. We asked Jo Jacobs, a children's librarian near
London just how popular she thinks the books are. Well as you'll hear in a
moment, she tells us that the books have ”captured the imagination“ of their
readers. The phrase ”to capture the imagination“ means to become very
interested and excited by something, in this case children and adults have got
very interested and excited by all of the Harry Potter books:
I think JK Rowling just really captured the imagination – every boy and girl would like to go
to Hogwarts and learn how to do magic – adults too. It's just really fun, well written, and
exciting.
Anna: Jo says JK Rowling has captured the imagination of every boy and girl. They
would all like to go to Hogwarts – the school where Harry and his friends are
learning all about magic and how to become wizards. Jo adds that the books
are also very ”well written and exciting.“ She explains what happens at the
bookshop each time a new book in the Harry Potter series is published. What
time does she say the bookshops open?
Book shops open at midnight especially to launch the look with special events and children
dress up as wizards – there's special story times and magic events going on – and they just
can't wait to get a copy of the book and start reading it at midnight. I'm one of the people
who goes at midnight and buys the book and reads it quickly in a day – because they're real
page turners – very exciting books. I'm a big fan
Anna: Jo says that the bookshops open at midnight – a time of the night that is also
known as ”the witching hour“ the hour or time of night that legend says that
witches are supposed to be around. So the bookshops open at midnight to
”launch“ the new Harry Potter book . The verb ”to launch“ refers to an event to
celebrate or introduce something new – in this case the events at the bookshop
launch the new Harry Potter book. At the launch, children ”dress up“ as
wizards – they put on clothes that wizards wear such as pointed, black hats,
black cloaks and they carry wands. Everyone gets into the theme of wizards
and magic and Jo says that the children ”just can't wait“ to get a copy of the
book. If you ”can't wait“ to do something then you can hardly wait and are
very excited and eager to do or experience something. Jo says that she also
goes to the launches at the bookshops because she loves reading the books.
What is the expression she uses which means the books are so exciting that you
have to read them quickly? Here's Jo again.
I'm one of the people who goes at midnight and buys the book and reads it quickly in a day –
because they're real page turners – very exciting books. I'm a big fan
Anna: The expression that Jo uses which describes books that are so exciting that you
have to read them quickly is ”page turners.“ She says the Harry Potter books
are ”real page turners.“ Jo also describes herself as a ”fan“ of the books – a
fan is someone who admires and supports somebody or something such as a
person, sport or team. Jo is a real fan of the Harry Potter books.
Anna: But what about the size of the books? Most of them have hundreds of pages –
they are very long, they are ”huge“. Jo says that most children who go to her
library look for thinner ones to read – does that mean they don't choose the
longer Harry Potter ones? What does Jo say?
Jo Jacobs
A lot of children when choosing a book do look for the thinner ones but with Harry Potter it's
different and it's great to see them reading huge books and really enjoying it – and I think
Harry Potter has really encouraged children to read generally it's really been a great
phenomenon.
It's great its big and thick – lots in there to get your teeth into.
Anna: Jo says that even though some of the Harry Potter books are very long the
children at her library still read them. She describes them as a great
phenomenon,” a phenomenon is something or someone who is extremely
successful. She says the books are long but there's lots to “get your teeth into”
they're a very interesting and exciting read.
Finally I'll leave you with an adult's view of the books. She, like Jo is a big fan
and describes the books as “exciting, excellent writing, fast moving, very good
and very clever.” She also likes the fact that Harry “matures,” he grows older
in each book.
2011年2月14日星期一
Brick Lane
Today, we find out about a very abrupt ending to the making of a film that's
based on a prize winning book by author Monica Ali. The book is about a
young woman who comes to live in ”Brick Lane“, East London, after her
arranged marriage. The movie version of the book was being filmed in and
around Brick Lane but several people weren't happy. As you listen to this
short but rather fast BBC Radio London news clip, try to catch the expression
that's used to mean that filming has suddenly stopped…
BBC London newsclip
A protest is taking place in East London against the film being made of the prize winning
book ”Brick Lane“. Film Four, who are making the production, have pulled out of filming
in the area because of local feeling. But the protest will still go ahead.
Yvonne: The filmmakers have 'pulled out' of filming in the Brick Lane area – they've
stopped filming there despite their plans. Listen again to find out who is
protesting against the filming of ”Brick Lane“ in that area and what phrase
does the news reader use to tell us that?
BBC London newsclip
Film Four, who are making the production, have pulled out of filming in the area because of
local feeling. But the protest will still go ahead.
Yvonne: People who live and work locally were upset and offended by the movie being
filmed in the Brick Lane area, so, as we heard, the company have stopped
filming there - 'because of local feeling'. So if the filming has stopped,
why haven't the protests stopped? Try to work that out as we hear part of a
telephone call with the organiser of the protest, Abdus Salique…
Abdus Salique, campaign organiser
She said something not true about us in the book and we've got a right to protest these things,
you know, because this is not right. What she said about our history through her characters,
she's imaging the things in the head.
Yvonne: According to Abdus Salique, Monica Ali's characters say things that seem to
be historical facts, but they're not actually true. He says those things have
been imagined by Monica and so the protest continues. In fact, we
understand that this protest is part of a campaign to stop the film from being
made at all.
Of course, many copies of ”Brick Lane“ have been sold and Monica's writing
has received praise as well as complaints. An article in the Guardian
newspaper calls her book 'a disgrace' – disrespectful and embarrassing. Let's
find out why and how Monica reacts to that criticism…
Monica Ali, author ”Brick Lane“
I think the Guardian newspaper said that the book was a disgrace because although it's true
that 50,000 Sylhetis live in Tower Hamlets in overcrowded conditions, I shouldn't have
written about that. I should have written about some other successful Sylhetis, a region of
Bangladesh, who've got big houses and swimming pools and so on. Which is - that's a book
for somebody else to write if they wish to!
Yvonne: Brick Lane is in the East London borough of Tower Hamlets and there are
often too many Bangladeshis having to live in each house or flat. But Monica
Ali's book ”Brick Lane“ is described as a disgrace because she chose to write
about those people in her book rather than about the Bangladeshis who are
much more successful and rich. And did you catch Monica's response to that
suggestion? Here's a little more of it:
Monica Ali, author ”Brick Lane“
That's a book for somebody else to write if they wish to! You have to be free to write the
truth about the world as you see it otherwise there's no point in writing.
Yvonne: Monica Ali, award winning author of ”Brick Lane“, makes it very clear that
someone else can write about the richer Bangladeshis if they want to, but she
chose not to! In Monica's opinion, authors should be allowed to write about
what they want to from their own point of view – or else it's not worth writing!
But what's your view - do authors have a responsibility to make sure that they
only write books which won't offend people?
based on a prize winning book by author Monica Ali. The book is about a
young woman who comes to live in ”Brick Lane“, East London, after her
arranged marriage. The movie version of the book was being filmed in and
around Brick Lane but several people weren't happy. As you listen to this
short but rather fast BBC Radio London news clip, try to catch the expression
that's used to mean that filming has suddenly stopped…
BBC London newsclip
A protest is taking place in East London against the film being made of the prize winning
book ”Brick Lane“. Film Four, who are making the production, have pulled out of filming
in the area because of local feeling. But the protest will still go ahead.
Yvonne: The filmmakers have 'pulled out' of filming in the Brick Lane area – they've
stopped filming there despite their plans. Listen again to find out who is
protesting against the filming of ”Brick Lane“ in that area and what phrase
does the news reader use to tell us that?
BBC London newsclip
Film Four, who are making the production, have pulled out of filming in the area because of
local feeling. But the protest will still go ahead.
Yvonne: People who live and work locally were upset and offended by the movie being
filmed in the Brick Lane area, so, as we heard, the company have stopped
filming there - 'because of local feeling'. So if the filming has stopped,
why haven't the protests stopped? Try to work that out as we hear part of a
telephone call with the organiser of the protest, Abdus Salique…
Abdus Salique, campaign organiser
She said something not true about us in the book and we've got a right to protest these things,
you know, because this is not right. What she said about our history through her characters,
she's imaging the things in the head.
Yvonne: According to Abdus Salique, Monica Ali's characters say things that seem to
be historical facts, but they're not actually true. He says those things have
been imagined by Monica and so the protest continues. In fact, we
understand that this protest is part of a campaign to stop the film from being
made at all.
Of course, many copies of ”Brick Lane“ have been sold and Monica's writing
has received praise as well as complaints. An article in the Guardian
newspaper calls her book 'a disgrace' – disrespectful and embarrassing. Let's
find out why and how Monica reacts to that criticism…
Monica Ali, author ”Brick Lane“
I think the Guardian newspaper said that the book was a disgrace because although it's true
that 50,000 Sylhetis live in Tower Hamlets in overcrowded conditions, I shouldn't have
written about that. I should have written about some other successful Sylhetis, a region of
Bangladesh, who've got big houses and swimming pools and so on. Which is - that's a book
for somebody else to write if they wish to!
Yvonne: Brick Lane is in the East London borough of Tower Hamlets and there are
often too many Bangladeshis having to live in each house or flat. But Monica
Ali's book ”Brick Lane“ is described as a disgrace because she chose to write
about those people in her book rather than about the Bangladeshis who are
much more successful and rich. And did you catch Monica's response to that
suggestion? Here's a little more of it:
Monica Ali, author ”Brick Lane“
That's a book for somebody else to write if they wish to! You have to be free to write the
truth about the world as you see it otherwise there's no point in writing.
Yvonne: Monica Ali, award winning author of ”Brick Lane“, makes it very clear that
someone else can write about the richer Bangladeshis if they want to, but she
chose not to! In Monica's opinion, authors should be allowed to write about
what they want to from their own point of view – or else it's not worth writing!
But what's your view - do authors have a responsibility to make sure that they
only write books which won't offend people?
Filmmaking in the UK
I'm Jo Reffin and on today's entertainment programme on
bbclearningenglish.com, we're talking to someone who works in the film
business.
Samantha Perahia
My name's Samantha Perahia – I work for the UK Film Council, we are a government funded
organisation who are responsible for all aspects of filmmaking in the UK. It is my
responsibility to help anybody who wants to film in the UK – to help with locations, crew,
facilities.
Jo: The UK Film Council is a government funded organisation. So the politicians
running the UK, the government, give money to pay for this organisation to
exist. The Film Council looks after all aspects, all parts of film making in this
country. So Samantha can help with crew – and the film crew are the group of
people who work together on the film – the crew. Then there's the location, the
place where the film is filmed and finally Samantha talks about facilities – so
any equipment or services needed when the films are made like food or parking
for example.
Part of Samantha's job is to get filmmakers to come and make their films in the
UK. So how does she do that?
Samantha Perahia
There are many many countries around the world that have film industries that are important
to their economy and the UK is one of the largest film making industries in the world, second
only to the US so there's lot so of competition for countries that want to draw international
films to their countries, so we have to make it economically attractive first and foremost.
Jo: The film industry is another way of saying the film business. The UK has one
of the biggest filmmaking industries in the world, second only to the US,
America. So second only to the US means the US is the largest and the UK is
the second largest. Samantha says each country is trying to be the most
successful – there's a lot of competition for countries who want to draw or
attract international films to be filmed in their country. To attract people to
make films in the UK, it has to be economically attractive first and foremost.
The most important thing is the UK is a cheaper place to make films.
You're listening to bbclearningenglish.com and we're talking about making
films in the UK. Now how does the UK Film Council help to make the UK
economically attractive to filmmakers?
Samantha Perahia
The way we do that is we have thankfully a film-friendly government who have devised a tax
credit which is to be honest the main reason why people first come to the UK to film second
only to the fact that we have the best facilities, crew and talent around the world.
Jo: Samantha is pleased, thankful, that the UK has a film-friendly government –
the UK government wants films to be made in the UK. They have devised, they
have created a tax credit. Now, Samantha will explain tax credit in a moment.
But this tax credit is the one of the main reasons people come to the UK to
make films and she used that expression 'second only' again. So people come
to make films in the UK because of the tax credit. Samantha says that reason is
second only to the fact that the UK has the best facilities, crew and talent for
making films.
So Samantha, please explain to us what this tax credit actually is? First, here's
some language to help you. Sufficient means enough. A budget is the amount
of money you have to spend on something. A significant amount is an
important, fairly large amount and expenditure means money that you spend.
Samantha Perahia
Films which spend a sufficient amount of their budgets in the UK will be able to get a
significant amount of their expenditure back.
Jo: Everyone has to pay tax to the government - so if you think of money from
your salary or any goods that you buy, some of it will go to the government in
what is called tax. So the tax credit means if filmmakers spend a certain
amount of their budget in the UK, then the UK government will give the
filmmakers some money back.
bbclearningenglish.com, we're talking to someone who works in the film
business.
Samantha Perahia
My name's Samantha Perahia – I work for the UK Film Council, we are a government funded
organisation who are responsible for all aspects of filmmaking in the UK. It is my
responsibility to help anybody who wants to film in the UK – to help with locations, crew,
facilities.
Jo: The UK Film Council is a government funded organisation. So the politicians
running the UK, the government, give money to pay for this organisation to
exist. The Film Council looks after all aspects, all parts of film making in this
country. So Samantha can help with crew – and the film crew are the group of
people who work together on the film – the crew. Then there's the location, the
place where the film is filmed and finally Samantha talks about facilities – so
any equipment or services needed when the films are made like food or parking
for example.
Part of Samantha's job is to get filmmakers to come and make their films in the
UK. So how does she do that?
Samantha Perahia
There are many many countries around the world that have film industries that are important
to their economy and the UK is one of the largest film making industries in the world, second
only to the US so there's lot so of competition for countries that want to draw international
films to their countries, so we have to make it economically attractive first and foremost.
Jo: The film industry is another way of saying the film business. The UK has one
of the biggest filmmaking industries in the world, second only to the US,
America. So second only to the US means the US is the largest and the UK is
the second largest. Samantha says each country is trying to be the most
successful – there's a lot of competition for countries who want to draw or
attract international films to be filmed in their country. To attract people to
make films in the UK, it has to be economically attractive first and foremost.
The most important thing is the UK is a cheaper place to make films.
You're listening to bbclearningenglish.com and we're talking about making
films in the UK. Now how does the UK Film Council help to make the UK
economically attractive to filmmakers?
Samantha Perahia
The way we do that is we have thankfully a film-friendly government who have devised a tax
credit which is to be honest the main reason why people first come to the UK to film second
only to the fact that we have the best facilities, crew and talent around the world.
Jo: Samantha is pleased, thankful, that the UK has a film-friendly government –
the UK government wants films to be made in the UK. They have devised, they
have created a tax credit. Now, Samantha will explain tax credit in a moment.
But this tax credit is the one of the main reasons people come to the UK to
make films and she used that expression 'second only' again. So people come
to make films in the UK because of the tax credit. Samantha says that reason is
second only to the fact that the UK has the best facilities, crew and talent for
making films.
So Samantha, please explain to us what this tax credit actually is? First, here's
some language to help you. Sufficient means enough. A budget is the amount
of money you have to spend on something. A significant amount is an
important, fairly large amount and expenditure means money that you spend.
Samantha Perahia
Films which spend a sufficient amount of their budgets in the UK will be able to get a
significant amount of their expenditure back.
Jo: Everyone has to pay tax to the government - so if you think of money from
your salary or any goods that you buy, some of it will go to the government in
what is called tax. So the tax credit means if filmmakers spend a certain
amount of their budget in the UK, then the UK government will give the
filmmakers some money back.
15 years of the World Wide Web
Today, since we are a website, we join in celebrations for the 15 birthday of
the World Wide Web!
The World Wide Web has changed the lifestyle and working environment of
people all over the world. In this programme, we listen to a short interview
about how the internet has changed our lives.
Ian Pearson is a futurologist - he studies 'futurology'. He's concerned with
trying to say correctly what will happen in the future. In the first part of his
interview, Ian Pearson lists both good things and bad things about the internet.
Can you catch any of these?
And he begins by saying that he does not believe the World Wide Web has
made our lives completely happy, or blissful. And he uses an unusual
expression - using the prefix 'cyber' - to describe the condition of being made
extremely happy by the internet! What is this unusual expression? Cyber –
what?
Ian Pearson
'I don't believe in cyber bliss. I think that the future is very much the same as today, where
you've got good things and bad things, you know, we've got email but we've got junk mail
along side. In the future, we'll have lots of new ways of doing things, but we'll have some
misuse as well. It's never going to be Utopia, but, you know, if we get it right, it won't be hell
either.'
Amber: Did you catch it? Ian Pearson says he doesn't believe in 'cyber bliss' –
'cyber' means 'relating to computers, especially to messages and
information on the internet', and 'bliss' means 'perfect happiness' or
'enjoyment'. Cyber bliss. And he says the positive things about the internet
are 'email' and that in the future 'we'll have lots of new ways of doing
things'. However, the negative things are 'junk mail' and future 'misuse' of
the internet. When you listen again, notice how Ian Pearson balances his
sentences to list 'good things and bad things'.
the World Wide Web!
The World Wide Web has changed the lifestyle and working environment of
people all over the world. In this programme, we listen to a short interview
about how the internet has changed our lives.
Ian Pearson is a futurologist - he studies 'futurology'. He's concerned with
trying to say correctly what will happen in the future. In the first part of his
interview, Ian Pearson lists both good things and bad things about the internet.
Can you catch any of these?
And he begins by saying that he does not believe the World Wide Web has
made our lives completely happy, or blissful. And he uses an unusual
expression - using the prefix 'cyber' - to describe the condition of being made
extremely happy by the internet! What is this unusual expression? Cyber –
what?
Ian Pearson
'I don't believe in cyber bliss. I think that the future is very much the same as today, where
you've got good things and bad things, you know, we've got email but we've got junk mail
along side. In the future, we'll have lots of new ways of doing things, but we'll have some
misuse as well. It's never going to be Utopia, but, you know, if we get it right, it won't be hell
either.'
Amber: Did you catch it? Ian Pearson says he doesn't believe in 'cyber bliss' –
'cyber' means 'relating to computers, especially to messages and
information on the internet', and 'bliss' means 'perfect happiness' or
'enjoyment'. Cyber bliss. And he says the positive things about the internet
are 'email' and that in the future 'we'll have lots of new ways of doing
things'. However, the negative things are 'junk mail' and future 'misuse' of
the internet. When you listen again, notice how Ian Pearson balances his
sentences to list 'good things and bad things'.
Penelope Cruz - Volver
Hello, I'm Amber, and you're listening to bbclearningenglish.com.
Today, we listen to parts of an interview with film star Penelope Cruz! She
talks about her new movie, 'Volver', what she likes about working with
Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, and what kind of film she'd like to make
next.
Now, Penelope Cruz's acting career is certainly on a roll – if you say
something is on a roll, you mean it's very successful. Last year Penelope Cruz
stared in the Hollywood movie 'Sahara', and this year she's just picked up an
award at the Cannes film festival for her role in the Spanish language film
'Volver'.
'Volver' is directed by Pedro Almodovar and Penelope Cruz has worked with
him before on other films. As you'll hear, she thinks he's a remarkably good
director, in fact, she says - 'He's the reason why I decided to become an actress
when I was a little girl.'
Notice too how she stresses Almodovar's courage when it comes to creating
characters and how true to life he wants them to be.
Also, she uses a word to describe Almodovar which she says she doesn't like
to use a lot, but she thinks it's right to describe him. What does she call him?
Now here is Penelope Cruz talking about why she thinks Pedro Almodovar is
such a clever director.
Penelope Cruz
'For me, I would say, truth is the mark. He really sees everything and is not afraid of
exploring it and he never judges his characters. He's completely brave, and for me, he's a
genius and I don't like using that word that a lot but with him, I really think he is. He's the
reason why I decided to become an actress when I was a little girl.'
Amber: So Penelope Cruz describes Pedro Almodovar as a genius – a person with a very
great and rare natural ability. And she says he 'never judges his characters'. If you
don't judge people, you let them be the way they are and don't try to influence
other people's opinion of them.
'Volver' – which means 'Return' in English – is very funny and extremely sad.
The film is the story of a rural Spanish family moving to Madrid, and Penelope
Cruz plays a woman whose husband has been murdered and her dead mother
returns as a ghost. As you listen to the next part of the interview with Penelope
Cruz, try to catch how her character is feeling and why.
Penelope Cruz
'My character has big regrets about not having solved a lot of things with her mother but her
mother comes back to life as a ghost and she's able to solve a few things!'
Amber: So Penelope Cruz's character 'has big regrets' – if you have regrets about
something you feel a sadness about them and wish they could have been
different and better. Her character is struggling with problems she didn't
solve with her mother when she was alive, and the film explores what it's
like to be haunted by family secrets. It's also about the importance of family
love.
Today, we listen to parts of an interview with film star Penelope Cruz! She
talks about her new movie, 'Volver', what she likes about working with
Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, and what kind of film she'd like to make
next.
Now, Penelope Cruz's acting career is certainly on a roll – if you say
something is on a roll, you mean it's very successful. Last year Penelope Cruz
stared in the Hollywood movie 'Sahara', and this year she's just picked up an
award at the Cannes film festival for her role in the Spanish language film
'Volver'.
'Volver' is directed by Pedro Almodovar and Penelope Cruz has worked with
him before on other films. As you'll hear, she thinks he's a remarkably good
director, in fact, she says - 'He's the reason why I decided to become an actress
when I was a little girl.'
Notice too how she stresses Almodovar's courage when it comes to creating
characters and how true to life he wants them to be.
Also, she uses a word to describe Almodovar which she says she doesn't like
to use a lot, but she thinks it's right to describe him. What does she call him?
Now here is Penelope Cruz talking about why she thinks Pedro Almodovar is
such a clever director.
Penelope Cruz
'For me, I would say, truth is the mark. He really sees everything and is not afraid of
exploring it and he never judges his characters. He's completely brave, and for me, he's a
genius and I don't like using that word that a lot but with him, I really think he is. He's the
reason why I decided to become an actress when I was a little girl.'
Amber: So Penelope Cruz describes Pedro Almodovar as a genius – a person with a very
great and rare natural ability. And she says he 'never judges his characters'. If you
don't judge people, you let them be the way they are and don't try to influence
other people's opinion of them.
'Volver' – which means 'Return' in English – is very funny and extremely sad.
The film is the story of a rural Spanish family moving to Madrid, and Penelope
Cruz plays a woman whose husband has been murdered and her dead mother
returns as a ghost. As you listen to the next part of the interview with Penelope
Cruz, try to catch how her character is feeling and why.
Penelope Cruz
'My character has big regrets about not having solved a lot of things with her mother but her
mother comes back to life as a ghost and she's able to solve a few things!'
Amber: So Penelope Cruz's character 'has big regrets' – if you have regrets about
something you feel a sadness about them and wish they could have been
different and better. Her character is struggling with problems she didn't
solve with her mother when she was alive, and the film explores what it's
like to be haunted by family secrets. It's also about the importance of family
love.
Da Vinci Exhibition
Hello, I'm Callum Robertson and this is Entertainment. In this programme
we're going to be taking a look at a new exhibition that has recently opened at
London's Victoria and Albert Museum
The exhibition is entitled Leonardo da Vinci, Experience, Experiment and
Design and to tell us about it I spoke to Thereza Wells who is one of the
curators of the exhibition, which means she is one of the people responsible for
organising it, setting it up and looking after it.
Throughout her career she's worked on a number of projects relating to
Leonardo and I first asked her to tell us a little bit about the man and why we
are still fascinated by him today.
Thereza Wells
Well Leonardo da Vinci was a man who lived during the Renaissance. He was born in 1452
and died in 1519. He's probably most well known as the painter of the Mona Lisa but he was
much more than that. He had a huge interest in the sciences, in maths, he studied anatomy,
human anatomy. He was an engineer, he was interested in making military tools for war and
he was a botanist. So he did all sorts of things and I think that's probably why there's this
enduring interest that every generation finds even today and every generation finds something
new to see, to learn about Leonardo.
Callum: Although Leonardo da Vinci is perhaps best known as the painter of the Mona
Lisa, he was far more than an artist. He was interested in, studied and
experimented in a wide range of sciences. It's this variety of interests that
Thereza believes captures the imagination even today. The exhibition is called
Experience, Experiment and Design and I went on to ask Thereza the
significance of those words as the title.
Thereza Wells
The words are very carefully chosen, the words of the title of the exhibition. What Leonardo
believed was that you couldn't understand the world, you could not gain knowledge of the
world without actually experiencing it and without actually experimenting with it. What I
mean to say is that he believed you could not understand the world just reading books. He did
not have a classical education himself. He obviously read books but I think that without
having a classical education, he was able to think outside the box. He believed very much that
you had to learn from the world by sort of experiencing it and that's what we're tackling in the
exhibition and he experienced that and he wrote about that in his many thousands of sheets of
notebooks and drawings that exist today and this exhibition is tackling how he thought on
paper and how he demonstrated his knowledge of the world on paper.
Callum: The words of the title of the exhibition relate very much to the way that
Leonardo worked, how he developed his understanding of the world. Not just
from reading books but through experiences and experiments. Thereza said he
was able to think out of the box. This is quite a modern expression which
means someone is able to have ideas that are not part of what is already known
– he or she can come up with creative, imaginative and new ideas to solve
problems.
Many of Leonardo's designs based on his ability to 'think out of the box' still
exist today and it is these that form an important part of the exhibition.
I went on to ask Thereza about the exhibition, what can people see there and is
it a practical 'hands-on' exhibition with exhibits people can touch and
experiment with themselves. What tool does she say the exhibition uses to
illustrate to the public the way that Leonardo thought?
Thereza Wells
The main core of the exhibition are 60 sheets, drawings and notebooks. They are definitely
not 'hands-on', it's really 'mind-on'. It's really about what was going on inside Leonardo's mind.
So it's a very, quite an intense exhibition but what we've done to sort of help people to
understand Leonardo's thoughts is to animate those drawings and to animate really the words
that he was writing. And these animations are suspended above the drawings so you will look
down at the drawing, you can read the label, you can examine the drawing and then above you,
you will look up and there will be a computer-generated animation of the drawing and
hopefully you say ”a-ha, that's what he's talking about“ because when you look at these
drawings you really believe that Leonardo must have wished that they could move. Many of
them are really full of motion and we hope that the animations will show that as well.
Callum: Well because the exhibits are Leonardo's original documents they are not really
hands-on! You can't touch them – but Thereza says they are 'mind on'. They
make you think. And to help visitors to the exhibition understand the drawings
there are computer-generated animations above the exhibits.
Leonardo da Vinci Experience, Experiment and Design is at London's Victoria
we're going to be taking a look at a new exhibition that has recently opened at
London's Victoria and Albert Museum
The exhibition is entitled Leonardo da Vinci, Experience, Experiment and
Design and to tell us about it I spoke to Thereza Wells who is one of the
curators of the exhibition, which means she is one of the people responsible for
organising it, setting it up and looking after it.
Throughout her career she's worked on a number of projects relating to
Leonardo and I first asked her to tell us a little bit about the man and why we
are still fascinated by him today.
Thereza Wells
Well Leonardo da Vinci was a man who lived during the Renaissance. He was born in 1452
and died in 1519. He's probably most well known as the painter of the Mona Lisa but he was
much more than that. He had a huge interest in the sciences, in maths, he studied anatomy,
human anatomy. He was an engineer, he was interested in making military tools for war and
he was a botanist. So he did all sorts of things and I think that's probably why there's this
enduring interest that every generation finds even today and every generation finds something
new to see, to learn about Leonardo.
Callum: Although Leonardo da Vinci is perhaps best known as the painter of the Mona
Lisa, he was far more than an artist. He was interested in, studied and
experimented in a wide range of sciences. It's this variety of interests that
Thereza believes captures the imagination even today. The exhibition is called
Experience, Experiment and Design and I went on to ask Thereza the
significance of those words as the title.
Thereza Wells
The words are very carefully chosen, the words of the title of the exhibition. What Leonardo
believed was that you couldn't understand the world, you could not gain knowledge of the
world without actually experiencing it and without actually experimenting with it. What I
mean to say is that he believed you could not understand the world just reading books. He did
not have a classical education himself. He obviously read books but I think that without
having a classical education, he was able to think outside the box. He believed very much that
you had to learn from the world by sort of experiencing it and that's what we're tackling in the
exhibition and he experienced that and he wrote about that in his many thousands of sheets of
notebooks and drawings that exist today and this exhibition is tackling how he thought on
paper and how he demonstrated his knowledge of the world on paper.
Callum: The words of the title of the exhibition relate very much to the way that
Leonardo worked, how he developed his understanding of the world. Not just
from reading books but through experiences and experiments. Thereza said he
was able to think out of the box. This is quite a modern expression which
means someone is able to have ideas that are not part of what is already known
– he or she can come up with creative, imaginative and new ideas to solve
problems.
Many of Leonardo's designs based on his ability to 'think out of the box' still
exist today and it is these that form an important part of the exhibition.
I went on to ask Thereza about the exhibition, what can people see there and is
it a practical 'hands-on' exhibition with exhibits people can touch and
experiment with themselves. What tool does she say the exhibition uses to
illustrate to the public the way that Leonardo thought?
Thereza Wells
The main core of the exhibition are 60 sheets, drawings and notebooks. They are definitely
not 'hands-on', it's really 'mind-on'. It's really about what was going on inside Leonardo's mind.
So it's a very, quite an intense exhibition but what we've done to sort of help people to
understand Leonardo's thoughts is to animate those drawings and to animate really the words
that he was writing. And these animations are suspended above the drawings so you will look
down at the drawing, you can read the label, you can examine the drawing and then above you,
you will look up and there will be a computer-generated animation of the drawing and
hopefully you say ”a-ha, that's what he's talking about“ because when you look at these
drawings you really believe that Leonardo must have wished that they could move. Many of
them are really full of motion and we hope that the animations will show that as well.
Callum: Well because the exhibits are Leonardo's original documents they are not really
hands-on! You can't touch them – but Thereza says they are 'mind on'. They
make you think. And to help visitors to the exhibition understand the drawings
there are computer-generated animations above the exhibits.
Leonardo da Vinci Experience, Experiment and Design is at London's Victoria
Cairo International Stadium
Two days before I was lucky enough to take a guided tour behind the scenes tosome places the public don't normally get to see. This programme is therecording that I made at the stadium. There are comprehension questions on thewebsite and a quiz so you can check your understanding.
The tour started off at the office of one of the stadium chiefs before our guidetook us around the stadium. Here's my report.
Callum: Now to start off we're in the company of a very important man, a VIP. First canyou tell us, what's your name?
Ahmed: My name is Ahmed Adbulkhaliq.
Callum: And what is your position, what's your job?
Ahmed: I'm responsible for following up and planning for the Cairo Stadiuum andgeneral manager of the main office.
Callum: This is a very very nice stadium, when was it built?
Ahmed: It was built in 1960Callum: How many people can attend an event in the football stadium, what's thecapacity of the stadium?
Ahmed: 72,668, exactlyCallum: If I can ask you to predict the future. What teams do you think will be playingin the final. Do you think Egypt will be in the final?
Ahmed: Only God knows, but I hope Egypt.
Callum: And what other teams do you think are favourites for the tournament?
Ahmed: Cote D'Ivoire, big team, Cameroon, Ghana and EgyptCallum: How do you feel because this is your stadium and Africa Cup of Nations is inyour stadium in your city, how does that make you feel? Is it a very responsibleposition for you?
Ahmed: I'm very happy because of improvements we have made here in the stadium.
Callum: You must be very proudAhmed: Sure, very very proud.
Callum: Well we start our tour at a very special place. We are at the Royal Box, or whatwe would call the royal box in England. It's the place where very specialcelebrities and politicians sit when they are watching the game. And justbehind me now you can hear the noise as they are still completing it, is thepresidential box, as the president of Egypt, President Mohamed Hosni Mubarakwill be sitting just behind where I'm standing to watch the opening game onFriday.
Now it's a great position to watch the game from because from this positionyou can see the whole pitch. We're directly in line with the half-way line andstanding across from a replica of the Sphinx, one of the famous monumentswhich is also here in Egypt, though this is just a replica, it's not the real thing.
But this is a great viewpoint. You can see the whole pitch, the whole crowdand it's really going to be a fantastic experience to be here on Friday when thegame kicks off.
Callum: Well our tour has now taken us to the changing rooms and this is where theplayers will be getting ready before the game, before they step out onto thepitch and play for the honour of their country. And this is also where they'llhave their team talk. There's a whiteboard on the wall which has a footballpitch drawn on it and that's where their manger or coach will go over the tacticsof the game. And it's a kind of a room as you might expect, there's a long rowof individual benches where each player can hang their kit when they getchanged and there's a massage table and showers and facilities as you couldexpect but what you probably can't imagine is the tension that will be in thisroom before a game, the nerves that the players will be feeling, before theyopen the door and step out onto the pitch. Come with us now as we take thatstep because here we go, we're going on to the pitch…Callum: So as you walk from the changing rooms, underneath the stands and out, thepitch opens up in front of you and you step out from underneath the stands andthere are maybe 75,000 people cheering and screaming at you. What anexperience it must be for all these players when they step out and I can'timagine what they'll be feeling, their nerves and excitement – and as and westep onto the pitch, as I'm doing now,wow, I'm standing on the pitch wherethey'll be playing the first match and the final of the 2006 Africa Cup ofNations and it looks like quite a small pitch, I have to say but nevertheless I'msure the players who will be playing on it will think it's quite big enough.
Now as we approach, here we are standing at the centre circle where the firstgame and last game will kick off.
The tour started off at the office of one of the stadium chiefs before our guidetook us around the stadium. Here's my report.
Callum: Now to start off we're in the company of a very important man, a VIP. First canyou tell us, what's your name?
Ahmed: My name is Ahmed Adbulkhaliq.
Callum: And what is your position, what's your job?
Ahmed: I'm responsible for following up and planning for the Cairo Stadiuum andgeneral manager of the main office.
Callum: This is a very very nice stadium, when was it built?
Ahmed: It was built in 1960Callum: How many people can attend an event in the football stadium, what's thecapacity of the stadium?
Ahmed: 72,668, exactlyCallum: If I can ask you to predict the future. What teams do you think will be playingin the final. Do you think Egypt will be in the final?
Ahmed: Only God knows, but I hope Egypt.
Callum: And what other teams do you think are favourites for the tournament?
Ahmed: Cote D'Ivoire, big team, Cameroon, Ghana and EgyptCallum: How do you feel because this is your stadium and Africa Cup of Nations is inyour stadium in your city, how does that make you feel? Is it a very responsibleposition for you?
Ahmed: I'm very happy because of improvements we have made here in the stadium.
Callum: You must be very proudAhmed: Sure, very very proud.
Callum: Well we start our tour at a very special place. We are at the Royal Box, or whatwe would call the royal box in England. It's the place where very specialcelebrities and politicians sit when they are watching the game. And justbehind me now you can hear the noise as they are still completing it, is thepresidential box, as the president of Egypt, President Mohamed Hosni Mubarakwill be sitting just behind where I'm standing to watch the opening game onFriday.
Now it's a great position to watch the game from because from this positionyou can see the whole pitch. We're directly in line with the half-way line andstanding across from a replica of the Sphinx, one of the famous monumentswhich is also here in Egypt, though this is just a replica, it's not the real thing.
But this is a great viewpoint. You can see the whole pitch, the whole crowdand it's really going to be a fantastic experience to be here on Friday when thegame kicks off.
Callum: Well our tour has now taken us to the changing rooms and this is where theplayers will be getting ready before the game, before they step out onto thepitch and play for the honour of their country. And this is also where they'llhave their team talk. There's a whiteboard on the wall which has a footballpitch drawn on it and that's where their manger or coach will go over the tacticsof the game. And it's a kind of a room as you might expect, there's a long rowof individual benches where each player can hang their kit when they getchanged and there's a massage table and showers and facilities as you couldexpect but what you probably can't imagine is the tension that will be in thisroom before a game, the nerves that the players will be feeling, before theyopen the door and step out onto the pitch. Come with us now as we take thatstep because here we go, we're going on to the pitch…Callum: So as you walk from the changing rooms, underneath the stands and out, thepitch opens up in front of you and you step out from underneath the stands andthere are maybe 75,000 people cheering and screaming at you. What anexperience it must be for all these players when they step out and I can'timagine what they'll be feeling, their nerves and excitement – and as and westep onto the pitch, as I'm doing now,wow, I'm standing on the pitch wherethey'll be playing the first match and the final of the 2006 Africa Cup ofNations and it looks like quite a small pitch, I have to say but nevertheless I'msure the players who will be playing on it will think it's quite big enough.
Now as we approach, here we are standing at the centre circle where the firstgame and last game will kick off.
Inside Out Festival
Hello, I'm Callum Robertson and this is Entertainment. This weekend, the 24th to 26 March a special cultural festival is being held in London. It's called theInside Out Festival and it is being held at a part of London called the SouthBank.
The South Bank is so called because it describes an area that is on the southernside, or bank of the River Thames. Since Shakespeare's time it has been an areaof public entertainment and culture and now there are many cultural centresthere.
Jude Woodward is the cultural advisor to the Mayor of London. She describessome of the places on the South Bank, what does she think of the area?
JUDE WOODWARDI think that it's quite unique, particularly that combination around the South Bank that youhave a music venue, the Hayward Gallery which is an art gallery, you have the National FilmTheatre, which is film, you have the National Theatre, then moving along you've got TateModern which has got one of the best collections of modern art, you've got the Globe whichgives you authentic Shakespeare productions. Where else in the world can you find such anincredible range of artistic and cultural things on offer. Nowhere else in the world has that andparticularly not on such a fantastic riverside setting.
Callum: That was Jude Woodward. She says that there are art galleries, theatres andmusic venues. A venue is a place where something is held, where something isperformed. Jude thinks the area is unique – there is nowhere like it in the world– there are many cultural centres in one place with an attractive river location.
Listen again.
JUDE WOODWARDI think that it's quite unique, particularly that combination around the South Bank that youhave a music venue, the Hayward Gallery which is an art gallery, you have the National FilmTheatre, which is film, you have the National Theatre, then moving along you've got TateModern which has got one of the best collections of modern art, you've got the Globe whichgives you authentic Shakespeare productions. Where else in the world can you find such anincredible range of artistic and cultural things on offer. Nowhere else in the world has that andparticularly not on such a fantastic riverside setting.
Callum: This weekend the Inside Out festival is being held on the South Bank. What isit and why the name? Here's Jude Woodward again.
JUDE WOODWARDThe festival's called Inside Out because all sorts of things which normally happen inside thebuildings are happening outside or we're being encouraged to see them outside or in differentplaces.
Callum: Quite simply, what usually happens inside, will be happening outside. Listenagain:
JUDE WOODWARDThe festival's called Inside Out because all sorts of things which normally happen inside thebuildings are happening outside or we're being encouraged to see them outside or in differentplaces.
Callum: So what are some of the things that will be happening? Let's go back to JudeWoodward.
JUDE WOODWARDBorough Market is putting on some stalls down near Tower Bridge, we'll have an orchestralperformance outdoors, there'll incredible things going on all the way along the South Bankwith all those amazing cultural institutions that exist starting from the London Eye, to theSouth Bank Centre, the National Theatre, the film theatre, the Tate Modern, Coin Streetrunning down to Borough Market, the Globe Theatre, the Design Festival will all beparticipating to draw attention to just what a fantastic set of things there are to do everyweekend in that area of the city.
Callum: She says that one of the local markets, called Borough Market will be puttingsome stalls up near Tower Bridge. A stall is a shop in a market. There will alsobe orchestras playing outside, or outdoors. However it's not just on land thatthere will be performances as Jude Woodward explains.
JUDE WOODWARDOne of the things which I love is the performances which are going to take place on the TateBoat which ferries you backwards and forwards across the river between Tate Britain andTate Modern. There'll be different bands and different boats all day, so if you buy a ticket togo on the boat you'll get a performance thrown in for free.
The South Bank is so called because it describes an area that is on the southernside, or bank of the River Thames. Since Shakespeare's time it has been an areaof public entertainment and culture and now there are many cultural centresthere.
Jude Woodward is the cultural advisor to the Mayor of London. She describessome of the places on the South Bank, what does she think of the area?
JUDE WOODWARDI think that it's quite unique, particularly that combination around the South Bank that youhave a music venue, the Hayward Gallery which is an art gallery, you have the National FilmTheatre, which is film, you have the National Theatre, then moving along you've got TateModern which has got one of the best collections of modern art, you've got the Globe whichgives you authentic Shakespeare productions. Where else in the world can you find such anincredible range of artistic and cultural things on offer. Nowhere else in the world has that andparticularly not on such a fantastic riverside setting.
Callum: That was Jude Woodward. She says that there are art galleries, theatres andmusic venues. A venue is a place where something is held, where something isperformed. Jude thinks the area is unique – there is nowhere like it in the world– there are many cultural centres in one place with an attractive river location.
Listen again.
JUDE WOODWARDI think that it's quite unique, particularly that combination around the South Bank that youhave a music venue, the Hayward Gallery which is an art gallery, you have the National FilmTheatre, which is film, you have the National Theatre, then moving along you've got TateModern which has got one of the best collections of modern art, you've got the Globe whichgives you authentic Shakespeare productions. Where else in the world can you find such anincredible range of artistic and cultural things on offer. Nowhere else in the world has that andparticularly not on such a fantastic riverside setting.
Callum: This weekend the Inside Out festival is being held on the South Bank. What isit and why the name? Here's Jude Woodward again.
JUDE WOODWARDThe festival's called Inside Out because all sorts of things which normally happen inside thebuildings are happening outside or we're being encouraged to see them outside or in differentplaces.
Callum: Quite simply, what usually happens inside, will be happening outside. Listenagain:
JUDE WOODWARDThe festival's called Inside Out because all sorts of things which normally happen inside thebuildings are happening outside or we're being encouraged to see them outside or in differentplaces.
Callum: So what are some of the things that will be happening? Let's go back to JudeWoodward.
JUDE WOODWARDBorough Market is putting on some stalls down near Tower Bridge, we'll have an orchestralperformance outdoors, there'll incredible things going on all the way along the South Bankwith all those amazing cultural institutions that exist starting from the London Eye, to theSouth Bank Centre, the National Theatre, the film theatre, the Tate Modern, Coin Streetrunning down to Borough Market, the Globe Theatre, the Design Festival will all beparticipating to draw attention to just what a fantastic set of things there are to do everyweekend in that area of the city.
Callum: She says that one of the local markets, called Borough Market will be puttingsome stalls up near Tower Bridge. A stall is a shop in a market. There will alsobe orchestras playing outside, or outdoors. However it's not just on land thatthere will be performances as Jude Woodward explains.
JUDE WOODWARDOne of the things which I love is the performances which are going to take place on the TateBoat which ferries you backwards and forwards across the river between Tate Britain andTate Modern. There'll be different bands and different boats all day, so if you buy a ticket togo on the boat you'll get a performance thrown in for free.
Describing sounds
Sounds and noises are all around us – from the sounds of nature such as thewind in the trees to man made sounds like traffic. Often we don't notice sounds,they are just there but we all have sounds we love to hear – like Carrie, whatsound does she like?
CarrieMy really really favourite sound is the sound of waves. I just love the sound of wavescrashing on the beach because it just reminds me of being on holiday, being at the seaside,relaxing. I just find waves really really relaxing and the sound of crashing waves is just reallysoothing.
Callum: Carrie likes the sound of waves, she loves the sound of waves crashing on thebeach.
Describing sounds like this is very easy – you can say the phrase 'the sound of'
followed by a noun.
Carriethe sound of waves, the sound of wavesCallum: Instead of using a single noun, like the word 'waves' you can also use a groupof words together which make what we call a noun phrase. With a single nounyou describe the sound of something. With a noun phrase you describe thesound of something happening, which is usually more descriptive. Thesephrases will often use -ing forms of verbs.
Carriethe sound of waves crashing on the beach, the sound of waves crashing on the beachCallum: Here now are some other people describing the sounds they like, listencarefully and you will hear that they use the same structure.
FAVOURITE SOUNDSI've always liked the sound of champagne corks popping and the sound of laughter and alsovery recently the sound of my little baby boy cooing I find particularly nice.
A sound that I like is the sound of a cat purring.
My favourite sound at the moment is the sounds coming from my garden. There's a lot ofbirdsong out there and particularly in the mornings I find that a really peaceful and nice andpleasant way to wake up, birds singing and even children playing out there.
A sound that I really love is the sound of traditional Scottish or Irish music and the thing Ireally love is the sound of a really bass drum beating away and you can feel it in your heart.
That's a sound that I love.
Callum: The sounds we heard described using a noun phrase were: champagne corkspopping, a little baby cooing, a cat purring, birds singing, children playing anda bass drum beating. Listen againFAVOURITE SOUNDS REPEATI've always liked the sound of champagne corks popping and the sound of laughter and alsovery recently the sound of my little baby boy cooing I find particularly nice.
A sound that I like is the sound of a cat purring.
My favourite sound at the moment is the sounds coming from my garden. There's a lot ofbirdsong out there and particularly in the mornings I find that a really peaceful and nice andpleasant way to wake up, birds singing and even children playing out there.
A sound that I really love is the sound of traditional Scottish or Irish music and the thing Ireally love is the sound of a really bass drum beating away and you can feel it in your heart.
That's a sound that I love.
CarrieMy really really favourite sound is the sound of waves. I just love the sound of wavescrashing on the beach because it just reminds me of being on holiday, being at the seaside,relaxing. I just find waves really really relaxing and the sound of crashing waves is just reallysoothing.
Callum: Carrie likes the sound of waves, she loves the sound of waves crashing on thebeach.
Describing sounds like this is very easy – you can say the phrase 'the sound of'
followed by a noun.
Carriethe sound of waves, the sound of wavesCallum: Instead of using a single noun, like the word 'waves' you can also use a groupof words together which make what we call a noun phrase. With a single nounyou describe the sound of something. With a noun phrase you describe thesound of something happening, which is usually more descriptive. Thesephrases will often use -ing forms of verbs.
Carriethe sound of waves crashing on the beach, the sound of waves crashing on the beachCallum: Here now are some other people describing the sounds they like, listencarefully and you will hear that they use the same structure.
FAVOURITE SOUNDSI've always liked the sound of champagne corks popping and the sound of laughter and alsovery recently the sound of my little baby boy cooing I find particularly nice.
A sound that I like is the sound of a cat purring.
My favourite sound at the moment is the sounds coming from my garden. There's a lot ofbirdsong out there and particularly in the mornings I find that a really peaceful and nice andpleasant way to wake up, birds singing and even children playing out there.
A sound that I really love is the sound of traditional Scottish or Irish music and the thing Ireally love is the sound of a really bass drum beating away and you can feel it in your heart.
That's a sound that I love.
Callum: The sounds we heard described using a noun phrase were: champagne corkspopping, a little baby cooing, a cat purring, birds singing, children playing anda bass drum beating. Listen againFAVOURITE SOUNDS REPEATI've always liked the sound of champagne corks popping and the sound of laughter and alsovery recently the sound of my little baby boy cooing I find particularly nice.
A sound that I like is the sound of a cat purring.
My favourite sound at the moment is the sounds coming from my garden. There's a lot ofbirdsong out there and particularly in the mornings I find that a really peaceful and nice andpleasant way to wake up, birds singing and even children playing out there.
A sound that I really love is the sound of traditional Scottish or Irish music and the thing Ireally love is the sound of a really bass drum beating away and you can feel it in your heart.
That's a sound that I love.
The Da Vinci Code
And today we're going hear what some people are saying about the recentlyreleased film of the bestselling novel 'The Da Vinci Code.' Now the film hascaused quite a lot of controversy – if something causes 'controversy' or is'controversial then it means that there is public discussion and argument aboutsomething that some people feel strongly about. The Da Vinci code has causedcontroversy because of its plot - A murder inside the Louvre and clues inLeonardo Da Vinci paintings lead to the discovery of a religious mysteryprotected by a secret society for two thousand years -- which could shake thefoundations of Christianity. The film is directed by Ron Howard and starsTom Hanks as the professor who gets drawn into trying to solve the Da Vincicode. Well, as I said earlier the film has caused controversy and some Churchleaders want it to be censored because it suggests that Mary Magdalen had achild whose father was Jesus Christ. If you 'censor' something then youremove the parts that are considered offensive or politically dangerous.
Now the film has met with mixed reviews. The film critic Jason Solomon sawit at the recent Cannes Film Festival and he explained how the audience reactedto it. Listen out for several expressions he uses to describe this reaction. Doyou think the audience liked the film?
Well the reaction here was rather flat, it was met with no applause and normally the first nightaudiences at Cannes applaud wildly if they like something or boo vigorously if they don't.
There was kind of hushed silence that met the whole proceeding – I think in the end it has tohave gone down as a bit of a failure here on the Croisette.
Anna: Well according to Jason Solomon the audience at Cannes did not like the film.
He uses the following expressions to describe their reaction: 'flat' whichmeans to lack interest or enthusiasm. He says that the film was met with 'noapplause.' – they did not applaud or clap their hands together at the end of thefilm. Instead there was a kind of 'hushed silence' - throughout the film theaudience was very quiet and said nothing. Jason says that the film was 'abit of a failure' in Cannes –He uses the noun 'failure' which means that thefilm did not succeed or was not popular in Cannes. Listen out for thoseexpressions again.
Well the reaction here was rather flat, it was met with no applause and normally the first nightaudiences at Cannes applaud wildly if they like something or boo vigorously if they don't.
There was kind of hushed silence that met the whole proceeding – I think in the end it has tohave gone down as a bit of a failure here on the Croisette.
Anna: And that was film critic, Jason Solomon.
The historical novelist, Sarah Dunant, has also seen the film – does she thinkthe film is similar to the book?
It's a slavishly faithful film of the book and I think there lies its problem. Like it or not thefirst half of this book is indeed a page turner – Dan Brown hooks you on adrenalin and keepsyou going on adrenalin. Now the problem is, actually the devices he uses are quite clichéd butthe speed at which he throws them at you means you don't notice it.
Now the film has met with mixed reviews. The film critic Jason Solomon sawit at the recent Cannes Film Festival and he explained how the audience reactedto it. Listen out for several expressions he uses to describe this reaction. Doyou think the audience liked the film?
Well the reaction here was rather flat, it was met with no applause and normally the first nightaudiences at Cannes applaud wildly if they like something or boo vigorously if they don't.
There was kind of hushed silence that met the whole proceeding – I think in the end it has tohave gone down as a bit of a failure here on the Croisette.
Anna: Well according to Jason Solomon the audience at Cannes did not like the film.
He uses the following expressions to describe their reaction: 'flat' whichmeans to lack interest or enthusiasm. He says that the film was met with 'noapplause.' – they did not applaud or clap their hands together at the end of thefilm. Instead there was a kind of 'hushed silence' - throughout the film theaudience was very quiet and said nothing. Jason says that the film was 'abit of a failure' in Cannes –He uses the noun 'failure' which means that thefilm did not succeed or was not popular in Cannes. Listen out for thoseexpressions again.
Well the reaction here was rather flat, it was met with no applause and normally the first nightaudiences at Cannes applaud wildly if they like something or boo vigorously if they don't.
There was kind of hushed silence that met the whole proceeding – I think in the end it has tohave gone down as a bit of a failure here on the Croisette.
Anna: And that was film critic, Jason Solomon.
The historical novelist, Sarah Dunant, has also seen the film – does she thinkthe film is similar to the book?
It's a slavishly faithful film of the book and I think there lies its problem. Like it or not thefirst half of this book is indeed a page turner – Dan Brown hooks you on adrenalin and keepsyou going on adrenalin. Now the problem is, actually the devices he uses are quite clichéd butthe speed at which he throws them at you means you don't notice it.
Tea and the English
Hello, welcome to Entertainment! I'm Jackie Dalton. Many countries have aparticular type of food or drink which they become associated with. Swisschocolate, Cuban rum, American burgers. What are the English mostassociated with?
Well, for many, the English are seen first and foremost as a nation of tea-drinkers. Everything stops for a cup tea. How would the English cope withouttheir afternoon cup and all the social rituals and formalities that come with it?
But is this really true? Or is it just a stereotype? In this programme we're goingto find out. First of all, I asked some English people what role tea played intheir lives? How many say it's important? Listen to find out.
English peopleLady 1: On special occasions I do drink coffee, but most of the time I'm definitely a teadrinker.
Man: I have to one cup of tea, at least one cup of tea some time in the afternoon about 2o'clock generally – 2-3 o'clock.
Lady 2: I'm much more of a coffee drinker it really just sets me up for the day. I just have tohave my cup of coffee pretty well as soon as I'm out of bed.
Jackie: Well, the first two people are definitely tea lovers. The third says she's more ofa coffee drinker. She said coffee 'sets her up' for the day, which means it givesher energy and makes her feel full of life.
The tea drunk here in England is grown mostly in Asia and other parts of theworld, but there is a tea plantation in the UK: the Tregothnan tea estate inCornwall. We sent our reporter Tim there. As you listen to him try to answerthis question: How many cups of tea are drunk in the UK every day? Over toTim in Cornwall.
TimIt's absolutely beautiful here. Did you know in the UK we drink 165 million cups of tea a day.
Isn't that a staggering amount? And 96% of that tea comes from teabags.
Jackie: Did you get that? 165 million! That's a lot of tea, or, as Tim put it, 'a staggeringamount', which means it's hard to believe we drink so much tea. Tim also said96% of tea comes from teabags. So most people make tea by putting a smallready-made paper bag in each cup they make instead of using a teapot. Ateapot is a container which you usually put loose leaves in and can use to makemore than one cup of tea at a time. A beautiful porcelain teapot, complete witha set of matching cups and saucers was traditionally a great source of pride tomany people – something they might want to show off to their friends. But if96 % of cups of tea are now made with teabags what does this mean for thefuture of teapots? Listen to find out.
TimThe sales of teapots are suffering as a result, they're down two-thirds in the last five years andit seems that most 18-40 year olds think that teapots are quaint and stuffy and old-fashionedand don't really want to buy them.
Jackie: Did you get the answer? Not so many people are buying teapots any more.
Most people aged 18-40 don't think much of tea pots. Let's look at the wordsthey used. 'Quaint' and 'old-fashioned' sort of mean the same thing. Ifsomething is quaint or old-fashioned, you associate it with the past, it's not verymodern. 'Quaint' can be quite a positive word. It can mean it's unusual and old-fashioned in an attractive way. But 'stuffy', the other word we heard is not at allpositive. It means something is too formal, too old-fashioned and serious.
Speaking of which, there has traditionally been a great deal of etiquette or rulessurrounding tea-drinking. Which direction should the teapot face on the table?
How should you hold your cup when you drink from it? One of the biggestdebates people have is if you're pouring tea from a teapot into a cup, shouldyou put the milk in before you pour the tea, or after?
Well, for many, the English are seen first and foremost as a nation of tea-drinkers. Everything stops for a cup tea. How would the English cope withouttheir afternoon cup and all the social rituals and formalities that come with it?
But is this really true? Or is it just a stereotype? In this programme we're goingto find out. First of all, I asked some English people what role tea played intheir lives? How many say it's important? Listen to find out.
English peopleLady 1: On special occasions I do drink coffee, but most of the time I'm definitely a teadrinker.
Man: I have to one cup of tea, at least one cup of tea some time in the afternoon about 2o'clock generally – 2-3 o'clock.
Lady 2: I'm much more of a coffee drinker it really just sets me up for the day. I just have tohave my cup of coffee pretty well as soon as I'm out of bed.
Jackie: Well, the first two people are definitely tea lovers. The third says she's more ofa coffee drinker. She said coffee 'sets her up' for the day, which means it givesher energy and makes her feel full of life.
The tea drunk here in England is grown mostly in Asia and other parts of theworld, but there is a tea plantation in the UK: the Tregothnan tea estate inCornwall. We sent our reporter Tim there. As you listen to him try to answerthis question: How many cups of tea are drunk in the UK every day? Over toTim in Cornwall.
TimIt's absolutely beautiful here. Did you know in the UK we drink 165 million cups of tea a day.
Isn't that a staggering amount? And 96% of that tea comes from teabags.
Jackie: Did you get that? 165 million! That's a lot of tea, or, as Tim put it, 'a staggeringamount', which means it's hard to believe we drink so much tea. Tim also said96% of tea comes from teabags. So most people make tea by putting a smallready-made paper bag in each cup they make instead of using a teapot. Ateapot is a container which you usually put loose leaves in and can use to makemore than one cup of tea at a time. A beautiful porcelain teapot, complete witha set of matching cups and saucers was traditionally a great source of pride tomany people – something they might want to show off to their friends. But if96 % of cups of tea are now made with teabags what does this mean for thefuture of teapots? Listen to find out.
TimThe sales of teapots are suffering as a result, they're down two-thirds in the last five years andit seems that most 18-40 year olds think that teapots are quaint and stuffy and old-fashionedand don't really want to buy them.
Jackie: Did you get the answer? Not so many people are buying teapots any more.
Most people aged 18-40 don't think much of tea pots. Let's look at the wordsthey used. 'Quaint' and 'old-fashioned' sort of mean the same thing. Ifsomething is quaint or old-fashioned, you associate it with the past, it's not verymodern. 'Quaint' can be quite a positive word. It can mean it's unusual and old-fashioned in an attractive way. But 'stuffy', the other word we heard is not at allpositive. It means something is too formal, too old-fashioned and serious.
Speaking of which, there has traditionally been a great deal of etiquette or rulessurrounding tea-drinking. Which direction should the teapot face on the table?
How should you hold your cup when you drink from it? One of the biggestdebates people have is if you're pouring tea from a teapot into a cup, shouldyou put the milk in before you pour the tea, or after?
Offside
The film is called Offside and is by Iranian director Jafar Panahi.
The film is about a group of women football fans in Iran who want to go andwatch a World Cup qualification match between their country, Iran andBahrain. However, because in Iran women are not allowed to attend malesporting events they have to try different ways of getting into the stadium.
They try different disguises but are stopped from seeing the match by soldierswho keep them in a room where they can hear, but not see the match.
The film is not in the English language it doesn't have any big internationalstars and there aren't explosions and special effects. It is not typical of thesummer blockbusters from Hollywood and maybe because of this it has provedto be quite popular with the critics and the public.
Mark Kermode is one of the BBC's film reviewers, he isn't a football fan but hedid like the film, this is what he said about it.
Mark KermodeIt's really terrific. Number of lovely things about it. The first thing is, is that it's reallygenuinely gentle but in a melancholic and insightful way.
Callum: He says it's terrific, he thinks it's really good and there are some lovely thingsabout it. He comments that the film is gentle – which means that it's an easyfilm to watch, there aren't strong and angry conflicts. He also says it has amelancholic feel, it's slightly sad and is also insightful – it shows a goodunderstanding of the situation.
He also says that even though he isn't a football fan he still enjoyed the film. Infact he says that he doesn't 'get' football – he doesn't get it – this means that hedoesn't understand it, he doesn't know why it is so popular or makes people feelthe way they do. Does watching this film help him to understand this at all?
Here's Mark Kermode again.
Mark KermodeThe reason I like it is as somebody who genuinely hasn't had any interest in football, doesn'tget football, I've never got it, I've never got the kind of national enthusiasm for it, I've nevergot why it is that people get so excited. Watching Offside I actually felt that I understood atleast a little bit more what that was about because what he does brilliantly as a director is toshow you that sense of wanting to be part of this kind of collective event which is a force forgood.
Callum: So yes. He said that watching the film helped him to understand what it is liketo be a football fan, what it is like to want to want to be involved in a groupevent which he describes as a force for good.
Those were the views of the critic, the reviewer, but what about others whohave seen the film for their own entertainment. What do they think? Here are afew opinions – how do people describe the film and their reaction to it.
VOICESI thought it was one of the best films I'd seen in ages. I really really enjoyed itOh I really enjoyed it, I thought it was funny, endearing and yet it made a really serious point.
I thought the film was excellent. I like Iranian films and this particular film was interestingbecause it was quite a heavy subject but there were funny bits. So even though you mightthink 'oh this is a very difficult subject to talk about in a film', it approached it in a very lighthearted and a gentle way.
Callum: Some very positive views there. The first speaker commented that it was thebest film he'd seen in ages – the best film in a long time. It was also describedas funny and endearing – endearing means charming and very likeable. Thisview was echoed by the third speaker who commented that even though it wasa heavy subject – a serious and difficult topic – it was done in a light-heartedand gentle way. Light-hearted is a useful adjective to describe films which arefunny.
That's all from this edition of entertainment. Before we go, some finalrecommendations for the film offside.
The film is about a group of women football fans in Iran who want to go andwatch a World Cup qualification match between their country, Iran andBahrain. However, because in Iran women are not allowed to attend malesporting events they have to try different ways of getting into the stadium.
They try different disguises but are stopped from seeing the match by soldierswho keep them in a room where they can hear, but not see the match.
The film is not in the English language it doesn't have any big internationalstars and there aren't explosions and special effects. It is not typical of thesummer blockbusters from Hollywood and maybe because of this it has provedto be quite popular with the critics and the public.
Mark Kermode is one of the BBC's film reviewers, he isn't a football fan but hedid like the film, this is what he said about it.
Mark KermodeIt's really terrific. Number of lovely things about it. The first thing is, is that it's reallygenuinely gentle but in a melancholic and insightful way.
Callum: He says it's terrific, he thinks it's really good and there are some lovely thingsabout it. He comments that the film is gentle – which means that it's an easyfilm to watch, there aren't strong and angry conflicts. He also says it has amelancholic feel, it's slightly sad and is also insightful – it shows a goodunderstanding of the situation.
He also says that even though he isn't a football fan he still enjoyed the film. Infact he says that he doesn't 'get' football – he doesn't get it – this means that hedoesn't understand it, he doesn't know why it is so popular or makes people feelthe way they do. Does watching this film help him to understand this at all?
Here's Mark Kermode again.
Mark KermodeThe reason I like it is as somebody who genuinely hasn't had any interest in football, doesn'tget football, I've never got it, I've never got the kind of national enthusiasm for it, I've nevergot why it is that people get so excited. Watching Offside I actually felt that I understood atleast a little bit more what that was about because what he does brilliantly as a director is toshow you that sense of wanting to be part of this kind of collective event which is a force forgood.
Callum: So yes. He said that watching the film helped him to understand what it is liketo be a football fan, what it is like to want to want to be involved in a groupevent which he describes as a force for good.
Those were the views of the critic, the reviewer, but what about others whohave seen the film for their own entertainment. What do they think? Here are afew opinions – how do people describe the film and their reaction to it.
VOICESI thought it was one of the best films I'd seen in ages. I really really enjoyed itOh I really enjoyed it, I thought it was funny, endearing and yet it made a really serious point.
I thought the film was excellent. I like Iranian films and this particular film was interestingbecause it was quite a heavy subject but there were funny bits. So even though you mightthink 'oh this is a very difficult subject to talk about in a film', it approached it in a very lighthearted and a gentle way.
Callum: Some very positive views there. The first speaker commented that it was thebest film he'd seen in ages – the best film in a long time. It was also describedas funny and endearing – endearing means charming and very likeable. Thisview was echoed by the third speaker who commented that even though it wasa heavy subject – a serious and difficult topic – it was done in a light-heartedand gentle way. Light-hearted is a useful adjective to describe films which arefunny.
That's all from this edition of entertainment. Before we go, some finalrecommendations for the film offside.
Shakespeare's Globe
Hello, I'm Callum Robertson and this is Entertainment. I'm not in the studiotoday I'm on location on the south bank of the River Thames in the centre ofthLondon. 393 years ago today on June 29 1613 one of the most famoustheatres in the world was destroyed by fire.
The Globe theatre on London's South Bank was the theatrical home of WilliamShakespeare and in this programme I'm going to be taking a little look at thehistory of the theatre which Shakespeare called in his play Henry V, thisWooden O.
Although the original Globe theatre has long since disappeared there is amarvellous reconstruction here now on the South Bank.
I've now come inside the marvellous modern 'wooden O' I'm speaking toPatrick Spottiswoode who's the Director of Globe Education to find out a littlebit more. Patrick, why did Shakespeare refer to the Globe as 'this wooden O'?
Patrick: It is a round building. It is in fact a twenty-sided wooden O, a polygonal O.
And it is made of oak in the main, and it's an open air O so people gather roundin the theatre to hear a play.
Callum: And is that design typical of theatres of the time?
Patrick: The outdoor theatres yes, I mean in English we say 'gather round' we don't say'gather square'. And you gather round to get close to hear a story. And thesewere great story-telling venues and thousands of people would want to getclose to the actors. So the circle enables you to get close to the actor.
Callum: This reconstruction which we're in now, how close is it in where it is and howit looks to the original?
Patrick: We're about 150 metres from where it originally stood. In terms of whether thisGlobe is like the first Globe of 1599 well we, we think it is because we have nophotographs of course, no video, so we're reliant on a mixture of evidence as towhat the original Globe was like. We hope we've built the Globe like theoriginal but we cannot put our hands on our hearts and say it's exactly like. It'sas near as we can get.
Callum: The original as I mentioned at the beginning of this programme was destroyedby fire in 1613. Can you tell us a little bit about its history before that? Whenwas it built and what was it used for?
Patrick: Well it was built in 1599 and Shakespeare and a group of actors put moneytogether to build the theatre. It was the first time ever in England actors hadpaid to build a theatre. So that was very special. And it became the number onetheatre in London as Shakespeare's company became the number one actingcompany of London. So it became from 1599 as the number one venue fortheatre and certainly the number one venue for Shakespeare's plays until 1613.
And in 1613 they put on a play about Henry VIII and they had a cannon effectto announce the arrival of the king on stage. But it was a special effect thatwent badly wrong because a spark from the cannon flew up and hit the roofwhich is made of thatch. It caught fire and the theatre burnt to the groundduring a performance.
Callum: Which of Shakespeare's plays were first performed here, which of the big oneswhich people might know around the world were performed here?
Patrick: Well I suppose one of the most famous, Romeo and Juliet was not firstperformed at the Globe. It was written two or three years before the Globe wasbuilt. The first play that we know to have been put on at the Globe, the firstrecorded performance, it was Julius Ceasar. We know that As You Like It wasput on at the Globe, we know Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, these are plays thatwere Globe plays. But plays like Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare had a careerbefore the Globe was built.
Callum: This is Entertainment. Today I'm talking to Patrick Spottiswoode the directorof Globe Education about the Globe Theatre on London's South Bank. Patrick Iwonder could you tell us now about how the new Globe Theatre came to bebuilt?
The Globe theatre on London's South Bank was the theatrical home of WilliamShakespeare and in this programme I'm going to be taking a little look at thehistory of the theatre which Shakespeare called in his play Henry V, thisWooden O.
Although the original Globe theatre has long since disappeared there is amarvellous reconstruction here now on the South Bank.
I've now come inside the marvellous modern 'wooden O' I'm speaking toPatrick Spottiswoode who's the Director of Globe Education to find out a littlebit more. Patrick, why did Shakespeare refer to the Globe as 'this wooden O'?
Patrick: It is a round building. It is in fact a twenty-sided wooden O, a polygonal O.
And it is made of oak in the main, and it's an open air O so people gather roundin the theatre to hear a play.
Callum: And is that design typical of theatres of the time?
Patrick: The outdoor theatres yes, I mean in English we say 'gather round' we don't say'gather square'. And you gather round to get close to hear a story. And thesewere great story-telling venues and thousands of people would want to getclose to the actors. So the circle enables you to get close to the actor.
Callum: This reconstruction which we're in now, how close is it in where it is and howit looks to the original?
Patrick: We're about 150 metres from where it originally stood. In terms of whether thisGlobe is like the first Globe of 1599 well we, we think it is because we have nophotographs of course, no video, so we're reliant on a mixture of evidence as towhat the original Globe was like. We hope we've built the Globe like theoriginal but we cannot put our hands on our hearts and say it's exactly like. It'sas near as we can get.
Callum: The original as I mentioned at the beginning of this programme was destroyedby fire in 1613. Can you tell us a little bit about its history before that? Whenwas it built and what was it used for?
Patrick: Well it was built in 1599 and Shakespeare and a group of actors put moneytogether to build the theatre. It was the first time ever in England actors hadpaid to build a theatre. So that was very special. And it became the number onetheatre in London as Shakespeare's company became the number one actingcompany of London. So it became from 1599 as the number one venue fortheatre and certainly the number one venue for Shakespeare's plays until 1613.
And in 1613 they put on a play about Henry VIII and they had a cannon effectto announce the arrival of the king on stage. But it was a special effect thatwent badly wrong because a spark from the cannon flew up and hit the roofwhich is made of thatch. It caught fire and the theatre burnt to the groundduring a performance.
Callum: Which of Shakespeare's plays were first performed here, which of the big oneswhich people might know around the world were performed here?
Patrick: Well I suppose one of the most famous, Romeo and Juliet was not firstperformed at the Globe. It was written two or three years before the Globe wasbuilt. The first play that we know to have been put on at the Globe, the firstrecorded performance, it was Julius Ceasar. We know that As You Like It wasput on at the Globe, we know Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, these are plays thatwere Globe plays. But plays like Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare had a careerbefore the Globe was built.
Callum: This is Entertainment. Today I'm talking to Patrick Spottiswoode the directorof Globe Education about the Globe Theatre on London's South Bank. Patrick Iwonder could you tell us now about how the new Globe Theatre came to bebuilt?
Tiffany exhibition
Today we're looking at the language used to describe glittering stones andsilver jewellery made by the well known jewellery company, Tiffany. TheTiffany brand – a brand is a type of product made by a particular company -was founded in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany in New York and by the 1840'swas selling diamond jewellery. Over 150 years later Tiffany is now known allover the world for its stunning jewellery. And for the first time in its historyan exhibition has opened in central London featuring over 200 pieces ofTiffany jewellery. Our BBC Learning English colleague, John Escolme, wentalong to see the exhibition and was guided around it by its curator ClairePhillips. Claire tells us which is here favourite exhibit or piece of jewelleryfeaturing at the exhibition. What is it and when was it made?
Claire Philipps Dur: 11“One of my absolute favourites is the fire opal collar made for the Paris exposition in 1900.
And at the time it was described as being the finest collection of fire opals in the world.
Anna: Claire says that ”one of her absolute favourites“ – one of her best-liked things –is the ”fire opal collar.“ An opal is a precious stone whose colour changeswhen the position of the person looking at it changes – this one is a fire opal –the colours of fire – reds, yellows, greens and oranges. Claire describes the fireopal collar in more detail. Listen out for some of the adjectives and otherdescriptive terms that she uses:
These extraordinary glowing orange and green stones with their marvellous play of colourarranged as a collar that would have been worn around the neck with originally a wonderfulpendant hanging from it.. The geometric patterning based on native American art but reallythe river of rich orange and green stones described by Tiffany's gemologist at the time as”each one a miniature sunset in the palm of your hand.“ .
Anna: Claire uses some lovely language to describe the fire opal collar. She uses theadjective ”glowing“ which means that the stones are producing a continuouslight. The stones are arranged as a collar that would have been worn aroundthe neck and would have had a pendant or object - perhaps a diamond cutthe neck and would have had a pendant or object - perhaps a diamond cutinto a special shape - hanging from the opal stones. She says that the collaris like a ”river of rich orange and green stones“ – the necklace of preciousstones looks like an orange and green river. It has geometric patterning whichmeans that the stones are arranged in a particular order or pattern. Thegemologist – the person at Tiffanys who is a precious stones expert – says thateach one of the stones is like a miniature sunset in the palm of your hand. Eachstone is like a tiny image of the sun setting with its mass of rich red andorange colours. If you hold something in the plam of your hand you hold it inthe inside of your hand from the wrist to the base of your fingers. Here's Clareagain – try to listen out for the descriptive language she uses.
These extraordinary glowing orange and green stones with their marvellous play of colourarranged as a collar that would have been worn around the neck with originally a wonderfulpendant hanging from it. The geometric patterning based on native American art but reallythe river of rich orange and green stones described by Tiffany's gemologist at the time as”each one a miniature sunset in the palm of your hand.“Anna: Finally John ask about a picture at the exhibition of Audrey Hepburn, thefamous actress who starred in the 1961 film 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'.Whatcolour is the diamond she is wearing and what other word does she use todescribe its colour?
Claire Philipps Dur: 11“One of my absolute favourites is the fire opal collar made for the Paris exposition in 1900.
And at the time it was described as being the finest collection of fire opals in the world.
Anna: Claire says that ”one of her absolute favourites“ – one of her best-liked things –is the ”fire opal collar.“ An opal is a precious stone whose colour changeswhen the position of the person looking at it changes – this one is a fire opal –the colours of fire – reds, yellows, greens and oranges. Claire describes the fireopal collar in more detail. Listen out for some of the adjectives and otherdescriptive terms that she uses:
These extraordinary glowing orange and green stones with their marvellous play of colourarranged as a collar that would have been worn around the neck with originally a wonderfulpendant hanging from it.. The geometric patterning based on native American art but reallythe river of rich orange and green stones described by Tiffany's gemologist at the time as”each one a miniature sunset in the palm of your hand.“ .
Anna: Claire uses some lovely language to describe the fire opal collar. She uses theadjective ”glowing“ which means that the stones are producing a continuouslight. The stones are arranged as a collar that would have been worn aroundthe neck and would have had a pendant or object - perhaps a diamond cutthe neck and would have had a pendant or object - perhaps a diamond cutinto a special shape - hanging from the opal stones. She says that the collaris like a ”river of rich orange and green stones“ – the necklace of preciousstones looks like an orange and green river. It has geometric patterning whichmeans that the stones are arranged in a particular order or pattern. Thegemologist – the person at Tiffanys who is a precious stones expert – says thateach one of the stones is like a miniature sunset in the palm of your hand. Eachstone is like a tiny image of the sun setting with its mass of rich red andorange colours. If you hold something in the plam of your hand you hold it inthe inside of your hand from the wrist to the base of your fingers. Here's Clareagain – try to listen out for the descriptive language she uses.
These extraordinary glowing orange and green stones with their marvellous play of colourarranged as a collar that would have been worn around the neck with originally a wonderfulpendant hanging from it. The geometric patterning based on native American art but reallythe river of rich orange and green stones described by Tiffany's gemologist at the time as”each one a miniature sunset in the palm of your hand.“Anna: Finally John ask about a picture at the exhibition of Audrey Hepburn, thefamous actress who starred in the 1961 film 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'.Whatcolour is the diamond she is wearing and what other word does she use todescribe its colour?
The Poetry Archive
Hello, I'm Amber, and in the programme today we hear about The PoetryArchive - a brilliant new website to stretch your listening skills! The site waslaunched at the end of last year at the British Library in London.
At http://www.poetryarchive.co.uk/ you'll find readings by contemporary English-language poets – like Wendy Cope and Seamus Heaney - and poets from thepast – like Siegfried Sassoon, who reads one of his haunting poems about theFirst World War.
Andrew Motion, the UK Poet Laureate, is one of the founders of the project.
He'll be explaining why The Poetry Archive is such an exciting and useful on-line library.
So, what's special about listening to a poem read by the poet who wrote it?
Andrew Motion makes three points: He says it's fascinating to hear what apoet's voice sounds like. And it can help you to understand a poem. And thethird point? See if you can catch one, or both, of the expressions he uses todescribe how poems make sense.
He does speak very quickly but we'll repeat the extracts from his interview.
Andrew Motion'There is a level of fascination about what people's voices are like, there's a level ofunderstanding that becomes available when you hear them aloud, and there is the absolutelyfundamental point that the sound-sense and page-sense can't be separated.'
Amber: There is the important point that poems communicate through 'sound-sense'
(through rhythm and rhyme, for example) – and through what Andrew Motioncalls 'page-sense' – (the way the words are arranged on the page). Listen again.
Andrew Motion'There is a level of fascination about what people's voices are like, there's a level ofunderstanding that becomes available when you hear them aloud, and there is the absolutelyfundamental point that the sound-sense and page-sense can't be separated.'
Amber: Sound-sense and page-sense - two useful compound words for describing howwe absorb the meaning of a poem. Sound-sense and page-sense.
Next, we asked Andrew Motion to talk about what you can do at The PoetryArchive beside listen to poems.
Andrew Motion'Well, it depends who you are. If you're a primary school child there is a dimension of the sitewhich is especially for you, there's a site for teachers, there's a site for secondary schoolchildren with a great deal of supplementary material added to it – lesson plans, and adviceabout listening, and interviews with the poets (not all the poets, but some of the poets), and soon and so on. There's a mass of stuff there – I think if you laid it end to end it would be abouta sort-of 150 page book – but it's all good stuff!'
Amber: So The Poetry Archive is really like lots of websites within one big website,and for students and teachers of English as a foreign or second language, thereshould be plenty of interesting material. What do you think would be useful foryou? Listen again.
At http://www.poetryarchive.co.uk/ you'll find readings by contemporary English-language poets – like Wendy Cope and Seamus Heaney - and poets from thepast – like Siegfried Sassoon, who reads one of his haunting poems about theFirst World War.
Andrew Motion, the UK Poet Laureate, is one of the founders of the project.
He'll be explaining why The Poetry Archive is such an exciting and useful on-line library.
So, what's special about listening to a poem read by the poet who wrote it?
Andrew Motion makes three points: He says it's fascinating to hear what apoet's voice sounds like. And it can help you to understand a poem. And thethird point? See if you can catch one, or both, of the expressions he uses todescribe how poems make sense.
He does speak very quickly but we'll repeat the extracts from his interview.
Andrew Motion'There is a level of fascination about what people's voices are like, there's a level ofunderstanding that becomes available when you hear them aloud, and there is the absolutelyfundamental point that the sound-sense and page-sense can't be separated.'
Amber: There is the important point that poems communicate through 'sound-sense'
(through rhythm and rhyme, for example) – and through what Andrew Motioncalls 'page-sense' – (the way the words are arranged on the page). Listen again.
Andrew Motion'There is a level of fascination about what people's voices are like, there's a level ofunderstanding that becomes available when you hear them aloud, and there is the absolutelyfundamental point that the sound-sense and page-sense can't be separated.'
Amber: Sound-sense and page-sense - two useful compound words for describing howwe absorb the meaning of a poem. Sound-sense and page-sense.
Next, we asked Andrew Motion to talk about what you can do at The PoetryArchive beside listen to poems.
Andrew Motion'Well, it depends who you are. If you're a primary school child there is a dimension of the sitewhich is especially for you, there's a site for teachers, there's a site for secondary schoolchildren with a great deal of supplementary material added to it – lesson plans, and adviceabout listening, and interviews with the poets (not all the poets, but some of the poets), and soon and so on. There's a mass of stuff there – I think if you laid it end to end it would be abouta sort-of 150 page book – but it's all good stuff!'
Amber: So The Poetry Archive is really like lots of websites within one big website,and for students and teachers of English as a foreign or second language, thereshould be plenty of interesting material. What do you think would be useful foryou? Listen again.
2011年2月13日星期日
Countryside
Hello, I'm Anna Jones and this is Entertainment. In this programme we're
going to be taking a look at a different kind of entertainment that's available to
everyone and is also free to use.
Today we're talking about the countryside and we'll be hearing from Helen
Phillips who's the new chief executive of the new countryside agency known as
“Natural England.” Natural England has been set up to be a source of advice
and help for farmers and a protector of the environment. Is Natural England
only concerned with the countryside though – what does Helen say?
Helen Phillips
I would say that Natural England is as much about the urban environment as it is about the
rural environment and in many ways making the connection between both.
Anna: Helen says that Natural England is not just about the rural environment or
countryside, it's also concerned with the urban or city environment. She says
that it's an organisation which tries to “make a connection” between the two
environments. If you try to make a connection between two things then you try
to bring them closer together in some way. Helen goes on to talk about where
Natural England will spend some of its money. She says that three hundred
million pound will go to farmers and other people in rural communities to help
protect the environment. This money will help to maintain and enhance
habitats– it will help to improve important habitats. Habitats are the natural
surroundings in which a plant or animal usually lives. The money will also
protect different species – species are a set of animals or plants in which the
members have very similar characteristics to each other and can breed with
each other.
But what other practical actions will this money achieve in rural areas? Have
listen to Helen – what does she say will happen to the uplands? The uplan
are areas of land that are situated high up such as a hill or a mountain. And
what does she say will happen to the peat lands? Peat lands are areas of land
covered in a dark brown earth-like substance which was formed by plants
dying. Here's Helen:
Helen Phillips
Three hundred million pounds of our payments are going to farmers and other people in rural
communities and what they're doing in many ways is not only making sure that we maintain
and indeed enhance important habitats and protect species for everybody but also take very
practical actions for instance, if the uplands and the peat lands are managed properly they
become carbon sinks rather than carbon emitters, they make sure the water is restored in a
proper way so its much cheaper to treat when it comes down to the cities and towns and the
water treatment works. It can reduce the flood risk. If the uplands are managed properly it can
reduce flood risk in downstream towns by up to 20% . So there are huge connections about
managing the land in an integrated way for the whole of the community.
Anna: Helen says that if both the uplands and the peat lands are managed properly by
the farmers then they become “carbon sinks” instead of “carbon emitters. So
instead of emitting or sending out harmful carbon gases, the uplands and peat
lands become like sinks – the gases are absorbed or sink into the earth. The
farmers also help to make sure that the water from the hillsides is looked after
in a proper way so that it's cheaper to treat at the water treatment works in the
cities. Helen says that if the uplands are well managed by the farmers the risk
of flooding occurring in nearby communities is reduced – it goes down by
about 20%. So the whole community benefits from the land being well looked
after.
But what about coastal areas – areas of land next to the sea? How will Natural
England ensure that people can enjoy the coast as well as the countryside?
Helen Phillips
We need to make sure that people get more access to the coast – we will be doing more work
now on how it is we get access for folk to enjoy the coast.
going to be taking a look at a different kind of entertainment that's available to
everyone and is also free to use.
Today we're talking about the countryside and we'll be hearing from Helen
Phillips who's the new chief executive of the new countryside agency known as
“Natural England.” Natural England has been set up to be a source of advice
and help for farmers and a protector of the environment. Is Natural England
only concerned with the countryside though – what does Helen say?
Helen Phillips
I would say that Natural England is as much about the urban environment as it is about the
rural environment and in many ways making the connection between both.
Anna: Helen says that Natural England is not just about the rural environment or
countryside, it's also concerned with the urban or city environment. She says
that it's an organisation which tries to “make a connection” between the two
environments. If you try to make a connection between two things then you try
to bring them closer together in some way. Helen goes on to talk about where
Natural England will spend some of its money. She says that three hundred
million pound will go to farmers and other people in rural communities to help
protect the environment. This money will help to maintain and enhance
habitats– it will help to improve important habitats. Habitats are the natural
surroundings in which a plant or animal usually lives. The money will also
protect different species – species are a set of animals or plants in which the
members have very similar characteristics to each other and can breed with
each other.
But what other practical actions will this money achieve in rural areas? Have
listen to Helen – what does she say will happen to the uplands? The uplan
are areas of land that are situated high up such as a hill or a mountain. And
what does she say will happen to the peat lands? Peat lands are areas of land
covered in a dark brown earth-like substance which was formed by plants
dying. Here's Helen:
Helen Phillips
Three hundred million pounds of our payments are going to farmers and other people in rural
communities and what they're doing in many ways is not only making sure that we maintain
and indeed enhance important habitats and protect species for everybody but also take very
practical actions for instance, if the uplands and the peat lands are managed properly they
become carbon sinks rather than carbon emitters, they make sure the water is restored in a
proper way so its much cheaper to treat when it comes down to the cities and towns and the
water treatment works. It can reduce the flood risk. If the uplands are managed properly it can
reduce flood risk in downstream towns by up to 20% . So there are huge connections about
managing the land in an integrated way for the whole of the community.
Anna: Helen says that if both the uplands and the peat lands are managed properly by
the farmers then they become “carbon sinks” instead of “carbon emitters. So
instead of emitting or sending out harmful carbon gases, the uplands and peat
lands become like sinks – the gases are absorbed or sink into the earth. The
farmers also help to make sure that the water from the hillsides is looked after
in a proper way so that it's cheaper to treat at the water treatment works in the
cities. Helen says that if the uplands are well managed by the farmers the risk
of flooding occurring in nearby communities is reduced – it goes down by
about 20%. So the whole community benefits from the land being well looked
after.
But what about coastal areas – areas of land next to the sea? How will Natural
England ensure that people can enjoy the coast as well as the countryside?
Helen Phillips
We need to make sure that people get more access to the coast – we will be doing more work
now on how it is we get access for folk to enjoy the coast.
Cambridgeshire
Hello, I'm Callum Robertson. In this special programme we head into the
English country to experience a bit of life in rural Cambridgeshire.
Only 76 km from London the city of Cambridge is in the heart of the
countryside of east England. Cambridge is well known for its university but the
area has a thriving rural as well as academic community.
In today's programme we're going to hear from one member of this community,
Michael Beaumont, a butcher from the Cambridgeshire town of Fulbourn. As
well as being a butcher he has now diversified into cattle production – what
reason does he give for this development?
Michael Beaumont
Right, I'm Michael Beaumont, I'm the local butcher in Fulbourn. About nine years ago we had
a supermarket come quite close to us and to sustain our butchery business, we've gone into
cattle production.
Callum: He moved into cattle production so he could 'sustain' the butchery business – so
he could continue the business and make it successful. A supermarket had
opened near him which was a threat to his business so he had to do something
more than just being a butcher. Listen again.
Michael Beaumont
About nine years ago we had a supermarket come quite close to us and to sustain our butchery
business, we've gone into cattle production.
Callum: He goes on to talk about why having his own cattle is an advantage over what
he calls the 'big boys' the supermarkets.
Michael Beaumont
Why we've survived is because we're doing something different to what the supermarkets are.
We can prove that all of our… we've got full traceability on all these cattle. They're all
locally produced etcetera. So, it's a way forward for us as a small butcher's shop competing
with the big boys.
Callum: Producing his own cattle means that the customers know the meat is locally
produced – they have full traceability – they can trace the meant to a particular
cow – essentially this means that they know exactly where the meat has come
from. This is something that you can't tell in a supermarket so as he says, it's a
way forward for them a small butcher's shop. Listen again.
Michael Beaumont
Why we've survived is because we're doing something different to what the supermarkets are.
We can prove that all of our… we've got full traceability on all these cattle. They're all
locally produced etcetera. So, it's a way forward for us as a small butcher's shop competing
with the big boys.
Callum: Michael Beaumont was brought on a farm and has farming in his blood. He
developed an interest in cattle at agricultural college and in a way although
they are competition he thinks the supermarkets have given him a chance to
become more involved in what he really loves doing. What does he say he is
passionate about?
With my agricultural college experience I was always interested in cattle and, in one way, the
supermarket has done me a favour because it's letting me do something else that I really like
to do. I'm passionate about both of them; I'm passionate about how the animals are raised,
what they're fed on, their welfare and also passionate about the meat I sell.
Callum: He says he is passionate about how the animals are raised – how they are fed,
cared for and looked after. He is also passionate about the meat that he sells.
Michael now introduces us to his cattle. The collective noun for cattle is 'herd'
and Michael talks about how he got his herd of Limousin cows. He says he
bought them as a present but for which celebration in his life?
These are a pedigree herd of Limousin; a small herd I've just acquired. The people who had
got them had got about three or four different herds and they wanted to get rid of this one.
So, I got this really as a 40th anniversary wedding present, but, er…, wife said 'that's a bit
different from the box of chocolates that she was going to get me' [laughter]… I think it came
as a bit of a shock for her when I told her I'd actually bought them, but, no, she's accepted
them and she likes them as much as I do.
Callum: He got the herd from another farmer who had three or four herds already and
wanted to get rid of one. To get rid of something means to not have something
anymore – so it could mean to throw something away or sell it, here it means to
sell. Michael bought the herd as a 40 wedding anniversary present! Aah, a
true romantic. How did his wife feel about this? Listen again.
Michael Beaumont
So, I got this really as a 40th anniversary wedding present, but, er…, wife said 'that's a bit
different from the box of chocolates that she was going to get me' [laughter]… I think it came
as a bit of a shock for her when I told her I'd actually bought them, but, no, she's accepted
them and she likes them as much as I do.
English country to experience a bit of life in rural Cambridgeshire.
Only 76 km from London the city of Cambridge is in the heart of the
countryside of east England. Cambridge is well known for its university but the
area has a thriving rural as well as academic community.
In today's programme we're going to hear from one member of this community,
Michael Beaumont, a butcher from the Cambridgeshire town of Fulbourn. As
well as being a butcher he has now diversified into cattle production – what
reason does he give for this development?
Michael Beaumont
Right, I'm Michael Beaumont, I'm the local butcher in Fulbourn. About nine years ago we had
a supermarket come quite close to us and to sustain our butchery business, we've gone into
cattle production.
Callum: He moved into cattle production so he could 'sustain' the butchery business – so
he could continue the business and make it successful. A supermarket had
opened near him which was a threat to his business so he had to do something
more than just being a butcher. Listen again.
Michael Beaumont
About nine years ago we had a supermarket come quite close to us and to sustain our butchery
business, we've gone into cattle production.
Callum: He goes on to talk about why having his own cattle is an advantage over what
he calls the 'big boys' the supermarkets.
Michael Beaumont
Why we've survived is because we're doing something different to what the supermarkets are.
We can prove that all of our… we've got full traceability on all these cattle. They're all
locally produced etcetera. So, it's a way forward for us as a small butcher's shop competing
with the big boys.
Callum: Producing his own cattle means that the customers know the meat is locally
produced – they have full traceability – they can trace the meant to a particular
cow – essentially this means that they know exactly where the meat has come
from. This is something that you can't tell in a supermarket so as he says, it's a
way forward for them a small butcher's shop. Listen again.
Michael Beaumont
Why we've survived is because we're doing something different to what the supermarkets are.
We can prove that all of our… we've got full traceability on all these cattle. They're all
locally produced etcetera. So, it's a way forward for us as a small butcher's shop competing
with the big boys.
Callum: Michael Beaumont was brought on a farm and has farming in his blood. He
developed an interest in cattle at agricultural college and in a way although
they are competition he thinks the supermarkets have given him a chance to
become more involved in what he really loves doing. What does he say he is
passionate about?
With my agricultural college experience I was always interested in cattle and, in one way, the
supermarket has done me a favour because it's letting me do something else that I really like
to do. I'm passionate about both of them; I'm passionate about how the animals are raised,
what they're fed on, their welfare and also passionate about the meat I sell.
Callum: He says he is passionate about how the animals are raised – how they are fed,
cared for and looked after. He is also passionate about the meat that he sells.
Michael now introduces us to his cattle. The collective noun for cattle is 'herd'
and Michael talks about how he got his herd of Limousin cows. He says he
bought them as a present but for which celebration in his life?
These are a pedigree herd of Limousin; a small herd I've just acquired. The people who had
got them had got about three or four different herds and they wanted to get rid of this one.
So, I got this really as a 40th anniversary wedding present, but, er…, wife said 'that's a bit
different from the box of chocolates that she was going to get me' [laughter]… I think it came
as a bit of a shock for her when I told her I'd actually bought them, but, no, she's accepted
them and she likes them as much as I do.
Callum: He got the herd from another farmer who had three or four herds already and
wanted to get rid of one. To get rid of something means to not have something
anymore – so it could mean to throw something away or sell it, here it means to
sell. Michael bought the herd as a 40 wedding anniversary present! Aah, a
true romantic. How did his wife feel about this? Listen again.
Michael Beaumont
So, I got this really as a 40th anniversary wedding present, but, er…, wife said 'that's a bit
different from the box of chocolates that she was going to get me' [laughter]… I think it came
as a bit of a shock for her when I told her I'd actually bought them, but, no, she's accepted
them and she likes them as much as I do.
London Film Festival
This year welcomes The Times newspapers' 50 BFI London Film Festival!
This British Film Institute festival is a truly international affair that focuses on
great films rather than marketing big Hollywood movies.
Hello, I'm Yvonne Archer and you're listening to Entertainment from
bbclearningenglish.com!
Sandra Hebron is the artistic director of the London Film Festival and in an
interview for the BBC World Service, she talks about the international nature
of the festival – particularly this year, its 50th. Listen out for the countries
Sandra mentions…
INSERT - SANDRA HEBRON
One of the best things the festival can do is to say that there is originality and creativity to be
found literally around the globe. I think one of the things that I would say about this year is
that we are still seeing really amazing work being produced from Latin America. I think
Argentina continues to be really strong, you know, we have the new film by Pablo Trapero,
we have Adrian Caetano's new film - something like 7 or 8 really strong new films from
Argentina.
Mexico too is emerging too as very much one of the leading Latin American cinemas. I think
that East Asia continues to be very strong. We're very happy obviously to have “Still Life” -
Jia Zhangke's Venice winning film. But there are films from Japan, Korea - actually, two or
three films from the Philippines this year too, which is really a sort of new thing that we're
seeing. So a very kind of, a very diverse spread of work from really a huge range of countries.
Yvonne: Wow, that's a pretty impressive list of countries - and many of them have
more than one film to be shown during the London Film Festival. But how
many of those countries did you manage to catch? Sandra Hebron mentioned
Argentina and Mexico as Latin American countries and there was Japan,
Korea and the Philippines from Asia. But did you notice any of the
adjectives that Sandra used to describe those films – which she obviously
thinks are worth seeing? They're adjectives that you might come across in film
reviews. See how many of them you can catch as we hear from Sandra
again…
INSERT - SANDRA HEBRON
One of the best things the festival can do is to say that there is originality and creativity to be
found literally around the globe. I think one of the things that I would say about this year is
that we are still seeing really amazing work being produced from Latin America. I think
Argentina continues to be really strong, you know, we have the new film by Pablo Trapero,
we have Adrian Caetano's new film - something like 7 or 8 really strong new films from
Argentina.
Mexico too is emerging too as very much one of the leading Latin American cinemas. I think
that East Asia continues to be very strong. We're very happy obviously to have “Still Life” -
Jia Zhangke's Venice winning film. But there are films from Japan, Korea - actually, two or
three films from the Philippines this year too, which is really a sort of new thing that we're
seeing. So a very kind of, a very diverse spread of work from really a huge range of countries.
Yvonne: How did you get on? We heard 'originality', 'creativity', 'amazing' and we
heard 'really strong' more than once. There was also 'leading' – as Sandra
described Mexico as 'one of the leading Latin American cinemas' – so Mexico
is producing some of the best films from the Latin American area. And you
may have noticed Sandra's last comment that there's 'a very diverse spread of
work' – meaning that there's a very large variety of films to be shown during
th
The Times 50 BFI London Film Festival!
INSERT - SANDRA HEBRON
A very diverse spread of work from really a huge range of countries.
Yvonne: As there are so many great films to see during the Film Festival, it's almost
impossible to see them all. So how do we decide which films are worth seeing?
BBC Learning English's Alice Castle has attended the Berlin Film Festival, the
Karlovy Vary Film Festival in Prague and of course, the London Film Festival.
And Alice has also written several film reviews. Here she is with some tips on
how to choose our films:
This British Film Institute festival is a truly international affair that focuses on
great films rather than marketing big Hollywood movies.
Hello, I'm Yvonne Archer and you're listening to Entertainment from
bbclearningenglish.com!
Sandra Hebron is the artistic director of the London Film Festival and in an
interview for the BBC World Service, she talks about the international nature
of the festival – particularly this year, its 50th. Listen out for the countries
Sandra mentions…
INSERT - SANDRA HEBRON
One of the best things the festival can do is to say that there is originality and creativity to be
found literally around the globe. I think one of the things that I would say about this year is
that we are still seeing really amazing work being produced from Latin America. I think
Argentina continues to be really strong, you know, we have the new film by Pablo Trapero,
we have Adrian Caetano's new film - something like 7 or 8 really strong new films from
Argentina.
Mexico too is emerging too as very much one of the leading Latin American cinemas. I think
that East Asia continues to be very strong. We're very happy obviously to have “Still Life” -
Jia Zhangke's Venice winning film. But there are films from Japan, Korea - actually, two or
three films from the Philippines this year too, which is really a sort of new thing that we're
seeing. So a very kind of, a very diverse spread of work from really a huge range of countries.
Yvonne: Wow, that's a pretty impressive list of countries - and many of them have
more than one film to be shown during the London Film Festival. But how
many of those countries did you manage to catch? Sandra Hebron mentioned
Argentina and Mexico as Latin American countries and there was Japan,
Korea and the Philippines from Asia. But did you notice any of the
adjectives that Sandra used to describe those films – which she obviously
thinks are worth seeing? They're adjectives that you might come across in film
reviews. See how many of them you can catch as we hear from Sandra
again…
INSERT - SANDRA HEBRON
One of the best things the festival can do is to say that there is originality and creativity to be
found literally around the globe. I think one of the things that I would say about this year is
that we are still seeing really amazing work being produced from Latin America. I think
Argentina continues to be really strong, you know, we have the new film by Pablo Trapero,
we have Adrian Caetano's new film - something like 7 or 8 really strong new films from
Argentina.
Mexico too is emerging too as very much one of the leading Latin American cinemas. I think
that East Asia continues to be very strong. We're very happy obviously to have “Still Life” -
Jia Zhangke's Venice winning film. But there are films from Japan, Korea - actually, two or
three films from the Philippines this year too, which is really a sort of new thing that we're
seeing. So a very kind of, a very diverse spread of work from really a huge range of countries.
Yvonne: How did you get on? We heard 'originality', 'creativity', 'amazing' and we
heard 'really strong' more than once. There was also 'leading' – as Sandra
described Mexico as 'one of the leading Latin American cinemas' – so Mexico
is producing some of the best films from the Latin American area. And you
may have noticed Sandra's last comment that there's 'a very diverse spread of
work' – meaning that there's a very large variety of films to be shown during
th
The Times 50 BFI London Film Festival!
INSERT - SANDRA HEBRON
A very diverse spread of work from really a huge range of countries.
Yvonne: As there are so many great films to see during the Film Festival, it's almost
impossible to see them all. So how do we decide which films are worth seeing?
BBC Learning English's Alice Castle has attended the Berlin Film Festival, the
Karlovy Vary Film Festival in Prague and of course, the London Film Festival.
And Alice has also written several film reviews. Here she is with some tips on
how to choose our films:
Oxford's Music Talent
Hello, welcome to Entertainment, I'm Jackie Dalton, and today we travel to
the English town of Oxford. Most famous, perhaps, for its University, but it's
not only academic talent that the city has produced. Among the many other
things, it's the birthplace of some very successful music groups and some
great music venues – music venues - places where musicians and bands play.
This week, our reporter Tim Bearder has got on his bicycle and is going to
take us on a tour of some of the best places to see live music in Oxford…
starting with The Jericho Tavern, which was the birthplace of Oxford's
modern indie-rock music scene. As you listen to Tim, try to catch the names
of two famous groups who started out there:
Tim
So here I am at The Jericho Tavern in the wealthy bohemian area of central Oxford. It's
where it was all going on in the early 90's. On a Friday, the band, which later became
Radiohead, played their first gig here in September 1986. Jonny Greenwood, the now
internationally renowned lead guitarist for the band, played harmonica back then. Oh, and
Supergrass also played their first gig here.
Jackie: Did you catch them? Radiohead and Supergrass both played their first gigs
there. A 'gig' – spelt g-i-g is a live music performance. Tim is going to take
us inside the tavern to meet Adrienne, who organises gigs there. As you listen
to her, try to answer this question: Which words does Adrienne use to
describe the venue?
Tim and Adrienne
- Downstairs is a large pub area and upstairs here we go into the legendary back venue and
hopefully Adrienne should be here. Adrienne, hello there!
- Hi there!
- This is the birthplace of Radiohead and Supergrass.
- Yeah, it is. It's a lovely, lovely venue it's got a great vibe, it's got a great atmosphere.
Jackie: Adrienne says it's got a great vibe, a great atmosphere: it feels good to be
there. So, if upcoming local bands today want to perform on the same stage
as Radiohead and Supergrass, can they call up Adrienne and ask her to let
them play? What does she say to this?
Tim and Adrienne
- It's got a great vibe, it's got a great atmosphere.
- So if a local band wanted to take the same hallowed stage that Radiohead and Supergrass
had taken, they could contact you and…
- They've got to be good enough, I'm very picky. It's got a great reputation of having great
bands, you know, and that's what I'm trying to get going again.
Jackie: Well, just being a local band isn't quite enough – they have to be good.
Adrienne says she is picky - picky, which means she won't just accept anyone
she's very fussy about who she chooses to perform and they have to be good.
Next Tim is getting on his bicycle and taking us to another venue – this one is
called the Zodiac. Tim says the Zodiac is an important venue in Oxford –
why?
Tim
The venue is easily the most important place for new music in Oxford. It has two separate
rooms; the downstairs room has a capacity of 350 and the upstairs 450. Oxford's most
famous band, Radiohead, also have a strong association with this venue - as well having
shot the video for Creep here they have also contributed in the past to its upkeep.
Jackie: Did you get the answer? Tim says it's the most important venue for new
music in Oxford. New bands play there. He also mentions that Radio Head
performed in the Zodiac and shot a video there – to 'shoot a video' means to
film it. So where is Tim taking us next?
the English town of Oxford. Most famous, perhaps, for its University, but it's
not only academic talent that the city has produced. Among the many other
things, it's the birthplace of some very successful music groups and some
great music venues – music venues - places where musicians and bands play.
This week, our reporter Tim Bearder has got on his bicycle and is going to
take us on a tour of some of the best places to see live music in Oxford…
starting with The Jericho Tavern, which was the birthplace of Oxford's
modern indie-rock music scene. As you listen to Tim, try to catch the names
of two famous groups who started out there:
Tim
So here I am at The Jericho Tavern in the wealthy bohemian area of central Oxford. It's
where it was all going on in the early 90's. On a Friday, the band, which later became
Radiohead, played their first gig here in September 1986. Jonny Greenwood, the now
internationally renowned lead guitarist for the band, played harmonica back then. Oh, and
Supergrass also played their first gig here.
Jackie: Did you catch them? Radiohead and Supergrass both played their first gigs
there. A 'gig' – spelt g-i-g is a live music performance. Tim is going to take
us inside the tavern to meet Adrienne, who organises gigs there. As you listen
to her, try to answer this question: Which words does Adrienne use to
describe the venue?
Tim and Adrienne
- Downstairs is a large pub area and upstairs here we go into the legendary back venue and
hopefully Adrienne should be here. Adrienne, hello there!
- Hi there!
- This is the birthplace of Radiohead and Supergrass.
- Yeah, it is. It's a lovely, lovely venue it's got a great vibe, it's got a great atmosphere.
Jackie: Adrienne says it's got a great vibe, a great atmosphere: it feels good to be
there. So, if upcoming local bands today want to perform on the same stage
as Radiohead and Supergrass, can they call up Adrienne and ask her to let
them play? What does she say to this?
Tim and Adrienne
- It's got a great vibe, it's got a great atmosphere.
- So if a local band wanted to take the same hallowed stage that Radiohead and Supergrass
had taken, they could contact you and…
- They've got to be good enough, I'm very picky. It's got a great reputation of having great
bands, you know, and that's what I'm trying to get going again.
Jackie: Well, just being a local band isn't quite enough – they have to be good.
Adrienne says she is picky - picky, which means she won't just accept anyone
she's very fussy about who she chooses to perform and they have to be good.
Next Tim is getting on his bicycle and taking us to another venue – this one is
called the Zodiac. Tim says the Zodiac is an important venue in Oxford –
why?
Tim
The venue is easily the most important place for new music in Oxford. It has two separate
rooms; the downstairs room has a capacity of 350 and the upstairs 450. Oxford's most
famous band, Radiohead, also have a strong association with this venue - as well having
shot the video for Creep here they have also contributed in the past to its upkeep.
Jackie: Did you get the answer? Tim says it's the most important venue for new
music in Oxford. New bands play there. He also mentions that Radio Head
performed in the Zodiac and shot a video there – to 'shoot a video' means to
film it. So where is Tim taking us next?
Food
Hello, I’m Callum Robertson and this is Entertainment. Our topic today isfilms and film festivals. You may have heard of the Venice Film Festival andthe Cannes Film Festival, glamorous occasions with A-list celebrities from themovie world turning out to promote their latest projects. A festival you mightnot know is the Portobello Film Festival which is currently taking place inPortobello an area of West London. It’s had its own independent film festivalfor a number of years and to learn more about it I spoke to the festival’sdirector Jonathan Barnett. I first asked him when and how it started.
Jonathan BarnettWell it started in 1996 because even back in those days there were people making very lowbudget films often using video equipment and there wasn’t really anywhere for them to showtheir films so we thought it would be nice to provide a platform for these filmmakers. We hadthe mad idea at the time of showing every film that was submitted and we also decided not tocharge because I suppose at heart we weren’t rabid capitalists.
Callum: It started in 1996 as a way of giving independent filmmakers somewhere toshow their films. As Jonathan said, to give them a platform. These films hedescribed as low-budget films which means they were made without verymuch money. He also talked about their policy on which films to show in thefestival. He uses the word submitted, the past participle of the verb ‘to submit’.
In this case it means to send in. People send in or submit films to the festivalorganisers hoping they will be part of the festival. Which films does Jonathansay they show and how much do the filmmakers have to pay to submit theirfilms? Listen again.
Jonathan BarnettWe had the mad idea at the time of showing every film that was submitted and we alsodecided not to charge because I suppose at heart we weren’t rabid capitalists.
Callum: Jonathan says that they show every film that is submitted. They also decidednot to charge. So it’s free for filmmakers to submit their films and it’s also freefor people to go and see the films during the. This he describes as a ‘mad idea’
but he explains it by saying that they are not ‘rabid capitalists’ which meansthey are not doing it to make money. After hearing this I wondered just howmany films are being shown and where they do get the money from to run thefestival. Listen out for that information. How many films are being shown andhow do they manage to pay for it? He mentions some sources of funding fromdifferent organisations, but what else does he mention is a financial support?
Jonathan BarnettThis year we’re showing 700 films. The money comes in from funding, we get money frompeople like Film London and the Arts Council and also we get a lot of ‘in kind’ support fromsponsors. So we don’t have to pay for advertising, we don’t have to pay for launch parties, wedon’t have to pay for prizes.
Callum: 700 films are being shown this year and as well as receiving money fromdifferent arts and local organisations the festival gets ‘in kind’ support fromsponsors. This means that sponsors of the festival get publicity from theirinvolvement with it and therefore don’t charge for the goods and services theyprovide.
Over the first three weeks of August 700 films are being shown as part of thePortobello Film Festival. What kind of films can be seen? Are they just shortstudent films or does the festival attract big names as well? Here’s festivaldirector Jonathan Barnett.
Jonathan BarnettThe actual films we’re showing are a lot better than anything you’ll see mostly on the tele orin the multiplexes and it’s everything from student films and we also get stuff from topfilmmakers like, for instance, John Malkovich. So I think because we’re a festival that has areputation for a certain amount of integrity and also being a little bit out on a limb we attractthe big names as well as people who are just starting out. The first year of the festival we hadGuy Ritchie’s first film which was called the Hard Case, which was fantastic, it’s exactly thesame as Lock Stock and Snatch but he was kind of formulating his ideas and it was a shortfilm.
Callum: Jonathan believes there is a very high quality of films from ne Yvonne: In the past, English food has often been described as boring and tasteless. Buttimes have certainly changed and now many restaurants, particularly inLondon, serve interesting dishes – and people enjoy cooking delicious mealsfor their friends. So now, English food is officially delicious – or is it?
Jonathan BarnettWell it started in 1996 because even back in those days there were people making very lowbudget films often using video equipment and there wasn’t really anywhere for them to showtheir films so we thought it would be nice to provide a platform for these filmmakers. We hadthe mad idea at the time of showing every film that was submitted and we also decided not tocharge because I suppose at heart we weren’t rabid capitalists.
Callum: It started in 1996 as a way of giving independent filmmakers somewhere toshow their films. As Jonathan said, to give them a platform. These films hedescribed as low-budget films which means they were made without verymuch money. He also talked about their policy on which films to show in thefestival. He uses the word submitted, the past participle of the verb ‘to submit’.
In this case it means to send in. People send in or submit films to the festivalorganisers hoping they will be part of the festival. Which films does Jonathansay they show and how much do the filmmakers have to pay to submit theirfilms? Listen again.
Jonathan BarnettWe had the mad idea at the time of showing every film that was submitted and we alsodecided not to charge because I suppose at heart we weren’t rabid capitalists.
Callum: Jonathan says that they show every film that is submitted. They also decidednot to charge. So it’s free for filmmakers to submit their films and it’s also freefor people to go and see the films during the. This he describes as a ‘mad idea’
but he explains it by saying that they are not ‘rabid capitalists’ which meansthey are not doing it to make money. After hearing this I wondered just howmany films are being shown and where they do get the money from to run thefestival. Listen out for that information. How many films are being shown andhow do they manage to pay for it? He mentions some sources of funding fromdifferent organisations, but what else does he mention is a financial support?
Jonathan BarnettThis year we’re showing 700 films. The money comes in from funding, we get money frompeople like Film London and the Arts Council and also we get a lot of ‘in kind’ support fromsponsors. So we don’t have to pay for advertising, we don’t have to pay for launch parties, wedon’t have to pay for prizes.
Callum: 700 films are being shown this year and as well as receiving money fromdifferent arts and local organisations the festival gets ‘in kind’ support fromsponsors. This means that sponsors of the festival get publicity from theirinvolvement with it and therefore don’t charge for the goods and services theyprovide.
Over the first three weeks of August 700 films are being shown as part of thePortobello Film Festival. What kind of films can be seen? Are they just shortstudent films or does the festival attract big names as well? Here’s festivaldirector Jonathan Barnett.
Jonathan BarnettThe actual films we’re showing are a lot better than anything you’ll see mostly on the tele orin the multiplexes and it’s everything from student films and we also get stuff from topfilmmakers like, for instance, John Malkovich. So I think because we’re a festival that has areputation for a certain amount of integrity and also being a little bit out on a limb we attractthe big names as well as people who are just starting out. The first year of the festival we hadGuy Ritchie’s first film which was called the Hard Case, which was fantastic, it’s exactly thesame as Lock Stock and Snatch but he was kind of formulating his ideas and it was a shortfilm.
Callum: Jonathan believes there is a very high quality of films from ne Yvonne: In the past, English food has often been described as boring and tasteless. Buttimes have certainly changed and now many restaurants, particularly inLondon, serve interesting dishes – and people enjoy cooking delicious mealsfor their friends. So now, English food is officially delicious – or is it?
Bond, James Bond
This week sees the release of the 21 Bond film, Casino Royale and it's the
first film to star actor Daniel Craig as the British Secret Service spy 007.
James Bond was the creation of author Ian Fleming who wrote 13 Bond novels
as well as a number of short stories featuring Bond between 1953 and 1964, the
year in which he died. Fleming had worked in intelligence during the Second
World War and this was the background and experience he called upon in his
books.
Ian Fleming was also a keen ornithologist, an ornithologist is someone whose
hobby is watching birds, and he wrote most of his books in his house in the
West Indian island of Jamaica. He took the name of the character James Bond,
from the real name of a writer of a book called 'Birds of the West Indies'.
It's one of the many pieces of Bond trivia that in the film Die Another Day the
actor Pierce Brosnan, playing Bond, is seen holding a copy of the book while
pretending to be an ornithologist.
Pierce Brosnan was the fifth actor to play the role of the super spy and as the
actors have had to change over the years, so have the plot lines and stories.
The world is a very different place to what is was in 1962 when the first Bond
film Dr. No was released and the films have reflected that and evolved and
reflected contemporary events. Here's writer and critic Kim Newman. How
does he describe the way the Bond movies have dealt with issues from the real
world?
Kim Newman
Over the years Bond's dealt with whatever we've dealt with in the real world but in a slightly
inflated, exaggerated way. I'm going back into the books in the 50s, they start dealing with
communism, that's the big trouble. In the 1960s it's out of control technological maniacs and
we've had a few attempts to do mercenaries, drug dealers, arms dealers, sort of more realistic
villains and now I suppose we're going to have to look forward to Bond going up against
terrorists.
Callum: He said that the issues of the real world have been dealt with in a slightly
inflated and exaggerated way. An inflated and exaggerated way which means
larger than life, more dramatic than reality. A few of the things mentioned are
communism, technological maniacs – people with advanced technology who
have mad plans to take over the world, technological maniacs. There have also
been attempts in the films to deal with more realistic issues such as drug
dealers, arms dealers, people who sell weapons and mercenaries. A mercenary
is a soldier who works not for a country but for whoever pays him, a hired
soldier – a mercenary. He says that now Bond will have to face the threat of
terrorism. He will have to 'go up against' terrorists. To 'go up against' is a
multi-word verb which means to confront, to challenge and fight, to go up
against. Listen again
Kim Newman
Over the years Bond's dealt with whatever we've dealt with in the real world but in a slightly
inflated, exaggerated way. I'm going back into the books in the 50s, they start dealing with
communism, that's the big trouble. In the 1960s it's out of control technological maniacs and
we've had a few attempts to do mercenaries, drug dealers, arms dealers, sort of more realistic
villains and now I suppose we're going to have to look forward to Bond going up against
terrorists.
Callum: Over the years Bond has covered the cold war, the space race, nuclear threats
and dangers connected with the rise of information technology. The films have
become well-known for special effects and special gadgets – gadgets, tools and
devices that Bond uses like the watch with a laser built in, the invisible car and
exploding toothpaste.
first film to star actor Daniel Craig as the British Secret Service spy 007.
James Bond was the creation of author Ian Fleming who wrote 13 Bond novels
as well as a number of short stories featuring Bond between 1953 and 1964, the
year in which he died. Fleming had worked in intelligence during the Second
World War and this was the background and experience he called upon in his
books.
Ian Fleming was also a keen ornithologist, an ornithologist is someone whose
hobby is watching birds, and he wrote most of his books in his house in the
West Indian island of Jamaica. He took the name of the character James Bond,
from the real name of a writer of a book called 'Birds of the West Indies'.
It's one of the many pieces of Bond trivia that in the film Die Another Day the
actor Pierce Brosnan, playing Bond, is seen holding a copy of the book while
pretending to be an ornithologist.
Pierce Brosnan was the fifth actor to play the role of the super spy and as the
actors have had to change over the years, so have the plot lines and stories.
The world is a very different place to what is was in 1962 when the first Bond
film Dr. No was released and the films have reflected that and evolved and
reflected contemporary events. Here's writer and critic Kim Newman. How
does he describe the way the Bond movies have dealt with issues from the real
world?
Kim Newman
Over the years Bond's dealt with whatever we've dealt with in the real world but in a slightly
inflated, exaggerated way. I'm going back into the books in the 50s, they start dealing with
communism, that's the big trouble. In the 1960s it's out of control technological maniacs and
we've had a few attempts to do mercenaries, drug dealers, arms dealers, sort of more realistic
villains and now I suppose we're going to have to look forward to Bond going up against
terrorists.
Callum: He said that the issues of the real world have been dealt with in a slightly
inflated and exaggerated way. An inflated and exaggerated way which means
larger than life, more dramatic than reality. A few of the things mentioned are
communism, technological maniacs – people with advanced technology who
have mad plans to take over the world, technological maniacs. There have also
been attempts in the films to deal with more realistic issues such as drug
dealers, arms dealers, people who sell weapons and mercenaries. A mercenary
is a soldier who works not for a country but for whoever pays him, a hired
soldier – a mercenary. He says that now Bond will have to face the threat of
terrorism. He will have to 'go up against' terrorists. To 'go up against' is a
multi-word verb which means to confront, to challenge and fight, to go up
against. Listen again
Kim Newman
Over the years Bond's dealt with whatever we've dealt with in the real world but in a slightly
inflated, exaggerated way. I'm going back into the books in the 50s, they start dealing with
communism, that's the big trouble. In the 1960s it's out of control technological maniacs and
we've had a few attempts to do mercenaries, drug dealers, arms dealers, sort of more realistic
villains and now I suppose we're going to have to look forward to Bond going up against
terrorists.
Callum: Over the years Bond has covered the cold war, the space race, nuclear threats
and dangers connected with the rise of information technology. The films have
become well-known for special effects and special gadgets – gadgets, tools and
devices that Bond uses like the watch with a laser built in, the invisible car and
exploding toothpaste.
The science of attraction
Hello, I'm Callum Robertson and this is Entertainment.
Today we're talking about love. Love is one of the strongest emotions there is
and that's usually how we think of it, as an emotion. Love is the topic of many
many songs, poems, plays, films, paintings, greetings cards, t-shirts. As a
famous song says, love is all around us.
But, is there more to love than emotion? Have you ever wondered why we are
we attracted to some people and not to others? Here's psychologist Dr. Glenn
Wilson. What does he think? – Is there a science to love?
Dr. Glenn Wilson
There certainly is, there are some rules in the sense of scientific rules. One is the 'similarity
principle' that other things being equal we like people who are rather similar to ourselves.
Callum: Yes, he does think there are some scientific rules to love and attraction. What is
one of the rules he mentions? Listen again.
Dr. Glenn Wilson
There are some rules in the sense of scientific rules. One is the 'similarity principle' that other
things being equal we like people who are rather similar to ourselves.
Callum: Dr. Wilson talks of the 'similarity principle'. The idea that we like people who
are similar to ourselves. He goes on to explain more, what particular feature
does he say we look for similarity in?
Dr. Glenn Wilson
Generally speaking we choose the eye colour that is similar to ourselves but we would also go
for an eye colour that matches our opposite sex parent more than our same sex parent as
though we are using the opposite sex parent as a kind of a blueprint for what it is that will
attract us.
Callum: So, apparently eye colour is important too. We choose people with similar eye
colours or even people whose eyes are similar to those of our opposite sex
parent's. So, in other words, for a woman that's eyes which are similar to her
father's and for a man similar to his mother's.
That's one of the subconscious rules of attraction. Subconscious – it's not
something we think about when we see someone, we don't think – ah ah she's
got eyes like mine, I think I love her!
So what are some of the other subconscious rules of attraction? Here's Doctor
Glenn Wilson again with Chris Evans from BBC Radio. What is the principle
that he mentions?
Dr. Glenn Wilson
There are some principles, symmetry, for example, that is having one of everything down the
middle and two of everything down the side, is very important, and if the two sides match
each other perfectly, if the mirror images would fold over on top perfectly then that person is
more likely to be attractive because it implies a healthy development.
Callum: In that part of the interview he mentioned the principle of symmetry – if the
left hand and right hand side of the face are symmetrical, if they are like a
mirror image then that makes that person more attractive. Buy why is that?
Listen again.
Dr. Glenn Wilson
that person is more likely to be attractive because it implies a healthy development.
Callum: Having symmetrical features implies a healthy development, a healthy
development. This is one of the sub-conscious things which makes us find
people attractive. And finding someone who looks healthy is important because
subconsciously we are looking for a partner who can produce strong and
healthy offspring. Offspring is another word for children and as with animals in
the wild our instincts are to mate, to mate, to produce off spring.
Something that is often said is that opposites attract. It's certainly true for
magnets, but what about people? In the next section from the interview with Dr.
Wilson he talks about pheromones and the immune system. Pheromones are
chemicals which humans and animals produce. These chemicals can't be smelt,
but they are detected by others and can affect the way they behave. The
immune system is part of the body's natural defences. It's the system that fights
off diseases.
Today we're talking about love. Love is one of the strongest emotions there is
and that's usually how we think of it, as an emotion. Love is the topic of many
many songs, poems, plays, films, paintings, greetings cards, t-shirts. As a
famous song says, love is all around us.
But, is there more to love than emotion? Have you ever wondered why we are
we attracted to some people and not to others? Here's psychologist Dr. Glenn
Wilson. What does he think? – Is there a science to love?
Dr. Glenn Wilson
There certainly is, there are some rules in the sense of scientific rules. One is the 'similarity
principle' that other things being equal we like people who are rather similar to ourselves.
Callum: Yes, he does think there are some scientific rules to love and attraction. What is
one of the rules he mentions? Listen again.
Dr. Glenn Wilson
There are some rules in the sense of scientific rules. One is the 'similarity principle' that other
things being equal we like people who are rather similar to ourselves.
Callum: Dr. Wilson talks of the 'similarity principle'. The idea that we like people who
are similar to ourselves. He goes on to explain more, what particular feature
does he say we look for similarity in?
Dr. Glenn Wilson
Generally speaking we choose the eye colour that is similar to ourselves but we would also go
for an eye colour that matches our opposite sex parent more than our same sex parent as
though we are using the opposite sex parent as a kind of a blueprint for what it is that will
attract us.
Callum: So, apparently eye colour is important too. We choose people with similar eye
colours or even people whose eyes are similar to those of our opposite sex
parent's. So, in other words, for a woman that's eyes which are similar to her
father's and for a man similar to his mother's.
That's one of the subconscious rules of attraction. Subconscious – it's not
something we think about when we see someone, we don't think – ah ah she's
got eyes like mine, I think I love her!
So what are some of the other subconscious rules of attraction? Here's Doctor
Glenn Wilson again with Chris Evans from BBC Radio. What is the principle
that he mentions?
Dr. Glenn Wilson
There are some principles, symmetry, for example, that is having one of everything down the
middle and two of everything down the side, is very important, and if the two sides match
each other perfectly, if the mirror images would fold over on top perfectly then that person is
more likely to be attractive because it implies a healthy development.
Callum: In that part of the interview he mentioned the principle of symmetry – if the
left hand and right hand side of the face are symmetrical, if they are like a
mirror image then that makes that person more attractive. Buy why is that?
Listen again.
Dr. Glenn Wilson
that person is more likely to be attractive because it implies a healthy development.
Callum: Having symmetrical features implies a healthy development, a healthy
development. This is one of the sub-conscious things which makes us find
people attractive. And finding someone who looks healthy is important because
subconsciously we are looking for a partner who can produce strong and
healthy offspring. Offspring is another word for children and as with animals in
the wild our instincts are to mate, to mate, to produce off spring.
Something that is often said is that opposites attract. It's certainly true for
magnets, but what about people? In the next section from the interview with Dr.
Wilson he talks about pheromones and the immune system. Pheromones are
chemicals which humans and animals produce. These chemicals can't be smelt,
but they are detected by others and can affect the way they behave. The
immune system is part of the body's natural defences. It's the system that fights
off diseases.
Casino Royale
We'll hear the views of BBC film reviewer Mark Kermode and as I've seen itmyself you'll also hear what I think.aI was eagerly anticipating Casino Royale. I'm not a huge James Bond fan butthe prospect of a new actor playing Bond and rumours of a more realistic plotmade it an easy choice for cinema-going last weekend.
The problems with some of the previous Bond movies are that they becamerather fantastic and unbelievable. Fantasy stories of world domination andridiculous gadgets like invisible cars were a far cry from Ian Flemings originalspy novels of the 1950s and 60s. It was time for Bond to come back down toearth and this is what Casino Royale does.
stCasino Royale is the 21 Bond film but you have to forget all of the others.
The plot of this film takes place when James Bond is only starting out on hiscareer as 007.
His mission in the film is to win a game of cards which for financial reasonswill force his opponent in the game, a terrorist banker, to work for the secretservice and give them information about his terrorist clients.
James bond is famously 'licensed to kill' which means he has officialpermission from the government to kill and in this film we see his first kills.
There are chases and fights, he gets hurt and tortured and even falls in love.
And in this film more than the others you do see Bond getting really hurt. Hisface is cut and bruised after his fights and he even ends up having to use awheel chair in one scene after he has been tortured in a way that brings tear tothe eye of every man watching.
This is what BBC film reviewer Mark Kermode thinks is one of the best thingsabout this Bond film.
Mark KermodeActually for me the main achievement of this new Bond film is exactly that, you do feel it,you do feel the pain, you do feel the batterings, you do feel the violence and in one lengthysequence you do feel the torture. There is, as most people probably know by now a sequencein it in which a naked James Bond is tortured for information which he being James Bond isnot going to give up. It's not played for camp laughs, it's played fairly straight, it's tough.
It is a movie in which people get battered about, they fall off cranes, they do all the JamesBond stuff but they actually get injured and centrally, Daniel Craig gets injured. I can'tremember a more battered looking Bond. I mean I think that Daniel Craig is great ….
Callum: Mark thinks Daniel Craig is great and feels that unusually for a Bond movie wedo feel the physical violence and its effects on James Bond's body.
The film isn't perfect though. It does have really blatant product placement.
Product placement, this is the term that describes when companies pay to havetheir products in a film. So in this film everyone uses the same make of mobilephone, Bond frequently uses a particular model of laptop computer and in allcases the branding is clearly visible. In one scene Bond even says the kind ofwatch he wears. Produce placement is part of many films these days, but I can'tremember seeing one is which it is so obvious.
This wasn't the only problem with the film though. Here's Mark Kermode again,what criticism does he have of the film?
Mark KermodeWell, I would say, my criticisms of the film are this, it is undoubtedly 20 minutes too long.
Towards the end, in the latter section it did really start to sag for me, and also I have to say Iwas slightly less than interested by the love interest.
Callum: So Mark felt the film could have been shorter and for him the love story didn'treally work. He said towards the end the film started to sag, to sag, to slowdown too much.
Casino Royale has many of the features of traditional bond films, beautifulwomen, fast cars, chases and fights but it uses those features in a tougher way.
Bond is a real person, he can be hurt physically and emotionally.
The problems with some of the previous Bond movies are that they becamerather fantastic and unbelievable. Fantasy stories of world domination andridiculous gadgets like invisible cars were a far cry from Ian Flemings originalspy novels of the 1950s and 60s. It was time for Bond to come back down toearth and this is what Casino Royale does.
stCasino Royale is the 21 Bond film but you have to forget all of the others.
The plot of this film takes place when James Bond is only starting out on hiscareer as 007.
His mission in the film is to win a game of cards which for financial reasonswill force his opponent in the game, a terrorist banker, to work for the secretservice and give them information about his terrorist clients.
James bond is famously 'licensed to kill' which means he has officialpermission from the government to kill and in this film we see his first kills.
There are chases and fights, he gets hurt and tortured and even falls in love.
And in this film more than the others you do see Bond getting really hurt. Hisface is cut and bruised after his fights and he even ends up having to use awheel chair in one scene after he has been tortured in a way that brings tear tothe eye of every man watching.
This is what BBC film reviewer Mark Kermode thinks is one of the best thingsabout this Bond film.
Mark KermodeActually for me the main achievement of this new Bond film is exactly that, you do feel it,you do feel the pain, you do feel the batterings, you do feel the violence and in one lengthysequence you do feel the torture. There is, as most people probably know by now a sequencein it in which a naked James Bond is tortured for information which he being James Bond isnot going to give up. It's not played for camp laughs, it's played fairly straight, it's tough.
It is a movie in which people get battered about, they fall off cranes, they do all the JamesBond stuff but they actually get injured and centrally, Daniel Craig gets injured. I can'tremember a more battered looking Bond. I mean I think that Daniel Craig is great ….
Callum: Mark thinks Daniel Craig is great and feels that unusually for a Bond movie wedo feel the physical violence and its effects on James Bond's body.
The film isn't perfect though. It does have really blatant product placement.
Product placement, this is the term that describes when companies pay to havetheir products in a film. So in this film everyone uses the same make of mobilephone, Bond frequently uses a particular model of laptop computer and in allcases the branding is clearly visible. In one scene Bond even says the kind ofwatch he wears. Produce placement is part of many films these days, but I can'tremember seeing one is which it is so obvious.
This wasn't the only problem with the film though. Here's Mark Kermode again,what criticism does he have of the film?
Mark KermodeWell, I would say, my criticisms of the film are this, it is undoubtedly 20 minutes too long.
Towards the end, in the latter section it did really start to sag for me, and also I have to say Iwas slightly less than interested by the love interest.
Callum: So Mark felt the film could have been shorter and for him the love story didn'treally work. He said towards the end the film started to sag, to sag, to slowdown too much.
Casino Royale has many of the features of traditional bond films, beautifulwomen, fast cars, chases and fights but it uses those features in a tougher way.
Bond is a real person, he can be hurt physically and emotionally.
Brick Lane
Hello! You're listening to Entertainment from bbclearningenglish.com – and
I'm Yvonne Archer.
Today, we find out about a very abrupt ending to the making of a film that's
based on a prize winning book by author Monica Ali. The book is about a
young woman who comes to live in ”Brick Lane“, East London, after her
arranged marriage. The movie version of the book was being filmed in and
around Brick Lane but several people weren't happy. As you listen to this
short but rather fast BBC Radio London news clip, try to catch the expression
that's used to mean that filming has suddenly stopped…
BBC London newsclip
A protest is taking place in East London against the film being made of the prize winning
book ”Brick Lane“. Film Four, who are making the production, have pulled out of filming
in the area because of local feeling. But the protest will still go ahead.
Yvonne: The filmmakers have 'pulled out' of filming in the Brick Lane area – they've
stopped filming there despite their plans. Listen again to find out who is
protesting against the filming of ”Brick Lane“ in that area and what phrase
does the news reader use to tell us that?
BBC London newsclip
Film Four, who are making the production, have pulled out of filming in the area because of
local feeling. But the protest will still go ahead.
Yvonne: People who live and work locally were upset and offended by the movie being
filmed in the Brick Lane area, so, as we heard, the company have stopped
filming there - 'because of local feeling'. So if the filming has stopped,
why haven't the protests stopped? Try to work that out as we hear part of a
telephone call with the organiser of the protest, Abdus Salique…
Abdus Salique, campaign organiser
She said something not true about us in the book and we've got a right to protest these things,
you know, because this is not right. What she said about our history through her characters,
she's imaging the things in the head.
Yvonne: According to Abdus Salique, Monica Ali's characters say things that seem to
be historical facts, but they're not actually true. He says those things have
been imagined by Monica and so the protest continues. In fact, we
understand that this protest is part of a campaign to stop the film from being
made at all.
Of course, many copies of ”Brick Lane“ have been sold and Monica's writing
has received praise as well as complaints. An article in the Guardian
newspaper calls her book 'a disgrace' – disrespectful and embarrassing. Let's
find out why and how Monica reacts to that criticism…
Monica Ali, author ”Brick Lane“
I think the Guardian newspaper said that the book was a disgrace because although it's true
that 50,000 Sylhetis live in Tower Hamlets in overcrowded conditions, I shouldn't have
written about that. I should have written about some other successful Sylhetis, a region of
Bangladesh, who've got big houses and swimming pools and so on. Which is - that's a book
for somebody else to write if they wish to!
Yvonne: Brick Lane is in the East London borough of Tower Hamlets and there are
often too many Bangladeshis having to live in each house or flat. But Monica
Ali's book ”Brick Lane“ is described as a disgrace because she chose to write
about those people in her book rather than about the Bangladeshis who are
much more successful and rich. And did you catch Monica's response to that
suggestion? Here's a little more of it:
Monica Ali, author ”Brick Lane“
That's a book for somebody else to write if they wish to! You have to be free to write the
truth about the world as you see it otherwise there's no point in writing.
I'm Yvonne Archer.
Today, we find out about a very abrupt ending to the making of a film that's
based on a prize winning book by author Monica Ali. The book is about a
young woman who comes to live in ”Brick Lane“, East London, after her
arranged marriage. The movie version of the book was being filmed in and
around Brick Lane but several people weren't happy. As you listen to this
short but rather fast BBC Radio London news clip, try to catch the expression
that's used to mean that filming has suddenly stopped…
BBC London newsclip
A protest is taking place in East London against the film being made of the prize winning
book ”Brick Lane“. Film Four, who are making the production, have pulled out of filming
in the area because of local feeling. But the protest will still go ahead.
Yvonne: The filmmakers have 'pulled out' of filming in the Brick Lane area – they've
stopped filming there despite their plans. Listen again to find out who is
protesting against the filming of ”Brick Lane“ in that area and what phrase
does the news reader use to tell us that?
BBC London newsclip
Film Four, who are making the production, have pulled out of filming in the area because of
local feeling. But the protest will still go ahead.
Yvonne: People who live and work locally were upset and offended by the movie being
filmed in the Brick Lane area, so, as we heard, the company have stopped
filming there - 'because of local feeling'. So if the filming has stopped,
why haven't the protests stopped? Try to work that out as we hear part of a
telephone call with the organiser of the protest, Abdus Salique…
Abdus Salique, campaign organiser
She said something not true about us in the book and we've got a right to protest these things,
you know, because this is not right. What she said about our history through her characters,
she's imaging the things in the head.
Yvonne: According to Abdus Salique, Monica Ali's characters say things that seem to
be historical facts, but they're not actually true. He says those things have
been imagined by Monica and so the protest continues. In fact, we
understand that this protest is part of a campaign to stop the film from being
made at all.
Of course, many copies of ”Brick Lane“ have been sold and Monica's writing
has received praise as well as complaints. An article in the Guardian
newspaper calls her book 'a disgrace' – disrespectful and embarrassing. Let's
find out why and how Monica reacts to that criticism…
Monica Ali, author ”Brick Lane“
I think the Guardian newspaper said that the book was a disgrace because although it's true
that 50,000 Sylhetis live in Tower Hamlets in overcrowded conditions, I shouldn't have
written about that. I should have written about some other successful Sylhetis, a region of
Bangladesh, who've got big houses and swimming pools and so on. Which is - that's a book
for somebody else to write if they wish to!
Yvonne: Brick Lane is in the East London borough of Tower Hamlets and there are
often too many Bangladeshis having to live in each house or flat. But Monica
Ali's book ”Brick Lane“ is described as a disgrace because she chose to write
about those people in her book rather than about the Bangladeshis who are
much more successful and rich. And did you catch Monica's response to that
suggestion? Here's a little more of it:
Monica Ali, author ”Brick Lane“
That's a book for somebody else to write if they wish to! You have to be free to write the
truth about the world as you see it otherwise there's no point in writing.
Filmmaking in the UK
I'm Jo Reffin and on today's entertainment programme on
bbclearningenglish.com, we're talking to someone who works in the film
business.
Samantha Perahia
My name's Samantha Perahia – I work for the UK Film Council, we are a government funded
organisation who are responsible for all aspects of filmmaking in the UK. It is my
responsibility to help anybody who wants to film in the UK – to help with locations, crew,
facilities.
Jo: The UK Film Council is a government funded organisation. So the politicians
running the UK, the government, give money to pay for this organisation to
exist. The Film Council looks after all aspects, all parts of film making in this
country. So Samantha can help with crew – and the film crew are the group of
people who work together on the film – the crew. Then there's the location, the
place where the film is filmed and finally Samantha talks about facilities – so
any equipment or services needed when the films are made like food or parking
for example.
Part of Samantha's job is to get filmmakers to come and make their films in the
UK. So how does she do that?
Samantha Perahia
There are many many countries around the world that have film industries that are important
to their economy and the UK is one of the largest film making industries in the world, second
only to the US so there's lot so of competition for countries that want to draw international
films to their countries, so we have to make it economically attractive first and foremost.
Jo: The film industry is another way of saying the film business. The UK has one
of the biggest filmmaking industries in the world, second only to the US,
America. So second only to the US means the US is the largest and the UK is
the second largest. Samantha says each country is trying to be the most
successful – there's a lot of competition for countries who want to draw or
attract international films to be filmed in their country. To attract people to
make films in the UK, it has to be economically attractive first and foremost.
The most important thing is the UK is a cheaper place to make films.
You're listening to bbclearningenglish.com and we're talking about making
films in the UK. Now how does the UK Film Council help to make the UK
economically attractive to filmmakers?
Samantha Perahia
The way we do that is we have thankfully a film-friendly government who have devised a tax
credit which is to be honest the main reason why people first come to the UK to film second
only to the fact that we have the best facilities, crew and talent around the world.
Jo: Samantha is pleased, thankful, that the UK has a film-friendly government –
the UK government wants films to be made in the UK. They have devised, they
have created a tax credit. Now, Samantha will explain tax credit in a moment.
But this tax credit is the one of the main reasons people come to the UK to
make films and she used that expression 'second only' again. So people come
to make films in the UK because of the tax credit. Samantha says that reason is
second only to the fact that the UK has the best facilities, crew and talent for
making films.
So Samantha, please explain to us what this tax credit actually is? First, here's
some language to help you. Sufficient means enough. A budget is the amount
of money you have to spend on something. A significant amount is an
important, fairly large amount and expenditure means money that you spend.
Samantha Perahia
Films which spend a sufficient amount of their budgets in the UK will be able to get a
significant amount of their expenditure back.
Jo: Everyone has to pay tax to the government - so if you think of money from
your salary or any goods that you buy, some of it will go to the government in
what is called tax. So the tax credit means if filmmakers spend a certain
amount of their budget in the UK, then the UK government will give the
filmmakers some money back.
bbclearningenglish.com, we're talking to someone who works in the film
business.
Samantha Perahia
My name's Samantha Perahia – I work for the UK Film Council, we are a government funded
organisation who are responsible for all aspects of filmmaking in the UK. It is my
responsibility to help anybody who wants to film in the UK – to help with locations, crew,
facilities.
Jo: The UK Film Council is a government funded organisation. So the politicians
running the UK, the government, give money to pay for this organisation to
exist. The Film Council looks after all aspects, all parts of film making in this
country. So Samantha can help with crew – and the film crew are the group of
people who work together on the film – the crew. Then there's the location, the
place where the film is filmed and finally Samantha talks about facilities – so
any equipment or services needed when the films are made like food or parking
for example.
Part of Samantha's job is to get filmmakers to come and make their films in the
UK. So how does she do that?
Samantha Perahia
There are many many countries around the world that have film industries that are important
to their economy and the UK is one of the largest film making industries in the world, second
only to the US so there's lot so of competition for countries that want to draw international
films to their countries, so we have to make it economically attractive first and foremost.
Jo: The film industry is another way of saying the film business. The UK has one
of the biggest filmmaking industries in the world, second only to the US,
America. So second only to the US means the US is the largest and the UK is
the second largest. Samantha says each country is trying to be the most
successful – there's a lot of competition for countries who want to draw or
attract international films to be filmed in their country. To attract people to
make films in the UK, it has to be economically attractive first and foremost.
The most important thing is the UK is a cheaper place to make films.
You're listening to bbclearningenglish.com and we're talking about making
films in the UK. Now how does the UK Film Council help to make the UK
economically attractive to filmmakers?
Samantha Perahia
The way we do that is we have thankfully a film-friendly government who have devised a tax
credit which is to be honest the main reason why people first come to the UK to film second
only to the fact that we have the best facilities, crew and talent around the world.
Jo: Samantha is pleased, thankful, that the UK has a film-friendly government –
the UK government wants films to be made in the UK. They have devised, they
have created a tax credit. Now, Samantha will explain tax credit in a moment.
But this tax credit is the one of the main reasons people come to the UK to
make films and she used that expression 'second only' again. So people come
to make films in the UK because of the tax credit. Samantha says that reason is
second only to the fact that the UK has the best facilities, crew and talent for
making films.
So Samantha, please explain to us what this tax credit actually is? First, here's
some language to help you. Sufficient means enough. A budget is the amount
of money you have to spend on something. A significant amount is an
important, fairly large amount and expenditure means money that you spend.
Samantha Perahia
Films which spend a sufficient amount of their budgets in the UK will be able to get a
significant amount of their expenditure back.
Jo: Everyone has to pay tax to the government - so if you think of money from
your salary or any goods that you buy, some of it will go to the government in
what is called tax. So the tax credit means if filmmakers spend a certain
amount of their budget in the UK, then the UK government will give the
filmmakers some money back.
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