English Today

The Language of Hollywood

A. Reading Comprehension

Photo Credit

What characterizes almost all Hollywood pictures is their inner emptiness. This is compensated for by an outer impressiveness. Such impressiveness usually takes the form of a truly grandiose realism. Nothing is spared to make the setting, the costumes, all of the surface details correct. These efforts help to mask the essential emptiness of the characterization, and the absurdities and trivialities of the plots.

The houses look like houses; the streets look like streets; the people look and talk like people; but they are empty of humanity, credibility, and motivation. Needless to say, the disgraceful censorship code is an important factor in predetermining the content of these pictures. But the code does not disturb the profits, nor the entertainment value of the films. It merely helps to prevent them from being credible.

It isn't too heavy a burden for the industry to bear. In addition to the impressiveness of the settings, there is a use of the camera which at times seems magical. But of what human import is all this skill, all this effort, all this energy in the production of effects, when the story, the representation of life is hollow, stupid, banal, childish?

Excerpt from The Language of Hollywood by James T. Farrel

B. Vocabulary

picture = film, movie

to compensate for = to make up for

Nothing can compensate for the loss of one's health.

to impress = to have a strong influence or effect upon

This book did not impress me at all.

impressive (adj.) = that can cause a strong influence or effect upon

The President made an impressive speech.

impression (noun) = idea, what one thinks of somebody or something

We got the impression that he was avoiding us.

First impressions are often misleading.

impressiveness (noun) = ability to have a strong effect upon

There is an obvious impressiveness in all Harry Potter films.

grandiose (adj.) = splendid, glamorous

They live in a grandiose mansion. (= a large impressive-looking house)

to spare

• show mercy to - The poor man begged the burglars to spare his life.
• afford to give - Can you spare me a few minutes of your time?
• save money or effort - Jane's parents spared no expense on her wedding.

Proverb : "Spare the rod and spoil the child." (= if you never punish a child you'll spoil him)

surface (adj.) = of an outward aspect

I wasn't taken in by her surface politeness.

surface (noun)

• the top layer of an area of water or land - Pieces of trash were floating on the surface of the river
• the outside layer of an object - a frying pan with a non-stick surface
• side of an object - A level surface is never curved.

to mask = to disguise, to hide - He tried hard to mask his embarrassment

absurd (adj.) = illogical, unreasonable - We were asked to pay an absurd sum of money.

trivial (adj.) = not serious, unimportant, superficial - Don't waste your time on trivial matters.

hollow (adj.)

• with an empty space inside - a hollow tree
• unreal, insincere = hollow words / hollow promises

plot = story in a book or action in a film or play - The plot of the play was quite superficial.

credible (adj.) = that you can believe - His story sounds quite credible.

motivation (noun) = power that pushes someone to do something - Without motivation nothing can be achieved in life.

disgraceful (adj.) = not decent, not respectable, shameful - She told him such disgraceful lies. / That was a disgraceful thing to do for the family name.

censorship (noun) = action of examining officially the content of books, plays or films and cutting out anything regarded as immoral

- Books, plays and films should be considered under common law, not under special censorship code.

burden (noun)

• something heavy which is hard to carry - The donkey didn't seem to mind the burden on its back.
• something difficult to bear causing trouble or expense - We're in no position to take on another heavy financial burden.

skill (noun) = ability to do something well - The teacher explained how to develop writing skills.

banal (adj.) = ordinary, usual, not special - Banal essays will bore your reader to death.

factors (noun) = circumstances helping to bring about a result - Consider the factors in the making of a nation.

C. Practice

(a) Answer the questions on the text in A. Complete sentences are not necessary but your answers must be accurate.

1. Why, according to the author, do Hollywood films seem extremely realistic?

2. What does the author find wrong with the way people are portrayed in Hollywood films?

3. What effect does the censorship code have on Hollywood films?

(b) Write sentences to bring out the difference between the following pairs of words:

1. emptiness / vacancy

2. costume / suit

3. entertainment / amusement

4. effects / affects

Adapted from Fluency in English by L.G. Alexander

Heart Idioms and Proverbs

A. IDIOMS

1. a bleeding heart
someone who shows too much sympathy for everyone The anti-hunting campaigners are just a bunch of bleeding hearts who don't understand the countryside.

2. a heart of gold
a kind and generous character He plays the part of a tough cop with a heart of gold.
Opposite of: a heart of stone

3. at heart
(a) as what someone cares about the most Your academic adviser should have your best interests at heart. I'm an English teacher at heart but also a writer. 
(b) in the most basic way He was at heart a conservative man.

4. somebody, eat your heart out!  (humorous)
something that you say which means that you or someone you know can do something better than a person who is famous for doing that thing I'm taking singing lessons. Celine Dion, eat your heart out!

5. break someone's heart
to cause someone great emotional pain. It just broke my heart when Tom ran away from home. Sally broke John's heart when she refused to marry him.

6. somebody's heart sinks
if someone's heart sinks, they start to feel sad or worried He looked at the huge pile of work on his desk and his heart sank.

7. to your heart's content
if you do something enjoyable to your heart's content, you do it as much as you want to The pool is open all day so you can swim to your heart's content.

8. somebody's heart is in their mouth
if someone's heart is in their mouth, they feel extremely nervous My heart was in my mouth as I walked onto the stage.

9.in your heart of hearts
if you know something in your heart of hearts, you are certain of it although you might not want to admit it I knew in my heart of hearts that something was wrong, but I just wasn't ready to deal with it. Do you believe in your heart of hearts that things will get better?

10. know/learn something (off) by heart
if you know or learn something, especially a piece of writing, by heart, you know or learn it so that you can remember it perfectly He's my favourite poet. I know several of his poems by heart

11. pour your heart out
to tell someone your secret feelings and worries, usually because you feel a strong need to talk about them (often + to ) I'd only met him once, and here he was, pouring out his heart to me.

12. one's heart misses a beat and one's heart skips a beat
Fig. one's heart flutters or palpitates; one has a strong emotional reaction. Whenever I'm near you, my heart skips a beat. When the racehorse fell, my heart missed a beat.

13. young at heart
having a youthful spirit no matter what one's age.  I am over 70 but I still feel young at heart.

14. tear your heart out
to make you very sad Your article on the death of those students tore my heart out.

15. one's heart goes out to someone
one feels great sympathy for someone. My heart goes out to the grieving family. Let your heart go out to those who are suffering, and pray for their improvement.

B. PROVERBS

1. wear your heart on your sleeve
to make your feelings and opinions obvious to other people John's always worn his heart on his sleeve, so there's no doubt who he'll be supporting.

2. A heavy purse makes a light heart.
If you have plenty of money, you will feel happy and secure. Everyone in the office is especially cheerful on payday, since a heavy purse makes a light heart.

3. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
You will like someone or something better if that person or thing is far away. Ever since Carla's boyfriend moved away, she can't stop thinking about him. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

4. Cold hands, warm heart.
People whose hands are usually cold have kind and loving personalities. Nancy: I don't like holding hands with Joe. His hands are so cold. Jane: Cold hands, warm heart.

5. way to a man's heart is through his stomach
If you want a man to love you, you should feed him good food. Sue: I want Keith to notice me, but he doesn't even know I'm alive. Mother: Invite him over and cook him a good meal. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

6. What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over.
You cannot be upset by something you do not know about. When Robbie cracked his mother's favorite vase, he simply turned the cracked side toward the wall. "What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over," he thought.

7. It is a poor heart that never rejoices. and It is a sad heart that never rejoices.
Even a habitually sad person cannot be sad all the time. (Sometimes used to indicate that a habitually sad person is happy about something.) Jill: I've never seen Sam smile before, but today, at his retirement party, he smiled. Jane: It is a poor heart that never rejoices.

8. Home is where the heart is.
People long to be at home.; Your home is whatever place you long to be. I've had a lovely time visiting you, but home is where the heart is, and I think it's time I went back. If home is where the heart is, then my home is my parents' old house. I've never loved my own apartment the way I love their place.

9. Faint heart never won fair lady.
 A timid suitor never won his lady. (Used to encourage boys or men to be bold in courting women.) Bill: I'd really like to go out with Alice, but what if she says no? Alan: You won't know till you ask her. Faint heart never won fair lady. Don't be so shy about talking to Edith. Faint heart never won fair lady.

10. let your heart rule your head
to do something because you want to rather than for practical reasons Don't let your heart rule your head. If you lend him that money you'll never see it again.

Easily Confused Words 1

 

EASILY CONFUSED WORDS

1. flat / level

flat = unbroken surface, even

Amsterdam is flat, that's why many people ride their bikes to work

level = degree, standard

I've just taken up an advanced level course in English

2. disposal / disposition

disposal = being available or getting rid of something

Madonna has a considerable amount of money at her disposal.

He has made a good disposal of his property by selling it at a high price.

disposition =

a. arrangement - an attractive disposition in a shop window

b. nature or character

He is a man with a humorous disposition

c. wish, tendency

There was a general disposition to go on a school trip.

3. worthy / valuable

worthy = not mean, deserving your respect and admiration

Mr Pitt is kind and generous. He is such a worthy man.

valuable =

- worth a lot of money - a valuable piece of jewellery

- very helpful - I greatly appreciate your valuable advice

- important because there isn't enough = I'd hate to waste your valuable time.

4. lay / lie

lay - laid - laid

1. put on a surface, place

Don't lay your hands on my shoulder!

Tom laid his legs on a chair.

2. produce (of birds)

Hens lay eggs NOT born eggs

3. get rid of

Although she had been honest, she was unable to lay his doubts.

lie - lay - lain = to be at rest or in a resting position

He lay in the sun all day, that's why he got sunburnt.

The book lay open on the table.

lie - lied - lied = not to tell the truth

I would never lie to you!

PROVERBS 

Let sleeping dogs lie = avoid discussing problems that are likely to cause trouble

Find out how the land lies = learn how matters stand, what the state of affairs is