Sign of the times

BBC Learning English

6 Minute English

Sign of the times

Callum: Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English, I'm Callum Robertson and with me

today is Kaz, hello Kaz.

Kaz: Hello Callum.

Callum: Now, if I say to you 'tinsel town' where am I talking about?

Kaz: I think you're talking about Hollywood, the land of dreams.

Callum: I am indeed and if you think of Hollywood, what images come to mind?

Kaz: Blockbusters, the silver screen, but above all that strange sign in the middle of

nowhere on a scrubby hill that spells, Hollywood.

Callum: The Hollywood sign. And that's the topic of today's programme. And today's

question is about the Hollywood sign. It was first put up in 1923 but at that

time it didn't say Hollywood, what did it say? Was it:

a: Hollywoodville

b: Hollywoodtown

c: Hollywoodland

Kaz: I'm not sure but I think possibly Hollywoodville.

Callum: OK. We'll find out if you're right at the end of the programme.

Even though the Hollywood sign is so famous, it was in danger of being

demolished 1 as there was a plan for a property company to build luxury homes

on the site. However the nine letters were saved by a donation of a million

dollars from Hugh Hefner, the man behind the Playboy company.

He spoke 2 to the BBC about his involvement in the project and Kaz he calls the

sign an 'iconic symbol', an 'iconic symbol'. What does he mean by this?

Kaz: Something that everyone recognises, that's really famous but over all it's iconic

so it's duplicated, you see it a lot all over the place but it represents something

more than just the words or the picture that is being shown there, maybe an

idea.

Callum: Hefner had already been part of a group that had raised money to protect and

renovate 4 the sign back in 1978. So was it an easy decision for him to write a

cheque for a million dollars this time around? In his answer he compares the

Hollywood sign to another famous man-made landmark 5 – which one? Listen

out for that information. Here’s Hugh Hefner.

Hugh Hefner

In a real sense yes it was because quite frankly 6 the sign is more than a sign, it is an iconic

symbol of, er, I made the comment early on back in '78 that it was our Eiffel Tower. But in

many ways it is more than that because it represents to a great many people the dreams that

are reflected in the history of Hollywood. Dreams of all things possible.

Callum: So Kaz, was he happy to put money into saving the sign again?

Kaz: He certainly was. For him it represents the American dream – somewhere or

something where all things are possible.

Callum: And what did he compare it too?

Kaz: Back in 1978 he called it 'our Eiffel tower'. Now the Eiffel Tower is of course

the iconic symbol of France, all things French. But he went on to say that it's

more than that because the Hollywood sign is more of a symbol of hopes,

dreams and aspirations 7 because that's what Hollywood represents.

Callum: Can you think of any other landmarks 8 that have the same kind of associations,

the same kind of iconic status? For example, what about here in Britain?

Kaz: In London we have Tower Bridge. Not London Bridge but the bridge that

opens that everyone knows about and I think that's a real icon 3. And of course

the Houses of Parliament and the tower of Big Ben.

Callum: These are all very famous landmarks but are they more than just tourist

attractions?

Kaz: I think they're certainly more than just tourist attractions because these things

are iconic, so everyone has seen them and the old saying is that you come and

actually look at the pyramids or, you know, you look at the Eiffel Tower and

you go "Yep, that's exactly what it looks like in the postcards." But that's not

the point. You make the pilgrimage to that thing to see and feel that special

quality that these icons 9 have, you've actually been there and witnessed it

yourself.

Callum: Well Hugh Hefner was asked if the Hollywood sign was more than just a

tourist attraction. And he talks about how it represents the best of America.

And he said that it represented the best of America more than another

American institution – which one?

Hugh Hefner

Absolutely. Quite frankly I think that whatever America represents around the world the best

of what we are comes essentially 10 not from government and essentially comes from the movies.

It comes from Hollywood. It's an immigrant dream. It came from the films of Frank Capra

and Ford 11 and all the other filmmakers down through the decades and it has influenced

generations. It influenced me and hopefully it will influence many more in the future.

Callum: Kaz, what is he saying there?

Kaz: What he's saying there is that America is represented by Hollywood and not by

the American government. And Hollywood represents the dream of the

immigrant because America is, after all, a nation of people who've, one way or

another, migrated over there. But in the American dream, anyone can be

successful.

Callum: Well we're nearly out of time. Before we go, the answer to the question from

the beginning of the programme. What did the Hollywood sign originally say?

Kaz, you said:

Kaz: I said Hollywoodville.

Callum: Well you'd be wrong to say that. The original sign actually read -

Hollywoodland.

That's all from us today, but do join us next time for another 6 Minute English.

Goodbye.

Kaz: Bye.

 

点击收听单词发音  






1
demolished

  
 


v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光


参考例句：





The factory is due to be demolished next year. 这个工厂定于明年拆除。
They have been fighting a rearguard action for two years to stop their house being demolished. 两年来，为了不让拆除他们的房子，他们一直在进行最后的努力。












2
spoke

  
 


n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说


参考例句：





They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。












3
icon

  
 


n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像


参考例句：





They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。












4
renovate

  
 


vt.更新，革新，刷新


参考例句：





The couple spent thousands renovating the house.这对夫妇花了几千元来翻新房子。
They are going to renovate the old furniture.他们准备将旧家具整修一番。












5
landmark

  
 


n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标


参考例句：





The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。












6
frankly

  
 


adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说


参考例句：





To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。












7
aspirations

  
 


强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音


参考例句：





I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。












8
landmarks

  
 


n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址）


参考例句：





The book stands out as one of the notable landmarks in the progress of modern science. 这部著作是现代科学发展史上著名的里程碑之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
The baby was one of the big landmarks in our relationship. 孩子的出世是我们俩关系中的一个重要转折点。 来自辞典例句












9
icons

  
 


n.偶像( icon的名词复数 )；（计算机屏幕上表示命令、程序的）符号，图像


参考例句：





Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons. 用图标来区分重要的文本项。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
Daemonic icons should only be employed persistently if they provide continuous, useful status information. 只有会连续地提供有用状态信息的情况下，后台应用程序才应该一直使用图标。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓












10
essentially

  
 


adv.本质上，实质上，基本上


参考例句：





Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。












11
Ford

  
 


n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过


参考例句：





They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。