Clip Matthew Nicholls

Clip 1 Matthew Nicholls
I would consider myself British first and then Welsh but not English, I’m sorry but definitely not English.
Sue: In Private lives today we meet Matthew Nicholls. Matthew has lived all his life in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. Matthew describes himself as British first and then Welsh, but “definitely not English”! Except that is, when it comes to football. If England are playing a match, then Matthew supports them. And as we’ll discover, football is a very important part of Matthew’s life. Wales, however, is famous for the game of rugby（橄榄球）. So, when it comes to watching Wales play rugby, Matthew considers himself to be Welsh! Matthew is 20 years old and he’s studying computer science at Cardiff University. During the programme, we’ll hear him talk about where he lives, and what he enjoys doing on a typical night in. He also talks about the kind of films and music he likes, and why he’s chosen to study computer science. And, he talks about his new girlfriend. First though, football. Matthew started playing at primary school, and he’s never stopped.

Clip Matthew Nicholls
It’s hard to describe the feeling you get from playing football, from watching football, from living football. You’ve got to eat football, sleep football, drink football, play football, live football. Football, it’s just so absorbing(吸引人，非常有趣的), it just takes up so much, it’s great. I started playing when I was about 9 or 10 maybe. I actually find it difficult to go a week without playing football. I get withdrawal 2 symptoms. I’m sure I do get withdrawal symptoms. I just start to get a bit ratty, a bit uptight 3 (紧张的，心情焦躁的)and tense and it’s just a great way of relieving stress. So many people just go out on the street and kick a ball around for hours and hours and it’s just a simple thing that provides so much pleasure. It’s such a great sport. It’s just fantastic. Words just can’t describe it. People can’t understand how people get so absorbed in the game but it’s such a big thing - it’s just wonderful - I don’t know how to describe it.
Sue: In between football, Matthew fits in his studies. And he’s almost as enthusiastic about computer science as he is about football. He’s excited by the speed at which computer programs can now work, and by what computers can be made to do. Looking ahead, there are good job opportunities for computer science graduates, and Matthew admits there’s another good reason for studying computer science. 

Clip Matthew Nicholls
I suppose at the end of the day, I’ve got to say, it’s for the money because the money’s great - you can get a guaranteed（有保证的） job, really good job prospects（希望，前途） - it’s the most developing field of all jobs in the market. If you want to be a lawyer, it’s tough （艰苦的）to get a job . If you want to be an accountant（会计）, you’ve got to pass loads of exams but if you want to be a computer scientist, it’s just great, you get a job, you earn lots of money and I suppose it’s fairly interesting as well. Some parts are good -- things like the Internet for example that’s interesting. So I think it’s the right course to do. It’s good.
Sue: The Internet is a vast network of connected computers. Information can be exchanged world-wide at the touch of a button. As part of his university degree course, Matthew is going to work with several other students on a project about an Internet security system. The system is called a firewall（防火墙）, and it’s designed to restrict access to the computers on a network - such as the network of a small business or company - from the outside world.

Clip Matthew Nicholls
My project for my final year is related to the internet and the thing that I have chosen is an Internet project about firewalls. Now a firewall is basically a barrier between a network and the internet. Now if you have a small network in your company - such as a bank, you have to put a firewall up between that and the internet otherwise people from outside could break in and steal all your money.
Sue: Matthew has his own computer and spends many hours “tinkering” - or playing
-with different programs, and surfing the Internet. He’s very interested in computer generated（生成的） graphics 4（制图法，制图学） - drawings and pictures made with computers - and, if he doesn’t make it to be a professional footballer, he’d like a job using computers to create special effects for films. 

Clip Matthew Nicholls
If I could have any job in the world it would have to be a professional footballer because to do something that you love so much for a living, and a very good living, would just be a dream come true. It would be amazing. But I suppose realistically（实际的，现实的） I have to look at what I could be doing. So, I like computers and I like graphics. I am really interested in special effects. I’d like to work for a special effects company for movies because I find it so interesting the way they can create something that looks as if it’s completely real as if it’s really, really happening on screen, yet it’s all been produced in a tiny, little box in the corner of someone’s lab. And it hasn’t been outside, it hasn’t interacted 5 with the real world in any way, yet it looks absolutely fantastic. And I love it when people go to the cinema and they look at a film and they say “wow that’s amazing”. That’s what I’d like to do because it’s interesting, it’s fun and it makes you feel good too.
Sue: Matthew is a fan of two recent blockbuster films which have been on release（释放，发行） in many different countries all over the world: Jurassic Park - about a Costa Rican island inhabited 6 by genetically-engineered dinosaurs 7 （恐龙类）- and Toy Story - about the adventures of a roomful（满场的人） of toys which come to life. Toy Story is the first full-length animated 8 film to be created entirely 9 by artists using computer technology, and both films have captured Matthew’s imagination. 

Clip Matthew Nicholls
Very, very few of the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were actually models, there was only about two or three, all the rest were done on a computer and people couldn’t tell the difference - they were just so amazed by it - it was just, it was just breathtaking(惊险的，吃惊的). But I think for pure skill and expertise 10 and technical achievement, there’s a film called Toy Story which was done completely 100% on a computer. It looks a bit like a cartoon but it kind of looks real as well - and the way they’ve done a whole film just on one computer - can you imagine something the size of a television - producing a film, a whole film, can you believe that that could be possible?
Sue: Matthew lives in a flat not far from Cardiff city centre and the university. He lives there with two friends: James, who owns the flat and is studying to be a dentist, and John, who plays a lot of rugby and is studying art. They’ve painted the living room ceiling blue and the walls orange. In one corner, there’s a bookcase and several shelves are packed with videos. Matthew says this is a flat of “movie buffs” - of film lovers - and for a lazy night in they would hire a video from the local “movie shop”, and “veg out” - they’d take it very easy!

Clip Matthew Nicholls
A perfect night in. Well, I suppose sometimes we run out of money and sometimes we just can’t be bothered to go out, so what we’d usually do is go to the movie shop and rent a few films, then maybe get a pizza as well and maybe go to the off licence and get a few cans of beer. And then stay in all night - veg, veg out （休闲放松）on the settee and watch a bit of TV and drink a few beers and have a bit of pizza and then slowly, we all sort of mope off to bed.
Sue: In his bedroom, Matthew has a ghetto-blaster - a portable（轻便的，手提式的） tape player with built-in speakers. He likes a wide range of music and says he can listen and work at the same time! One of his favourite songs is You Might Need Somebody by Shola Ama, because it reminds him of his girlfriend, whom he met at a local football match!

Clip Matthew Nicholls
Lots of people listen to certain types of music because it’s really cool and it’s the in thing to do. A lot of people at the moment are into Brit Pop as they call it or Grunge which is bands like Oasis 11 and Blur 12. And they think it’s really cool to be like them so they listen to it and they copy them. Personally I don’t particularly like their music so I don’t listen to it. I prefer other music such as, maybe I should call it ambient music（慢速电子音乐，环境音乐）. It can be quite relaxing and it’s nice to listen to after a hard day. You can just sit down and relax just be absorbed in the music you know. And I suppose the other main kind of music I like is eighties music. I’m a bit of an eighties boy shall we say. Music from the 1980s. And I do like the 70s as well, they’re quite good. But different kinds of music for different times I think. And I suppose you’ve got to have the romantic music when your loved one’s around too - nothing like a bit of mush （伤感，胆怯）you know. The first time I met her was at a local pitch（足球，橄榄球场地）. It was just kind of a local league match(联赛) and she was standing 13 on the side lines watching the game talking to her friends. I can even remember the clothes she was wearing - a pair of jeans a white top, pair of sunglasses. And the next time I saw her was at a training session - just by chance - and then I suppose I kind of asked her if she’d like to see me again and one thing led to another and the rest is history! And I think she’s great, she’s wonderful. She likes football - she must be great!
Sue: Matthew’s flatmate James joins us at this point, and gives his version of the lead-up（导致物） to Matthew’s romance 14. It seems that both James and John gave Matthew friendly advice about what to say on the phone, and how to beat off a rival!

Clip
Matthew our flat mate has been trying to go out with a girl for quite a few weeks now and initially 15 there was bit of a competition between him and this other bloke, but he’s managed to pull through - with a little bit of help from his friends. And now he’s happily going out with her
-after hours on the phone - but eventually he’s going out with her so we’re all happy!
Sue: Matthew, James and John enjoy student life. They say they talk of nothing but sport, beer and girls, but they all have ambitious 16 career plans. And they consider themselves lucky - unlike many students, they don’t experience financial hardship because their parents can afford to subsidise（资助，补助） them. To end the programme, Matthew talks about a quotation（引语，语录） from the Bible that inspires him, and it sums up his attitude to his studies and his future. 

Clip Matthew Nicholls
There’s a great verse 17 in the Bible from Luke Chapter 11 Verse 9 that says “Seek and ye shall find. Ask and ye shall receive. Knock and the door shall be opened”. And it’s all about having faith in your own ability, about going out there and getting it, about the world meets nobody half way - if you want something you’ve got to go out there and get it and if you sit there in the corner and don’t say anything you won’t achieve anything. 

(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

点击收听单词发音  






1
clip

  
 


n.夹子，别针，弹夹，片断；vt.夹住，修剪


参考例句：





May I clip out the report on my performance?我能把报道我的文章剪下来吗？
She fastened the papers together with a paper clip.她用曲别针把文件别在一起。












2
withdrawal

  
 


n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销


参考例句：





The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。












3
uptight

  
 


adj.焦虑不安的，紧张的


参考例句：





He's feeling a bit uptight about his exam tomorrow.他因明天的考试而感到有点紧张。
Try to laugh at it instead of getting uptight.试着一笑了之，不要紧张。












4
graphics

  
 


n.制图法，制图学；图形显示


参考例句：





You've leveraged your graphics experience into the video area.你们把图形设计业务的经验运用到录像业务中去。
Improved graphics took computer games into a new era.经改进的制图技术将电脑游戏带进了一个新时代。












5
interacted

  
 


v.相互作用[影响]，互相配合( interact的过去式和过去分词 )；交流；沟通；合作


参考例句：





He interacted closely with us so as to finish the difficult task. 他与我们紧密配合以完成这项艰难的任务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
While the other children interacted and played together, Ted ignored them. 当别的孩子相互交流、一起玩耍的时候，泰德对他们不予理睬。 来自辞典例句












6
inhabited

  
 


adj. 有人居住的
动词inhabit的过去式和过去分词


参考例句：





The island is no longer inhabited. 这个岛已经没有人居住了。
Nomads have inhabited this region for thousands of years. 游牧民族在这地区居住已有数千年了。












7
dinosaurs

  
 


n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西


参考例句：





The brontosaurus was one of the largest of all dinosaurs. 雷龙是所有恐龙中最大的一种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. 恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》












8
animated

  
 


adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的


参考例句：





His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。












9
entirely

  
 


ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地


参考例句：





The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。












10
expertise

  
 


n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长


参考例句：





We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。












11
oasis

  
 


n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方


参考例句：





They stopped for the night at an oasis.他们在沙漠中的绿洲停下来过夜。
The town was an oasis of prosperity in a desert of poverty.该镇是贫穷荒漠中的一块繁荣的“绿洲”。












12
blur

  
 


n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚


参考例句：





The houses appeared as a blur in the mist.房子在薄雾中隐隐约约看不清。
If you move your eyes and your head,the picture will blur.如果你的眼睛或头动了，图像就会变得模糊不清。












13
standing

  
 


n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的


参考例句：





After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。












14
romance

  
 


n.恋爱关系，浪漫气氛，爱情小说，传奇


参考例句：





She wrote a romance about an artist's life in Tokyo.她写了一个关于一位艺术家在东京生活的浪漫故事。
They tried to rekindle the flames of romance.他们试图重燃爱火。












15
initially

  
 


adv.最初，开始


参考例句：





The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。












16
ambitious

  
 


adj.有雄心的，劲头十足的，有野心的


参考例句：





One may be poor but never ceases to be ambitious.人穷志不穷。
He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。












17
verse

  
 


n.诗，韵文，诗行


参考例句：





He is good at verse.他善于作诗。
His book was in parts written in verse.他的书有许多地方是用韵文写的。