2006年VOA标准英语-Mutants Do Epic Battle in X-Men: The Last Stand
时间：2019-01-08 作者：英语课 分类：2006年VOA标准英语（五月）
By Alan Silverman
Hollywood
27 May 2006
One of the most popular film series based on Marvel 1 Comics superheroes becomes a trilogy and raises some interesting real-world issues about diversity and "fitting in."
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From left to right, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman and Ian McKellen star in X-Men: The Last Stand
The X-Men world is filled with mutants: people whose genetic 2 differences give them remarkable 3 abilities. Magneto can control anything made of metal. Storm wields 4 the power of the weather. Wolverine is the perfect warrior 5, able to inflict 6 terrible damage with his metallic 7 claws and heal his own wounds in seconds. Mystique can change her form to match ... or outmatch ... any opponent. Professor Xavier has telepathic powers to read minds and project his own thoughts.
Like the original Marvel Comic books, the films - "X-Men" in 2000 and "X-Men: United" three years later - are action-fantasies; but they also deal with prejudice as the X-men mutants are subjected to discrimination and violence. In "X-Men: The Last Stand" they are presented with a solution: a drug that can erase 8 the genetic differences and make them 'normal:'
Hugh Jackman returns as Logan - 'Wolverine' - and the Australian actor believes it is easy to identify with the fictional 9 superheroes' dilemma 10. "Everything in life is a double-edged sword. Having power is a double-edged sword. Every person's dream can become their nightmare, so even though the X-Men have powers that seem so cool, what sets this comic book and the movie franchise 11 aside is that every one of them, because of their power, is alienated 12, separated and unhappy with it, too," he says.
Anna Paquin as teenager Rogue 13 looks forward to a 'cure' for her power that kills anyone she touches; but there are no easy answers, according to older and wiser Storm, played by Halle Berry, who says the issue is coming to terms with our differences. "We are all different and at some point in our life we've had to deal with that. We're always forced to deal with who we are and 'is it okay to stay the way we are?' or do we need to change for a lover, a parent, a friend or our work environment? Is it okay to be who we are or do we somehow need to 'fix' ourselves or change ourselves or make ourselves better? Are we not good enough? We are always faced with that question and that's what "The Last Stand" is all about: do we change or do we not change? And is it our problem or is it somebody else's problem? Whose problem is it, really?"
The issue divides the X-Men, with Patrick Stewart as Professor Xavier leading the side promoting individual choice, and Magneto willing to start a war to reject the 'cure.' Sir Ian McKellen is back as charismatic (though megalomaniac) Magneto. "I think the plot is more interesting than the previous two and Magneto gets to do an awful lot in this film, which he did not in the second so I am very happy about it," he says.
Bryan Singer, who directed the first two "X-Men" films was not available this time around (he was directing another superhero movie, "Superman Returns," due out at the end of June); so Brett Ratner, who made the "Rush Hour" action-comedies, took over as director of this new "X-Men." "It's like a dream come true to direct this movie ... with all the brilliant characters, amazing actors and stories. It's not just an action movie. It's really about something and it's got levity 14 to it and humanity and emotion and humor," he says.
Happily tapping into that range of ingredients: Kelsey Grammer, who joins the cast (and gets decked out in blue makeup 15 and long fur) as one of the favorite characters among X-Men fans: Dr. Henry McCoy, who is also 'Beast.' "X-Men is an epic 16 tale so the characters have epic proportion," he says. "If you know you're in an epic you just get bigger. They're just big people. There's big energy about it. There's a sense of size and importance about it that you lend yourself to ... and it's actually just playing 'dress up.'"
"X-Men: The Last Stand" also features Rebecca Romijn as shape-shifting Mystique; and Famke Janssen, whose telekinetic character Jean Grey seems to have died at the end of the second movie, but comes back again as the dangerously powerful Dark Phoenix 17.
- The robot is a marvel of modern engineering.机器人是现代工程技术的奇迹。
- The operation was a marvel of medical skill.这次手术是医术上的一个奇迹。
- It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
- Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。
- She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
- These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
- She wields enormous power within the party. 她操纵着党内大权。
- He remains chairman, but wields little power at the company. 他还是主席，但在公司没有什么实权了。
- The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
- A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。
- Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。
- Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。
- A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。
- He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。
- He tried to erase the idea from his mind.他试图从头脑中抹掉这个想法。
- Please erase my name from the list.请把我的名字从名单上擦去。
- The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
- The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。
- I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
- He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。
- Catering in the schools is run on a franchise basis.学校餐饮服务以特许权经营。
- The United States granted the franchise to women in 1920.美国于1920年给妇女以参政权。
- His comments have alienated a lot of young voters. 他的言论使许多年轻选民离他而去。
- The Prime Minister's policy alienated many of her followers. 首相的政策使很多拥护她的人疏远了她。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
- They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。
- His remarks injected a note of levity into the proceedings.他的话将一丝轻率带入了议事过程中。
- At the time,Arnold had disapproved of such levity.那时候的阿诺德对这种轻浮行为很看不惯。
- Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
- Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？
- I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
- They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。