英语听力精选进阶版 6004
时间：2019-02-16 作者：英语课 分类：英语听力精选进阶版
One of the many theatres in London's West End
For many people the highlight of a visit to London is the chance to see a West End show.
The West End of London, situated 1 a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus and Chinatown, is home to dozens of beautiful theatres.
London’s West End theatres are currently enjoying a boom in popularity and ticket sales. According to the Society of London Theatres, nearly 12 million people attended a West End show last year, whilst audience numbers in 2005 look set to outstrip 2 that impressive figure.
One possible reason for the success of contemporary theatrical 3 productions is the casting of A-list Hollywood actors in lead roles. Val Kilmer, star of films like Top Gun and Batman Forever, is currently appearing in The Postman Always Rings Twice.
And he is not alone - other American movie stars performing in London include Oscar winner, Kevin Spacey, and David Schwimmer, who found international fame in the hit TV sitcom 4, Friends.
British screen stars are also treading the boards in West End shows. Scottish actor, Ewan McGregor, is appearing in the classic 1950s musical Guys and Dolls – an experience very different to making movies. McGregor says ‘The actual process of making films is extraordinarily 5 tedious. It is very difficult to keep your energy and focus. Whereas what is wonderful about this is we have to create it together.’
Ironically, it is not just that film stars are acting 6 in plays nowadays but films themselves are being adapted for the stage. Amongst the films that can now be seen as plays or musicals are The Lion King, A Few Good Men, and Billy Elliot.
The longest-running shows in the West End are usually musicals. The Andrew Lloyd Webber show, Cats, ran for 21 years and 7000 performances, making its composer a multi-millionaire.
However, not all musicals do so well. Oscar Wilde: The Musical ran for only one night, closing after terrible reviews and poor bookings. It was quite possibly the biggest flop 7 in London theatrical history.
GLOSSARY 词汇表
the highlight 最精彩的部分；亮点
a stone’s throw 一掷石头那么远的距离（指很近）
a boom 兴盛
to outstrip 超越，超出
casting 出演，演出
A-list 一流
lead roles 主角
sitcom 情景喜剧
treading the boards 踩在舞台木板上
musical 音乐剧
extraordinarily tedious 极度枯燥乏味的
ironically 有讽刺意味地
plays 剧目
longest-running 上演时间最长的
ran for 上演了
bookings 订座
flop失败
- The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
- She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。
- He can outstrip his friend both in sports and in studies.他能在体育和学习方面胜过他的朋友。
- It is possible for us to outstrip the advanced countries in the world.我们能超过世界上先进的国家。
- The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。
- She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。
- This sitcom is produced in cooperation with Hong Kong TV.这部连续剧是同香港电视台联合制作的。
- I heard that a new sitcom is coming out next season.我听说下一季会推出一个新的情境喜剧。
- She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
- The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨，大海出奇地宁静。
- Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
- During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。