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Magic Takes to the Streets 走上街头秀魔术

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

Armed only with a deck of cards, magician David Blaine wanders the streets, seeking out unsuspecting passers-by to amaze with his tricks. Blaine doesn’t perform on a stage, with fancy props or special effects. His brand of “street magic” is a much purer, more personal experience. Biting a coin in half, only to spit it out and make it whole again; cutting open a basketball to reveal the very same card that a volunteer has just secretly chosen. When these things happen right in front of your eyes, it’s so much harder to explain the magic away.

魔术师戴维．布兰恩只带着一副牌游走于街头，挑选不知情的路人，耍弄戏法教他们啧啧称奇。布兰恩不在舞台上用花俏的道具或特殊效果做表演，他独特的「街头魔术」是一种更纯粹、更贴近个人的体验。把一枚硬币咬成两半，吐出来时竟又完好如初；切开篮球，出现了自愿者之前私底下选中的牌。当这种事发生在你的眼前时，要做出令人满意的解释可就难了。

Growing up in and around New York City, Blaine began to demonstrate his talent for magic at the age of four. After high school, he made a name for himself by performing at private parties, gaining influential friends such as Leonardo DiCaprio along the way.

布兰恩在纽约市一带长大，从四岁起就展露出魔术长才。高中毕业后，他在私人派对表演闯出了名号，期间也结识了像李奥纳多那样重量级的朋友。

His big break then came in 1997, with the release of the TV special, “David Blaine: Street Magic.” In it, he gives one-on-one performances to celebrities and members of the public alike, stunning them all with the genius of his magic. Almost as entertaining as the tricks themselves are some of the amazed reactions of his audience, as they struggle to comprehend what they have just witnessed.

他的好运于1997年来临，《戴维．布兰恩：街头魔术秀》特辑在电视上播出。在节目中，他为名人和一般大众表演一对一魔术，他神奇的魔术手法让所有人目瞪口呆。观众想不透刚目击到的魔术，他们所流露的惊讶反应，几乎就同戏法本身一样娱乐性十足。

Vocabulary

单词发音

passer-by [ˋpæsɚˋbaɪ] n. 过路人

explain (something) away 通过解释消除 to explain something so that it is no longer a problem

influential [͵ɪnflʊˋɛnʃəl] adj. 有影响力的

stun [stʌn] v. 使大吃一惊；使目瞪口呆

comprehend [͵kɑmprɪˋhɛnd] v. 理解，了解，领会

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单词发音

arm [ɑrm] v. 提供，配备[（+with）]to equip with what is needed for effective action

wander [ˋwɑndɚ] v. 流浪；徘徊

unsuspecting [͵ʌnsəˋspɛktɪŋ] adj. 不怀疑的；未猜想到……的[（+of）]

fancy [ˋfænsɪ] adj. 别致的；花俏的

prop [prɑp] n.〔戏剧或电影中的〕道具

in and around 在….周围

demonstrate [ˋdɛmən͵stret] v. 示范﹐演示

make a name for oneself 成名; 出名 to become famous or respected by a lot of people

along the way  事情正在发生或你正在做某件事的那段时间  during the time that something is happening or that you are doing something

big break 重要突破; 难得的运气或机会  significant good fortune or opportunity; lucky break

genius [ˋdʒinjəs] n. 才华；智慧

witness [ˋwɪtnɪs] v. 目击

课文朗读

课文讲解 

David Blaine’s unique talent extends far beyond card tricks, however. In recent years, he has become better known for his incredible feats of mind over matter, challenging the limits of the human body.

然而，戴维．布兰恩独特的天份远远超越扑克牌魔术。近年来，他更为人称道的反而是他以心理超越实体的英勇事迹，挑战人体极限。

His first major stunt was in 1999, when he buried himself alive for a total of seven days, surviving on water alone. A tank of water was placed on top of his “coffin,” allowing him to be viewed from above ground. Needless to say, he emerged from his week’s ordeal feeling frail and starving, but in his own words “a changed man.” The following year, Blaine returned for his next, even more daring challenge. This time the stage was New York’s Time Square, where he stood for three straight days within a six-ton block of ice. Apart from exhaustion, Blaine was in serious danger of catching frostbite or hypothermia, but he again completed the feat to worldwide acclaim.

他第一项惊人的表演是在1999年，他把自己活埋了整整七天，只靠水过活。他的「棺材」上头放了一缸水，让人可以从地面上看到他。不用说，熬过一星期的折磨后，他浑身虚弱，饥肠辘辘，可是套句他自己的话，他变成「脱胎换骨的人」。来年，重返的布兰恩接下更大胆的挑战。这一次的舞台是纽约时代广场，他在六吨重的冰块里整整站了三天。除了筋疲力竭之外，布兰恩还极有可能面临冻伤或失温的危险，不过他再度完成这项英勇事迹，赢得全世界的喝采。

Blaine’s mission to “push myself as far as I can” subsequently shifted to London, where he lived without food for 44 days in a plastic box suspended in mid-air. Earlier this year, he also broke a world record, holding his breath underwater for a mind-boggling 17 minutes! Now it’s the world that is holding its breath to see what amazing, crazy feats this magical man will attempt next.

布兰恩「尽一己所能挑战自我极限」的使命接着移师到伦敦，在那里他悬吊于半空中的塑料箱子内不进食长达44天。今年稍早，他也打破了一项世界纪录，竟然在水中闭气长达17分钟！如今，全世界都屏息以待，看看这位神奇的男子接下来将尝试何种惊奇、疯狂的行径。

−by David Vickers

Vocabulary

单词发音

extend [ɪkˋstɛnd] v. 延长，延伸

emerge [ɪˋmɝdʒ] v. 冒出; 显露[（+from/out of）]

ordeal [ɔrˋdiəl] n. 苦难，折磨

shift [ʃɪft] v. 转移

suspend [səˋspɛnd] v. 悬挂

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单词发音

coffin [ˋkɔfɪn] n. 棺材，灵柩

needless to say 不必说; 不言而喻 it is so obvious that it doesn't need to be said, but

frail [frel] adj. 身体虚弱的

apart from 除...外 aside from; besides; excepting

frostbite [ˋfrɔst͵baɪt] n. 冻伤，冻疮

hypothermia [͵haɪpəˋθɝmɪə] n. 体温过低

acclaim [əˋklem] n. 欢呼；喝采；称赞

mind-boggling [ˋmaɪndˋbɑg!ɪŋ] adj. 令人极为惊讶的

hold one’s breath 暂时屏住呼吸(如体检时或因恐惧、激动)  to wait or delay until something special happens

Reading Questions

1.  What is the main focus of the first paragraph?

A. The extent of David Blaine’s tricks.

B. David Blaine’s approach of taking magic to the people.

C. Explaining why David Blaine does card tricks.

D. Describing the secrets behind David Blaine’s so-called magic.

2.  When did Blaine first become widely known to the public?

A. At the age of four, performing at school.

B. In the late nineties with filmed street magic.

C. After high school, at private parties.

D. Performing in a small club in New York City.

3.  According to the article, what has Blaine become better known for recently?

A. Focusing his mind on overcoming physical limitations.

B. Breaking world records for various tricks.

C. Being seen at celebrity Hollywood parties.

D. Performing street magic all around the world.

4.  According to the article, how has the public reacted to Blaine’s recent stunts?

A. They simply think he is out of his mind.

B. They are amazed and impressed by his successes.

C. They see it as an ordeal to have to watch them.

D. The majority of people see them as a waste of time.

David Blaine Street Magic: YouTube Edition!

David Blaine Drowned Alive p8

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