Lesson 22 By heart 熟记台词Listen to the tape then answer the question below.听录音，然后回答以下问题。Which actor read the letter in the end, the aristocrat or the gaoler?Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end, In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night after night. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter. Yet this is not always the case.A famous actor in a highly successful play was once cast in the role of an aristocrat who had been imprisoned in the Bastille for twenty years. In the last act, a gaoler would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand to the prisoner. Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance, he always insisted that it should be written out in full.One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if, after so many performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart. The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone behind bars in his dark cell. Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his bands. He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual. It was simply a blank sheet of paper. The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow actor had at last learnt his lines. The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: The light is dim. Read the letter to me. And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the gaoler. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either, the gaoler replied: The light is indeed dim, sire, I must get my glasses. With this, he hurried off the stage. Much to the aristocrats amusement, the gaoler returned a few moments later with a pair of glasses and the usual copy of the letter with he proceeded to read to the prisoner.New words and expressions 生词和短语run (ran, run)v. （戏剧，电影等）连演，连映linesn. （剧本中的）台词 partn. 剧中的角色，台词falterv. 支吾，结巴说cast (cast, cast)v. 连派扮演角色rolen. 角色aristocratn. 贵族imprisonv. 关押Bastillen. 巴士底狱gaolern. 监狱长，看守colleaguen. 同事curtainn. （舞台上的）幕布revealv. 使显露celln. 单人监房，监号blankadj. 空白的squintv. 眯着（眼）看，瞄dimadj. 昏暗siren. （古用法）陛下proceedv. 继续进行参考译文有些剧目十分成功，以致连续上演好几年。这样一来，可怜的演员们可倒霉了。因为他们需要一夜连着一夜地重复同样的台词。人们以为，这些演员一定会把台词背得烂熟，绝不会临场结巴的，但情况却并不总是这样。有一位名演员曾在一出极为成功的剧目中扮演一个贵族角色，这个贵族已在巴士底狱被关押了 20 年。在最后一幕中，狱卒手持一封信上场，然后将信交给狱中那位贵族。尽管那个贵族每场戏都得念一遍那封信。但他还是坚持要求将信的全文写在信纸上。一天晚上，狱卒决定与他的同事开一个玩笑，看看他反复演出这么多场之后，是否已将信的内容记熟了。大幕拉开，最后一幕戏开演，贵族独自一人坐在铁窗后阴暗的牢房里。这时狱卒上场，手里拿着那封珍贵的信。狱卒走进牢房，将信交给贵族。但这回狱卒给贵族的信没有像往常那样把全文写全，而是一张白纸。狱卒热切地观察着，急于想了解他的同事是否记熟了台词。贵族盯着纸看了几秒钟，然后，眼珠一转，说道：“光线太暗，请给我读一下这封信。 ”说完，他一下子把信递给狱卒。狱卒发现自己连一个字也记不住，于是便说：“陛下，这儿光线的确太暗了，我得去眼镜拿来。 ”他一边说着，一边匆匆下台。贵族感到非常好笑的是：一会儿工夫，狱卒重新登台，拿来一副眼镜以及平时使用的那封信，然后为那囚犯念了起来。New words and expression 生词和短语run (ran, run) v.（戏剧, 电影等）连演，连映- The film is so successful that it runs for several weeks.Lines n.（剧本中的）台词Part n.剧中的角色, 台词Falter v.支吾 , 结巴说- He has practised the poem several times, so he has no cause to falter.他练习这首诗好多次了，所以没有理由结巴。Stammer v.口吃 , 结巴着说出, 结结巴巴地说Falter vi.蹒跚而行蹒跚踉跄, 摇摆= Stagger v.摇晃 , 蹒跚, 交错 , 摇摇摆摆- He faltered home.cast (cast, cast) v.选派扮演角色- The actor was cast in the role of hero. 这个演员在剧中扮演英雄的角色。Role n.角色, 任务Role n.角色Aristocrat n.贵族Imprison v.关押（= put sb in prison 关押某人）- He was imprisoned for 10 years.imprisonment n.关押 - sentence sb to life imprisonment 判名人终生监禁prison, jail = gaol n.监狱 - send sb to prison / put sb in prison / throw sb into prisonin prison 坐牢（不加 the） - He is in prison/jail/gaol. = He is behind bars. 他在铁窗之后。Bastille n.巴士底狱Gaoler n.监狱长，看守Colleague n.同事Curtain n.（舞台上的）幕布Reveal v.使显露, 揭露, 揭穿- The secret hasnt been revealed.Reveal vt.把什么露出来 - A curtain was up and revealed the beautiful scenery.（n.风景, 景色）Disclose vt.揭发（- disclose the truth）Discover vt.发现Uncover vt.揭开具体的盖子 - A very tight dress reveals the beautiful figure.Revealable adj.可展现的Revealer n.探测器cell n.单人监房, 监号blank adj.空白的squint v.眯着（眼）看, 瞄squint ones eyes 眯着眼睛 - He squinted his eyes and looked at the letter.pear at 眯着眼睛看dim adj.昏暗- The room is too dim so I cant read the letter.Gloomy adj.(天气,心情)抑郁的 - The weather is gloomy today. / He is in gloomy mood.Dusky adj.(天色 )漆黑的, 黑暗的 - Towards evening its getting dusky.Murky adj.黑暗的 , 阴沉的 - I cant go out at murky night.Misty adj.多雾的, 迷蒙的 - The building is out of sight on such a misty day.Sire n.（古用法）陛下Proceed v.继续进行 （停顿之后的继续）proceed to/with 进行继续某事- Lets proceed to business.- You must proceed with your work.Proceed from 从着手开始继续- They proceed from lesson one.proceed against sb 起诉某人- He decided to proceed against his neighbour.Expect vt. (料)想, 认为 , 指望Expect vt.要求Alone adj.单独的, 独一无二的 adv.独自地Anxious adj.担忧的, 渴望的, 盼望的Fellow adj.同伴的, 同事的, 同道的Learnt vt.记住Line n.台词Text 课文Which actor read the l