每年六月，超級英雄們都會在美國伊利諾州超人故鄉共聚一堂A Superman Celebration in Metropolis 超人再現 super celebration for a superhero. by Susan Zimmerman
What's in a name?
Well, when there's only one town in the United States named Metropolis, which also happens to be the "hometown" of Superman, there's a lot in a name. Superman, the ageless comic book superhero whose fame is larger than life, inspires imaginations worldwide. He has admirers of all ages who descend on the one and only Metropolis, Ill., for their Annual Superman Celebration.
Gone super
Since 1979, every second weekend in June, fact and fiction meet in this small river town in America. Everyone is welcome, and thousands come. There's no age limit on being a superhero and wearing the trademark blue, red and yellow outfit with the letter "S" emblazoned on the chest. Since costumes are optional for the festivities, I come as myself, a mild-mannered Lois Lane reporter (Superman's newspaper colleague) to get the scoop on the festivities. I'm certainly in good hands here-no bad guys would dare set foot in Metropolis this weekend with all these superheroes milling about. A 15-foot bronze Superman, who stands watch over Market Street where all the action takes place, keeps watch as well.
Super metropolis
Throughout the weekend, everyone enjoys screenings of Superman films, celebrity appearances and autograph sessions, comic book artist workshops and costume competitions. There's also the Super Museum in town that reportedly has the largest Superman memorabilia collection in the world. Displays include all sorts of original Hollywood props from Superman's capes to boots. More than just Superman appears in the daily informal parade of comic book characters on Market Street. Devoted fans return year after year to participate, like Robin Johnson, 28-year-old personal trainer who drove thirteen hours from Texas to be here for the third time.
Johnson has a variety of superhero costumes and tells me, now incognito as Superman, "I'm coming till I can't walk. I'm not going to miss a year."
I watch curiously as young and old eagerly approach the costumed visitors who happily oblige any photo request with a smile.
Collecting souvenir pictures with superheroes seems to be a favorite pastime, so I get my camera ready too. I "shoulder" up to Josh Boultinghouse, the celebration's official superhero who is over six-feet tall, for my photo memento from the weekend.
Super history
If only the town's founders could see this piece of land on the Ohio River today. It was nicknamed "City of Opportunity" in 1839, but patience was needed. It took almost another century for Superman to materialize on the pages of a comic book. Another 30-plus years passed before Metropolis made a " super" name for itself. In 1972 the town legally became the proud parent of its high-flying son. That year the Illinois State Legislature passed a resolution that declared Metropolis the "Hometown of Superman," The town then made "headlines" by permanently changing the name of the local newspaper to the Metropolis Planet, to almost match that of Superman's employer. Of course, it wasn't until Superman went to work at the Daily Planet that the metropolitan city of Metropolis became his hometown. After Sunday afternoon's Superhero Costume Contest ends, so does the festival, The weekend "actors" wander off incognito, this time in street clothes. I see a young girl in shorts and a T-shirt amble away. The only clue that she was Supergirl moments ago is the red boots in her hand. It's true that history repeats itself, and so does fiction in Metropolis... every year on the second weekend in June.
More Information
A Super Synopsis
Superman was born on the planet Krypton. He arrived by rocket ship on Earth and was raised by the Kents, a childless farm couple in the fictional town of Smallville Kan. Clark Kent then moved to the city of Metropolis to work at the Daily Planet newspaper as a reporter. There he met his trusty colleagues- reporter Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen.
Grammar
Another 30-plus years passed before Metropolis made a " super" name for itself.
"A period of time + passed before + an event."
When you emphasize that how long people have to wait, you can use above sentence pattern, put the time or hours, days ahead of the sentence.
Metropolis made a "super" name for itself after another 30-plus years.
Another 30-plus years (a period of time) passed before Metropolis made a "super" name for itself. (an event)
Seventeen hours had passed before we were finally able to get on our plane.
Another three days passed before Tricia got the results of her medical tests.
Vocabulary Tips
be larger than life-超凡的，具有傳奇色彩的，傳奇的。
* The actress played a female politician who was larger than life in the movie.
*People love to talk about the larger-than-life story of how the man became a successful businessman.
emblazoned=blazon-用圖案來裝飾。print or write in a special way that every one can noticed.
*The castle's flags were emblazoned with the royal family's coat of arms.盾甲
*The sales car was emblazoned with the product's logo.
mill about-漫無目的的游走，閑逛
* Because the boat ride was cancelled, groups of tourists milled about in the streets of the little town while they waited.
memorabilia- 紀念品，收藏品memorable-可囘憶的，memory-記憶。
*The pop star's family auctioned off his memorabilia and gave the money to charity.拍賣他的收藏品。
*Eileen has a huge collection of her favorite band's memorabilia.
incognito (adv)-僞裝，喬裝打扮，隱瞞身份的。
*The secret agent got into the party incognito.特務
*The owner of the coffee chain store visited one of his stores incognito.
oblige-答應某人的請求或效勞。
We asked Timmy to be our tour guide in the city, and he was happy to oblige.
*Sandy asked her neighbor to water her lawn when she went on the trip, but the neighbor refused to oblige. 拒絕效勞，拒絕請求。
souvenir (n)- 紀念品 souvenir (adj) picture-可做為紀念的
personal trainer- a profession who can get you in shape.
prop- anything that object which used in a set of play or film, something that identify the film.
memento- a kind of souvenir, but more personal, such as personal experience or things that you can take home to remember.
souvenir is a part of memento. memento range is broader , it can be anything that related to you.
materialize-具體成形或呈現。material-物質。
*His plan of building his dream house finally materialized when he was 50.
*Her dream of becoming a composer never materialized.
permanently-永久地，固定地。 permanent-永久的，固定的。
*Hank and his wife decided to permanently settle in this town, so they bought a house last month.
*Her heart was permanently broken after the break up.
amble-從容的漫步，緩慢的前進，slowly walk, not hurry at all.
*We ambled down the streets and did some window shopping.在街上慢步，看一些櫥窗展示。
*She ambled along the beach searching for seashells.沿著海邊慢步，尋找貝殼。
wander off - walk around slowly in relax manner with no certain destination.
metro= metropolitan, metro area is mean metropolitan area.
metropolitan-大都會。describe a very large area, something to do with city, it includes urban and surrounding area. New York and Chicago are metropolitan city. is different with metropolis (Ill. city name, superman's home town).
Chat Room
set foot in -set foot in a place (building , home, city)踏入某地方。
set foot in a bookstore-踏入書店
set foot on the road-踏上旅途(on 踏上the beach, on sidewalk, on the road)。
set out to do something-開始着手去做某事 (eating, lunch, dinner, find a job, study...)
---------------------------------
superman-超人
super-超級的（哩語），非正式用法，如囯人流行的“超”超便宜，超慢，超快，。。
super cheap, super slow, super fast, super sized, super large, super star, super market, super model.....
My computer is super slow today.
superior- better or high position
super-size- 加大的，特大的，超級大的。
-------------------
"super" word:
super structure- 101 is a super structure.
superlative- very most of something, such as tallest, highest...(infinite term)
superior- better than others, better than another.
superb- excellent, highest, perfect.
super doper-real super. super doper superman.
------------------------
superman is a comic book hero.
comic book-漫畫書
comic strip-連環畫，連環漫畫。
comic喜劇，脫口秀。也指喜劇演員（comedian-喜劇演員，脫口秀要角)
stand-up comedy-指站著説笑話的節目。.
comic relief-喜劇的舒解。 在嚴厲或緊張的情形用輕鬆，滑稽來化解人的情緒。
No comments:
Post a Comment