The Terminator has a dream — he wants to be the“Governator1 ”of California and follow in the footsteps of another Hollywood hero who gave up acting for a greater stage — Ronald Reagan.
Action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger unexpectedly threw himself into the race for California governor on August 6, 2003 in a show-stopping2 announcement that heralded a spectacular campaign.
The surprise decision by one of the screen’s biggest stars followed weeks of speculation about whether he would try to terminate the career of California governor Gray Davis in a historic recall3 vote . The Austrian-born actor, 56 , who became a U. S. citizen in 1983, has been toying for years with the idea of flexing his muscles at the ballot box instead of the box office. But after blowing hot and cold for weeks, aides had expected the star to bow to the concerns of his wife about the effect on their four children and stay out of the October gubernatorial race.
He might have spent years playing a futuristic robot in the“Terminator”blockbusters, but Schwarzenegger has shown himself to be politically astute off screen, building a strong profile within the Republican Party and garnering grass-roots support through his work for the Special Olympics and other sports programs. In 2000, he considered, but decided against, making a run for California governor. Three years on, Schwarzenegger has more name recognition , more personal wealth — 30 million alone for the latest“Terminator” installment — and more charisma than any of the other candidates.
Thirty years ago, the 6 ft-2ins body-builder came to America looking for fame and fortune in the movies, hampered by an unpronounceable name and a thick accent. Success was hard to come by initially and he focused on body-building, winning seven Mr Olympia titles and earning himself the nickname“the Austrian Oak”. He eventually graduated
to the title role in“Conan the Barbarian”in 1982 and later the 1984 sci-fi4 action move“The Terminator”which made him into a superstar.
His marriage to one of the ( Democratic ) Kennedy clan5—TV journalist Maria Shriver — looked for a while as if it might hamper his political ambitions. Shriver was reported to be worried about the effects of a time -consuming and high-profile political campaign — let alone a possible win — on their four young children, but also told Schwarzenegger she would support him whatever his decision.“Yes, she ’s a Democrat6 , ”said Schwarzenegger“ and this is the first time she ’s going to vote for a Republican . ”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CET4大學英語四級閱讀練習題：
?、? Fill in e ach blank:
1. The Terminator has a dream — he wants to be the“Governator”of California and( 追隨) another Hollywood hero Ronald Reagan , who gave up acting for a greater stage.
2. Action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger unexpectedly ( 參與競爭) California governor on August 6 in ( 受人歡迎的宣言) that ( 預告) a spectacular campaign.
3. Thirty years ago, the 6 ft-2ins body-builder came to America looking for( 名利) in the movies, ( 受到阻礙) by an unpronounceable name and a thick accent.
4. The Austrian-born actor for years has ( 思慮著) flexing his muscles at the( 選票箱) instead of the box office.
?、? Question :
How does Schwarzenegger become widely supported?
------------------------------------------------
參考答案
?、? 1. follow in the footsteps of
2. threw himself into the race for / a show-stopping announcement / heralded
3. fame and fortune / hampered
4. been toying with the idea of / ballot box
Ⅱ. He worked for the Special Olympics and other sports programs.
---------------------------------------------------
CET4大學英語四級閱讀參考譯文：
施瓦辛格: 州長終結者
“ 終結者”有一個夢想——— 那就是成為美國加利福尼亞州“ 州長終結者”, 步另一位好 萊塢明星羅納德· 里根的后塵, 放棄演藝事業(yè)而投身更廣闊的政治舞臺。
2003 年8 月6 日, 動作明星阿諾德· 施瓦辛格出人意料地宣布投身競選加利福尼亞州州長, 這一決定被掌聲不時打斷, 它預示著一場引人入勝的州長競選即將拉開帷幕。
在銀幕巨星施瓦辛格做出這驚人決定的前幾周, 人們已在紛紛猜測他是否會在具有歷史意義的罷免投票中終結現(xiàn)任加州州長格雷· 戴維斯的政治生涯。這位奧地利裔演員時年56歲, 于1983 年加入美國國籍。幾年來他一直琢磨著在票箱而不是票房上顯示一下自己的力量, 盡管他不是很認真。但是經(jīng)過幾周的反反復復, 他的助手們希望這位大明星能夠顧及妻子的擔心而放棄10 月的州長競選活動。他妻子擔心競選會影響到他們的四個孩子。施瓦辛格也許花了好幾年功夫扮演大片《終結者》中一個未來世界的機器人, 但他在銀屏以外的政治能力也已顯露出來。他不僅在共和黨內(nèi)非常引人注目, 而且通過在特殊奧運會和其他體育活動中的工作建立了良好的群眾基礎。2000 年, 他曾經(jīng)考慮但最終放棄了參加加州州長的競選。三年來, 施瓦辛格獲得了更高的聲望、更多的個人財產(chǎn)——— 僅《終結者3》就為他帶來三千萬美元的收入。而且他比其他任何候選人都更有魅力。
三十年前, 這位身高6 英尺2 英寸的健美運動員投奔美國投身電影, 以圖名利雙收, 然而他的名字叫來拗口, 英語又口音濃重, 曾一度阻礙了他實現(xiàn)自己的夢想。萬事開頭難。他專注于健 身 運動, 曾七次獲得“ 奧林匹亞健美先生”的稱號, 還贏得“奧地利橡樹”的綽號。1982 年, 他終于在《野蠻人科南》中出演主角, 而1984 年的科幻動作大片《終結者》更讓他一躍成為影壇巨星。
在電視臺當記者的妻子瑪麗婭· 施萊芙是肯尼迪家族( 民主黨) 的成員。據(jù)報道, 施萊芙擔心這場曠日持久、引人注目的政治活動會對他們的四個年幼的孩子造成影響, 但她仍舊告訴施瓦辛格, 無論他做怎樣的決定, 她都會支持他。“ 是的, 她是民主黨人, 但是這將是她第一次為共和黨人投票。”施瓦辛格說。
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
閱讀導評
加利福尼亞州一直都是美國新聞最多的地方, 原因不是那里的人口全美第一, 而是那里有全世界最著名的夢工廠———好萊塢。“外來和尚”施瓦辛格追隨里根率先在加州競選州長, 充實了“演而優(yōu)則仕”的美國版。一時間美國媒體為之大造聲勢, 要求修改憲法, 為施瓦辛格競選美國總統(tǒng)掃清障礙。如果這一要求得以實現(xiàn), 美國就可能第一次有一位出生異國他鄉(xiāng)的總統(tǒng)。
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
閱讀講解：
1. 在詞典中查不到, 是作者將governor + terminator 兩個字合并造出來的, 可譯成“州長終結者”。
2. 被長時間的熱烈掌聲打斷的, 特別受人歡迎的。同本文中的time-consuming ( 耗時的) ,作形容詞用。但本文中的body-building 則是名詞( 健身, 塑身) 。
3. recall v.〔美國〕( 依據(jù)一般投票) 罷免( 官員) 。這里是名詞: 罷免( 權) 。不能理解為常見的“ 回憶, 想起”。
4. sci-fi = science fiction( 科幻小說) ?，F(xiàn)代英語中的縮略語很普遍, 要注意縮寫相同不一定原詞也相同。
5. Kennedy clan 指美國以約翰·肯尼迪總統(tǒng)為代表的著名政治望族, 家族中從政人員多,但大多以悲劇收場。
6 . Democrat 民主黨員, Republican 共和黨員。美國歷史上兩黨輪流執(zhí)政, 民主黨的象征是驢, 共和黨是象, 所以兩黨之爭也被稱為“ 驢象之爭”。
