Т.В. Артеменко, Е.В. Кривощекова, Е.В. Кравченко, Н.Е. Николаева - Reader in Language and Culture - Part II, страница 16

That movie gave me the ability to steer the courseof my own destiny. But at the end of the day, being an actor is just not thatdifficult. It's difficult to give certain types of performances, but most of thetime you're in character for about 10 seconds, and editing makes it lookcomplete. The toughest part is sustaining a career, and that's about choices.It's the choices you make that decide how long you will last, and the type ofactor you are. You just have to be smart.How do you choose a film?I think that about 92% of the scripts I get are pure crap. Usually when Iwant to do something I know immediately, and then, I do it. I'll probablymake shitty choices in the future, I'm sure.

You need a Heaven's Gate inthere once in a while. But what thrills me right now is disappearing into arole that matters, in movies that matter. I am the product of good fortune,and my main thing is that I don't want to squander these opportunities that Ihave.A look at the differences in character between the British and theAmericans.This is the fourth part of our series on the differences in characterbetween Brits and" Yanks. Find out about British and American attitudes89to honesty, class and tradition. There's a world of difference!Happy Birthday!Americans are generous when it comes to giving gifts. Almost anyoccasion is an excuse to give a present.

Christmas, birthdays, weddings,graduations, the birth of a child, a new neighbour moving in, someoneleaving, or the arrival of a new pet.Americans will usually open their gifts in the presence of the giver. Andon opening them, they'll say things such as, "Oh, that's great. You're sokind", or, "Oh, I so wanted that."The Brits are different, of course. Giving gifts isn't so popular, and incertain parts of Britain, particularly in the north, it is unknown.

On beingpresented with a gift, Brits have a natural sense of wspidon. "What's this?"they may ask, "Its not my birthday. What are you after?"HonestyAmericans are generally straightforward when it comes to expressingthemselves. If the weather is bad, they'll tell you it's bad. If theyre feelingill, they'll let you know. And if they don't like a film, they'll be frank aboutit. The British, on the other hand, prefer to use something known asunderstatement. This consists of saying that something good or bad isn't asgood or bad as it really is - they "understate" the facts. So, if the weather isreally bad and it's 50° below zero, they'll tell you that "it's just a bit cold";and if they've just had a serious surgical operation and they're feeling ill,they'll tell you they're "just a bit under the weather"; and if they see a reallyboring film, they'll say it "wasn't bad".There are also extreme cases, such as the artillery officer who lost his legin the Battle of Waterloo and who asked his sergeant if he could "kindlylook for the leg"; or the English gentleman who was involved in a caraccident and who lost his right hand.

On being asked how he felt, hereplied, "Oh, I mustn't grumble. At least I've got the use of my left hand."90ClassAmericans like to think that everyone in America is equal; and thatanyone can live the American dream. This is partly true. Just look at theirpresidents and politicians: one president was a Hollywood actor (RonaldReagan); and the current governor of California is an ex-weightlifter(Arnold Schwa rzenegger). In theory, there's no such thing as a class systemin America.

Just about everyone likes to think they are middle class, andthat even a plumber can have a son who's a university professor.However, this is a myth, and Americans have their own upper classes(the Kennedys and the Vanderbilts), and lower classes (white trash,hillbillies, and marginalised groups).

In Britain,`the class system is muchmore evident. And people are proud of the class they belong to, each grouphaving its own accent, way of dressing, and residential zone.TraditionAmericans like tradition, but they aren't sentimental about it. After all,they can go to Europe for things like that. They are much more practical,and admire things for their functionality. If it isn't serving any practicalpurpose, it doesn't deserve to exist, and it's time to pull it down.In Britain, things are different, and for the Brits, tradition representscontinuity, and it must be preserved at all costs. In the past they have foughtto defend the pound, red telephone boxes, the pint, and imperialmeasurements (miles, feet, inches, etc).

It's not practical, but it's British.And this is why judges still wear 181h-century wigs, and there are Lordsand Ladies. Sense of HumourAmerican humour is based entirely on jokes about lawyers. In Americansociety this profession is hated, and there are literally thousands oflawyerjokes. Here's a typical one:A funeral procession is passing byand Ws being led by a man walking91beside a lion. Behind the coffin there is a line of around 200 people.

Abystander asks "Hey; whaYs going on?"And the guy at the front says, "My lion ate my lawyer, and this is thelawyer's funeral." "Hey," saysthe bystander, "Could I borrow your, lion. I'vegot a lawyer I'd like to 1ave eaten."Sorry, "says the man, pointing to the 200 people behind the coffin.'You'll have to get to the end of the line - those guys are waiting for thesame thing."The British sense of humour is more sophisticated. It's based on sarcasm,irony and misunderstandings. Here's an example of this type of humourfrom a popular British comedy series called "Blackadder". In this scene,Blackadder, an aristocrat at the court of King George III, is talking to theprince of England. This English prince isn't very clever, unlike our currentones. Prince:Some fellow said that I had the wit and sophistication of adonkey.Blackadder: Oh, an absurd suggestion, sir.Prince:You're right, it is absurd.Blackadder: Unless, of course, it was a particularly stupid donkey.92.