Advanced English Conversations (2) - Robert Allans, Matt Edie, A. Mustafaoglu 2020
Set 66 - drags the novel’s name through the mud
Sally: Hanson’s films always appealed to me but this one, based on a novel called Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, is an utter failure. In spite of the all-star cast, the film just didn’t hold my attention.
George: Well; Ray Bradbury was the giant of science fiction and fantasy. Yeah; I read that novel when I was a college student, and it made a lasting impression on me. It fired my imagination and awakened my interest in science fiction.
Sally: What’s wrong with that film is that it simply failed to create the atmosphere of loneliness and emptiness of life in the future where people fail to lead meaningful conversations, drive very fast, and watch excessive amounts of television on wall-size sets.
George: I was fascinated by the way novel portrayed how people could be easily overwhelmed even by the task of reading due to the loss of the ability of concentration. The author made it clear that technology played an important role in the social decline of reading.
Sally: What a waste! The way this film was put together drags the novel’s name through the mud.
Vocabulary:
appeal to: to interest or attract someone.
utter: (adjective) complete or extreme.
to be the giant of/in: a person, either real or imaginary, who is extremely large and strong, or a very large or powerful organization.
make a lasting impression on: to make people notice and admire you.
fire one’s imagination: to make someone feel very interested in something and excited about it.
awaken one’s interest in something: to cause someone to develop an interest in something.
excessive: (adjective) more than is necessary, normal, or desirable; immoderate.
portray: to represent or describe someone or something in a painting, film, book, or other artistic work.
overwhelmed: (adjective) to be overpowered or overcome, especially with superior forces; destroyed; crushed.
make something clear: to make something easier to comprehend; to help one understand something.
decline: (noun) when something becomes less in amount, importance, quality, or strength.
drags sb/sth’s name through the mud: to damage someone's reputation by doing extremely insulting things to them.
Exercise;
Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words;
1. We are glad to announce a .......... in the number of unemployed.
2. Exceptional and mature journalism will be appreciated but those who drag our good name .......... through careless reporting will be shown the exit.
3. Mr. Friel made it .......... that further insults of this kind would not be tolerated.
4. It's a program designed to .......... mainly to 16 to 25-year-old.
5. Sightseers may be a little .......... by the crowds and noise.
6. The writer .......... life in a small village at the turn of the century.
7. The talk of treasure and lost cities had .......... their imaginations.
8. The aim of the cruise was to awaken an .......... in and an understanding of foreign cultures
9. It's a performance that's sure to make an .......... on the judges.
10. The merger makes them a .......... in the publishing business.
11. They complained about .......... government intrusion into their legitimate activities.
12. These proposals are .......... nonsense. How on earth can we implement the project in 2 weeks.
1. decline 2. through the mud 3. clear 4. appeal 5. overwhelmed 6. portrays 7. fired 8. interest 9. impression 10. giant 11. excessive 12. utter