Advanced English Conversations (2) - Robert Allans, Matt Edie, A. Mustafaoglu 2020

Set 79 - my heart leapt when I heard the announcement

Interviewer: Claudia, how did you feel about winning the Oscar?

Claudia: I can truly say that my heart leapt when I heard the announcement. Winning an Oscar has been my life ambition, so this was a dream come true!

Interviewer: And how would you feel about that?

Claudia: I’ve certainly found happiness in this profession. But it doesn’t always live up to people’s expectations, of course. It’s not as glamorous as it’s made out to be.

Interviewer: Does the fact that your career is currently more successful than your husband’s cause any tensions at home?

Claudia: Not at all. My husband takes great delight in any success that I have. And I have a profound admiration for his work. I hope one day he’ll get the recognition he deserves. But even if he doesn’t, we both know that many people derive a lot of pleasure from his films. He receives a lot of quite moving fan mail in which people express their admiration for his work.

Interviewer: Thank you, Claudia. It was a great pleasure to talk to you.

Vocabulary;

one’s heart leaps: to become very happy or joyful about something.

life ambition: the thing one most wants to do in one's life

live up to someone’s expectations: to be as good as good as someone thought something would be.

glamorous: (adjective) attractive in an exciting and special way.

tension: a nervous worried feeling about something; loss of trust.

take delight in: to get a lot of pleasure from something.

profound: adjective. (of a state, quality, or emotion) very great or intense.

get/receive/deserve recognition: the act of praising or rewarding someone for something they have done.

derive pleasure from: to get a positive feeling or advantage from someone or something.

admiration: respect and warm approval.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words;

1. As I heard the news. My heart .........., then sank, then leapt.

2. I thought the movie was going to be better than that. It totally didn't live up to my ..........

3. The Hollywood film idols of the 1940s were .......... figures, adored by millions.

4. The public's .......... is misdirected, as he has done nothing to deserve it.

5. Sarah finally .......... her life's ambition when she started her own business.

6. They received .......... for their 20-year commitment to safety at sea.

7. Mr Ying is one of those happy people who derive .......... from helping others.

8. Parents will take .......... in teaching their child to walk and talk and do so many things.

9. Bacon had often expressed his .......... admiration for Picasso's paintings.

10. Recent developments in the area have brought latent ethnic .......... out into the open.

1. leapt 2. expectations 3. glamorous 4. admiration 5. fulfilled 6. recognition 7. pleasure 8. delight 9. profound 10. tension