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Midnight in Paris
简体
Midnight in Paris
午夜巴黎

How to use "be able to."

Date: Aug 31 2011

Themes: Travel

Grammar: Be Able To

Intro

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“The grass is always greener” is an expression meaning that we always want what we can’t have. For Gil, the main character in Woody Allen’s new movie, Midnight in Paris, that couldn’t be more true…that is, until the clock strikes midnight.

Gil wishes that he had lived in Paris during the 1920s. He thinks Paris is the most romantic city in the world, and that the 1920s were the most interesting time to be there. He wants to be a writer, and he wishes he could have met famous American writers like Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald when they were all living in Paris during the Jazz Age.

Amy recently saw Midnight in Paris. Hear her and Jason talk about the film, and their favorite eras in history.

“这山望着那山高”是一句谚语,意思是说我们总是希望得到我们无法拥有的东西。对伍迪·艾伦 (Woody Allen) 的新片《午夜巴黎》中的男主人公盖尔 (Gil) 而言更是如此……尤其是当午夜钟声响起的时候。
盖尔希望自己在 20 世纪 20 年代期间居住在巴黎。他认为巴黎是世界上最浪漫的城市,而 20 世纪 20 年代则是巴黎最有趣的时代。他希望成为一名作家,并幻想在爵士乐时代就居住在巴黎,遇见同期居住在此的美国著名作家,如海明威 (Ernest Hemingway) 和菲茨杰拉德 (F. Scott Fitzgerald)。
艾米最近观看了《午夜巴黎》。听她和詹森一起讨论这部电影以及他们最喜欢的历史时期。

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Amy

Amy

Jason

Jason

Amy:  I just saw that new Woody Allen movie, Midnight in Paris.

Jason:  Yeah, I’ve heard good things.

Amy:  Yeah, it was really fun. It was really charming. It was sort of his tribute to Paris, and so there were lots of beautiful shots of the city and everything. But it also had kind of a funny and interesting concept, which is basically there’s this guy who’s just in love with the idea of Paris in the 1920s. And somehow he’s…basically every night at midnight he’s able to go back in time and experience Paris at that time, and he’s also able to hang out with all of his literary heroes, like Hemingway.

Jason:  Right. All the ex-patriots.

Amy:  Yeah, exactly. And so all of those characters are, you know, portrayed in a really funny and charming way.

Jason:  Oh, OK. Yeah, that sounds good.

Amy:  Do you have a favorite historical era?

Jason:  I think I’d go to the 1870s, like the Wild West with Wyatt Earp and all that kind of stuff.

Amy:  OK. I can see that. Would you be an outlaw or would you be a sheriff?

Jason:  You know, in those days the line between them was kind of thin, so it’s about the same. It just depends on who I made friends with first, you know?

 

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Discussion

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Amy enjoyed the new movie Midnight in Paris. She loved the beautiful shots of Paris and the movie’s unique concept.

In the film, the main character is a romantic guy named Gil who wishes he had been alive in the 1920s in Paris. Magically, he is able to travel back in time to that era every night at midnight. He gets to spend time with his favorite ex-patriot writers of the 1920s, such as Ernest Hemingway.

Jason says that he would like to travel back to the 1870s in the Wild West. He would like to hang out with famous sheriff Wyatt Earp and other famous figures of the Wild West.

If you could hang out with any famous figure from history, who would you want to spend time with?

 

Comments

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Staisy

Staisy

Russian Federation

If I had a chance to have a time travel, I would go to the   Ancient  Russia. I want to see  how the people of that time looked like, and to hear how the old russian speech sounded, and to be an evident  of our beautiful capital foundation.


I have included the moovie Midnight  in Paris at the list of  films, which I  am going to see in the near future.


Thanks,  English, baby for your interesting lessons. 

08:23 PM Jul 01 2014 |

zhaleh hoor

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

A fantastic movie reaally, I like to be in Paris one day after seeing this film:)


If I could hang out with any famous figure from history, I would want to spend  time with T.S.Eliot.

04:19 PM Nov 30 2013 |

jein

jein

Indonesia

I want to spend my time with jeanne d’arc, the heroine from France. I haven’t been in Paris yet. But I hope someday I can go there. 

04:10 PM Nov 29 2013 |

Sun-Marina

Sun-Marina

Russian Federation

Good movie and good question.
I’d like to hang out with Jane Austin with great pleasure.

03:27 PM Sep 05 2011 |

Jalal166

Jalal166

Saudi Arabia

For me, If I could hang out with someone, I would go back in time to that era where the French poet Victor Hugo is there.

02:54 PM Sep 02 2011 |

kukuka

kukuka

Ukraine

If I could go back in time, I’d like to meet Sergey Esenin I guess…or if i could go back in time i would whitness how the Earth began to see if it is a religious centerment or scientific

07:34 AM Sep 02 2011 |

m.ania

m.ania

Poland

It is really a  nice movie. I like it.

07:37 PM Sep 01 2011 |

m.ania

m.ania

Poland

It is really a  nice movie. I like it.

07:37 PM Sep 01 2011 |

amberer

amberer

Ukraine

When i was in Paris we walked along the midnight city and it was fantastic! I like Paris and want to visit it again!

07:14 PM Sep 01 2011 |

xuchang12016

China

I like to make friends, I hope I can become friends with all of you

02:59 PM Sep 01 2011 |

zamalek

zamalek

Egypt

very good question 


i want to go back about 1432 years ago to be in the beginning of islam message to the world and to see the profit mohammed 

08:00 AM Sep 01 2011 |

1 person likes this

jerry bourne

China

Good question!if it were ture,i would go back to Tang dynasty!it’s the most properist and romantic time in china!and i would see poet LiBai and DuFu!

06:34 AM Sep 01 2011 |

wwongsapun

wwongsapun

Thailand

WoW! very nice question If I have a chance to hang out with someone from history, I wishes spend time with Gelileo of the 1590s in Italy.:)

04:56 AM Sep 01 2011 |

desouky

Egypt

my dream is travelling to london

10:29 PM Aug 31 2011 |

Miss Fabulous

Germany

I would love to see all of the holy prophets and especially the holy prophet Mohammad peace be upon him. 

07:55 PM Aug 31 2011 |

1 person likes this

安军

安军

China

yeah! i think so !


it has a dream of mine throughout my life to experience the charm of paris!


paris is famous for its romantic.but paris is also a friendly city!people lives in here are friendly to the tourists come from all over of the world!


perfect paris!

05:56 PM Aug 31 2011 |

atikhan

atikhan

United Kingdom

wonderful city, my desire to visit paris once time in life

12:22 PM Aug 31 2011 |

Nylia

Nylia

Philippines

I don’t have any idea about well-known history. In fact, I essentially adore Paris city as I was heard often there are variety of scenery beauties and spot and one of the most fascinating places to go. So, if I have an opportunity I would like to visit Paris someday if God willing it will…

10:34 AM Aug 31 2011 |

Omar alsaqqaf

Yemen

The prophet Mohammed pace be upon him

09:07 AM Aug 31 2011 |

Bruce_zhou

China

As far as i know,paris is the most romantic city in the world,many affectional films’s background from paris,and many famous perfume also made in paris,i love paris very much,i have plan to paris sometime soon,i will experience paris life by then.

08:33 AM Aug 31 2011 |

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