Carrie on watching
(Source： The Economist August 5th-11th )
Day1-2 Background & Frame
Background
1. Hebrew is a Northwest Semitic language native to Israel, spoken by over 9 million people worldwide. Historically, it is regarded as the language of the Israelites and their ancestors.
2. Mossad, meaning "Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations", is the national intelligence agency of Israel. It is one of the main entities in the Israeli Intelligence Community, along with Aman (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (internal security). Its director reports directly to the Prime Minister.
3. Israeli series mentioned in the passage:
1) Prisoners of War
The series, set in 2008, depicts three Israeli soldiers who were captured 17 years ago while on a secret mission with their unit in Lebanon.
2) Yellow Pepper
It is about a family that raises an autistic child in a rural village lacking any therapeutic resources.
3) In Treatment
eTipul (Hebrew: בטיפול; lit. In Treatment) is an Israeli television drama revolving around the personal and professional life of an Israeli psychologist, Reuven Dagan, played by Assi Dayan. The series portrays a psychologist who treats patients at his clinic five days a week and then seeks psychological treatment for himself.
Frame
P1: Netflix now offers its subscribers a dozen Hebrew-language shows, most of which are about espionage.
P2: The American blockbuster "Homeland" was remade from "Prisoners of War"——one of the best-known Israeli series-——and a great example of Israel's exports.
P3: Dramas of agents and terrorists still predominate, but local producers boast that they are exporting other kinds of the show,too.
P4: One of the industry's proudest exports is "Yellow Peppers", which is later remade into "The A World" by BBC.
P5: The first Israeli series that both made lots of money and wowed critics outside Israel was “In Treatment”.
P6: Israel has come to specialise in “complex series created in frugal conditions, making the most of them".
Mindmap
Day 3-4 Words & Phrases
1. While Israeli politicians grumble that their country is unfairly portrayed by the media, its television producers are cashing in on Israel's reputation for spymastery.
grumble: to complain about someone or something in an annoyed way
e.g. She spent the evening grumbling to me about her job.
If your stomach grumbles, it makes a low, continuous noise, usually because you are hungry.
portray sb as sth:If a person in a film, book, etc. is portrayed as a particular type of character, they are represented or described in that way
e.g. The father in the film is portrayed as a fairly unpleasant character.
cash in: to make money from a situation, especially in a way that is not fair or honest
e.g.They have cashed in at the expense of ordinary sports fans.
2. “Homeland” generated much controversy, thanks to its remarkably bloodthirsty portrayal of Muslims.
bloodthirsty: eager to see or take part in violence and killing
portrayal: A description of someone or something in a particular way; a representation.
e.g. ‘the media portrayal of immigration’
3. ...the story of a family of farmers in the Arabah Valley who struggle to come to terms with their young son's autism.
come to terms with: to learn to understand and accept something
e.g. He made little effort to come to terms with his critics.
autism: a condition that starts in young children and typically causes behaviour that is unusually centred on the self while limiting the development of social and communication skills
4. The first Israeli's series that both made lots of money and wowed critics outside Israel was the "In Treatment", which revolves around a psychologist and his patients.
wow: to make someone feel great excitement or admiration
e.g. The movie wowed audiences with its amazing special effects.
revolve around: to have someone or something as the main or most important interest or subject
e.g. The conversation revolved around childcare problems.
5. “The ... something else that has become a hallmark of Israeli television...
hallmark: a typical characteristic or feature of a person or thing
e.g. Simplicity is a hallmark of this design.
6. This was born of necessity: modest budgets mean that Israeli shows seldom involve big casts or flashy locations.
modest: not large in size or amount, or not expensive
e.g. They live in a fairly modest house, considering their wealth.
7. Just as dark Scandinavian crime dramas have enthralled global audiences, Israel has come to specialise in “complex series created in frugal conditions, making the most of them".
enthrall: to keep someone completely interested
e.g. I was always enthralled by the rotary engine, and thought it was a neat idea.
frugal: careful when using money or food, or (of a meal) cheap or small in amount
e.g. a frugal lifestyle
8. He likens this to the way that so much Israeli technology (from missiles to cyber-security software) sprang from the need to defend a small, beleaguered country cheaply.
liken: to say that someone is similar to or has the same qualities as someone else
e.g. She's been likened to a young Elizabeth Taylor.
spring from: to come from or be a result of something
e.g. His need to be liked obviously springs from a deep-rooted insecurity.
beleaguered:
1) having a lot of problems or difficulties
e.g. The arrival of the fresh medical supplies was a welcome sight for the beleaguered doctors working in the refugee camps.
2) surrounded by an army
e.g. The occupants of the beleaguered city had no means of escape.
Day 5-6 Background & Frame
Who you gonna call?
Background
1. Who you gonna call:This title actually comes from the line of the theme song of a 1984 American supernatural comedy film ghostbuster.
2. Exorcism ( "binding by oath") is the religious or spiritual practice of purportedly evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person, or an area, they are believed to have possessed. The practice is ancient and part of the belief system of many cultures and religions.
3.Jarusalem: a city in the Middle East, located on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea.
Frame
1. Mr. Moscato is a man who combats with evil spirits.
2. Mr. Moscato performs several exorcism a week and there is a boost in requests in recent years.
3. There are a rising number of "independent operators" in Europe.
4. Different exorcists may have their own speciality.
5. Several reasons might explain the rising demand.
Mindmap
