ESL Podcast 339 – Star-crossed Lovers

Romeo: What do you plan to do?

Juliette: I don’t know! I can’t defy my parents. They’ve been against our relationship from the start, and I’ve been forbidden to see you.

Romeo: It’s your life, not theirs. It’s time you stood up to them and told them what you want. I’m tired of being a puppet in the feud¹ between your family and mine.

Juliette: That’s easy to say, but I can’t confront my father and tell him that I want to be with you. It would kill him!

Romeo: No, it won’t. He’s using guilt² to get you to give me up. Don’t let him manipulate you that way.

Juliette: This is tearing me apart. I can’t take it much longer.

Romeo: You won’t have to. I’m leaving—without you.

Juliette: No! You can’t. I can’t live without you.

Romeo: Someday, we’ll be together...Cut! Where is the director? This is supposed to be the story about star-crossed lovers, not a trashy melodrama³. Whoever wrote this trash should be fired!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 feud   

n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇

参考例句：

• How did he start his feud with his neighbor?他是怎样和邻居开始争吵起来的？
• The two tribes were long at feud with each other.这两个部族长期不和。

2 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

3 melodrama   

n.音乐剧；情节剧

参考例句：

• We really don't need all this ridiculous melodrama!别跟我们来这套荒唐的情节剧表演！
• White Haired Woman was a melodrama,but in certain spots it was deliberately funny.《白毛女》是一出悲剧性的歌剧，但也有不少插科打诨。