VOA标准英语2010年-'Up In The Air' Tackles Human Isolatio

Ryan Bingham flies around the county firing people for a living. Most people would loathe¹ such a career. But Ryan, played by the effortlessly graceful² George Clooney, thrives on it. "Up In The Air" is the latest Jason Reitman film. It's about relationships, human isolation³ in the modern era and job loss, made all the more poignant⁴ by real life interviews with people who have lost their jobs. The film has received Golden Globe nominations⁵ and is expected to receive Oscar nominations as well.

Penelope Poulou | Washington DC 15 January 2010

"Up In The Air," is about relationships, human isolation and job loss

Ryan Bingham flies around the county firing people for a living. Most people would loathe such a career. But Ryan, played by the effortlessly graceful George Clooney, thrives on it. "Up In The Air" is the latest Jason Reitman film. It's about relationships, human isolation in the modern era and job loss, made all the more poignant by real life interviews with people who have lost their jobs. The film has received Golden Globe nominations and is expected to receive Oscar nominations as well.

Ryan is at the top of the world, literally⁶. He spends more time in planes and airport hotels than at home in Omaha, Nebraska. He is the perfect traveler: organized, lightly packed, efficient. The airlines treat him like royalty⁷. And for a good reason. Ryan has accumulated almost 10 million miles as a frequent flier.

Ryan brags⁸ to Natalie, his coworker that more people have walked on the moon than the few select, who have reached such a high number of miles.

"You get lifetime executive status," he says. "You get to meet the chief pilot, and they put your name on the side of a plane. "

Ryan goes through life untouched by others. He lives most of the time in mid-air. He likes it that way. No "excess baggage."

"Your relationships," he says "are the heaviest components⁹ in your life. Your husband, your wife, your home. We weigh ourselves down till we can't even move. Make no mistake. Moving is living." 

Being detached helps him at work. He fires people for a living. He sees himself more as a career change counselor¹⁰ than a hatchet¹¹ man. He prides himself on softening¹² the blow on the newly-fired.

But Ryan's perspective changes when he meets Alex. She's the female version of him.

Ryan's new romantic side throws him off balance. And then he gets grounded. His company decides to fire people over the Internet from its headquarters instead of sending corporate¹³ officers, like him, to deliver the news in person. 

Filmmaker Jason Reitman says for the first time Ryan gravitates towards people.  He calls out to Alex. When she says "Call me when you get lonely" he readlily replies "I'm lonely."

Reitman says "there really isn't anyone better than George Clooney. I wrote it [the script]  with him in mind. I wrote it for his voice. I wrote it for his attitude."

Jason Reitman, known for his award winning film "Juno," delivers yet another complex comedic drama. It deals with modern technology, relationships, job loss, fear of commitment and, ultimately, the need to connect with others.

Vera Fermiga plays Alex.

"She to me embodies¹⁴ everything that is so hard about being a woman these days. Wanting it all," she says. "Those torn and complex choices between career and family and having romance and being respectable."

Reitman's characters are witty¹⁵, flawed, realistic, disarming¹⁶. The dialogues are intelligent. The cast is stellar. The story is multilayered.

Tough economic times and getting fired are one of the movie's subplots.

Nevertheless, the filmmaker retains his quirky sense of humor

"Everywhere I look I see comedy," says Reitman. "Often where it's inappropriate."

"Up In The Air," leaves us, yes, up in the air: unsettled, confused about what to expect, what is expected of us, and how life will ultimately turn out.

1 loathe   

v.厌恶，嫌恶

参考例句：

• I loathe the smell of burning rubber.我厌恶燃着的橡胶散发的气味。
• You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时，你会厌恶油腻的气味。

2 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

3 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

4 poignant   

adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的

参考例句：

• His lyrics are as acerbic and poignant as they ever have been.他的歌词一如既往的犀利辛辣。
• It is especially poignant that he died on the day before his wedding.他在婚礼前一天去世了，这尤其令人悲恸。

5 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

6 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

7 royalty   

n.皇家，皇族

参考例句：

• She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
• I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。

8 brags   

v.自夸，吹嘘( brag的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He constantly brags about how well he plays football. 他老是吹嘘自己足球踢得多么好。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• \"I don't care to listen to your brags.\" \"我没有兴趣听你吹了！ 来自飘（部分）

9 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

10 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

11 hatchet   

n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀

参考例句：

• I shall have to take a hatchet to that stump.我得用一把短柄斧来劈这树桩。
• Do not remove a fly from your friend's forehead with a hatchet.别用斧头拍打朋友额头上的苍蝇。

12 softening   

变软，软化

参考例句：

• Her eyes, softening, caressed his face. 她的眼光变得很温柔了。它们不住地爱抚他的脸。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• He might think my brain was softening or something of the kind. 他也许会觉得我婆婆妈妈的，已经成了个软心肠的人了。

13 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

14 embodies   

v.表现( embody的第三人称单数 )；象征；包括；包含

参考例句：

• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This document embodies the concern of the government for the deformity. 这个文件体现了政府对残疾人的关怀。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 witty   

adj.机智的，风趣的

参考例句：

• Her witty remarks added a little salt to the conversation.她的妙语使谈话增添了一些风趣。
• He scored a bull's-eye in their argument with that witty retort.在他们的辩论中他那一句机智的反驳击中了要害。

16 disarming   

adj.消除敌意的，使人消气的v.裁军( disarm的现在分词 )；使息怒

参考例句：

• He flashed her a disarming smile. 他朝她笑了一下，让她消消气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We will agree to disarming troops and leaving their weapons at military positions. 我们将同意解除军队的武装并把武器留在军事阵地。 来自辞典例句