20110110 Will Power (1)

Will Power

Hollywood superstar Will Smith knows success

He's sold millions of records, had a hit sitcom and starred in multiple blockbuster films. He's one of Hollywood's biggest stars and, arguably, one of the most-recognized celebrities in the world. Will Smith has seemingly done it all, and yet in spite of his immense fame, he continues to stay grounded. His grandmother once wisely advised him, "Don't let failure go to your heart and don't let success go to your head." While that may be a tough task for many Hollywood A-listers, it's second nature for Smith.

A "Prince" is born

Willard Christopher Smith Jr. was born on Sept. 25, 1968, and enjoyed a middle-class upbringing in Philadelphia, PA. There, Smith learned to appreciate and get along with people of differing ethnic backgrounds. His neighborhood was a melting pot where people of many different cultures co-existed. Described as a bright child, Smith was known to play up his natural charm. When he was attending high school, Smith's teachers took note of this and aptly nicknamed him "Prince" for his ability to charm his way out of trouble. Little did Smith know that this nickname would stick, bringing him success and fame in the process.

grounded adj. 腳踏實地的/平時的

eg: Although Frank is a successful businessman, he stays grounded and treats everyone with respect.

=> 雖然Frank是一個成功的生意人，他仍然腳踏實地的生活，而且對每個人都很尊重。

ethnic adj. 人種的/種族的

eg: Representatives from many ethnic groups all attended the meeting.

=> 許多種族團體的代表都參加了這次會議

eg: He tried to hide his ethnic background because he feared being discriminated against.

=> 他試著隱藏自己的種族背景，因為害怕會被歧視。

play up something 凸顯/賣弄/故意強調

=> make something obvious to people

eg: Sarah loves to play up her ability to speak different languages, especially in front of her boss.

=> Sarah很喜歡賣弄她能說多國語言的能力，特別是在老闆面前。

eg: Jack always plays up his past achievements as a student because he's not doing well in his job right now.

=> Jack總是炫耀過去學生時代的光榮事蹟，因為他現在工作上並不順利。

blockbuster n. 風靡一時的電影巨片

sitcom n. 情境喜劇

=> short situation comedy

=> 像是美國影集的六人行(Friends)

A-lister

=> the most famous people

second nature 第二天性

middle-class 中產階級

upbringing n. 養育/教養/培養

aptly adv. 適當地

melting pot 大熔爐

=> 很多人比喻美國為melting pot，

=> 顧名思義不同的族群背景的人彼此融合(blend)在一起

=> 族群融合是一種迷思，錯誤的以為美國是一個民族大熔爐

=> 因此在過去二三十年越來越少人提到大熔爐

=> 取而代之的是salad bowl

=> 也就是多元文化的提倡

=> 在沙拉碗中大家都是具有特色的/有風味的

=> 而這些風味是組合起來的，而不是融合

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Pennsylvania (PA) 賓州的縮寫

California (CA) 加州

New York (NY) 紐約

Texas (TX) 德州

public address (PA) 在公共場所廣播

=> 對大眾講話，指的是在公共場所廣播

public address system

=> PA system擴音系統

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Will Smith The Family Man

One thing that keeps Will Smith grounded is his family. He enjoys raising his three children with his wife of over 13 years, actress Jada Pinkett Smith. The family is often photographed together on red carpets and is known for their close bond. Smith shared the big screen with his son Jaden in 2006's The Pursuit of Happyness.