Objective Proficiency p 46. In A World Where One Teen's Voice Is An Internet Hit. Extra Listening



Jake Foushee was 14 when he posted a YouTube video showing off his "movie trailer voice" for friends. When the video went viral, Jake found himself on national television. The next stop might be the big screen itself.

Listen to this programme from All Things Considered and fill in the gaps

Even though it's not as dramatic as "Battleship," there's another movie story that could easily be 1________/ _______ a short movie trailer, the life of 15-year-old Jake Foushee. And this is what it would sound like if it were a trailer. "In a world where a voice can separate the boys from the men, one 15-year-old is walking the 2____________ and 3____________ his own destiny. In theaters everywhere, Friday."
When his voice changed, he realized his was deeper than his friends'. So he decided he might want to use it for a career someday. Therefore he posted a video "I'm trying to become a voice actor, and this is my movie trailer guy 4____________. In a world where the Earth was no longer in our control, with our survival 5_______/ _________, we have one chance, and that chance is to fight back."
And of course the video went 6___________. "In theaters everywhere, Friday."
Soon, Good Morning America was knocking on his door "Fourteen-year-old Jake Foushee from North Carolina has become an Internet 7___________ with that..." Jake was 8_____________ surprised by it.Then his next stop was "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." And she 9__________ a surprise on you. "We called the Abrams Artists Agency in New York City — one of the most highly 10_________ voice-over, talent and literary agencies in the industry, and they would like to officially 11______/ _______," Degeneres told him in front of her audience.
At school a lot of people have 12________/ _____/ ________ him and congratulated him. However, he is trying to remember who his real friends are and 13________/ ________/ ______/ __________.
He has a girlfriend since before all this started and he is still with her now and she's with him 14_________/ ________/ ________.
Coming up, music from a new band that describes its sound as orchestral folk.

KEY

1. distilled into (distil something (from/into something) /dɪˈstɪl/ (formal) to get the essential meaning or ideas from thoughts, information, experiences, etc. Sp. extraer. E.g. The notes I made on my travels were distilled into a book.




2. line (Walk the line: To maintain an intermediate position between contrasting choices, opinions, etc. E.g. I began to walk the line between work and play.)




3. charting (chart: to plan a course of action. Sp. trazar. E.g. She had carefully charted her route to the top of her profession. They enjoy having the authority to chart their own course (to choose a path, or a way of doing something.)) 




4. impression / ɪmˈpreʃn/ an amusing copy of the way a person acts or speaks. Impersonation. E.g. He did an impression of Tom Hanks.




5. at stake (that can be won or lost, depending on the success of a particular action. Sp. en juego, en riesgo. E.g. We cannot afford to take risks when people's lives are at stake. The prize at stake is a place in the final.) 




6. viral /ˈvaɪrəl/ like or caused by a virus. E.g. a viral infection. A viral email (= that is sent on from one person to others, who then send it on again)  




7. sensation /senˈseɪʃn/ very great surprise, excitement, or interest among a lot of people; the person or the thing that causes this surprise. E.g. News of his arrest caused a sensation. The band became a sensation overnight. 




8. insanely  




9. sprang (spring, sprang, sprung something (on somebody): to do something, ask something or say something that somebody is not expecting. E.g. She sprang a surprise by winning the tournament. He sprang a surprise on them)




10. regarded (regard: to think about somebody/something in a particular way. E.g. Her work is very highly regarded. Capital punishment was regarded as inhuman and immoral.) 




11. sign you (to arrange for somebody, for example a sports player or musician, to sign a contract agreeing to work for your company; to sign a contract agreeing to work for a company. E.g. sign somebody United have just signed a new goalie. Sign for something He signed for United yesterday. Sign with something The band signed with Virgin Records. 




12. come up to (come up (to somebody) to move towards somebody, in order to talk to them. E.g. He came up to me and asked me the way to the station.)




13. keep everything in check (hold/ keep something in check: to keep something under control so that it does not spread or get worse. E.g. Maggie managed to keep her temper in check. The epidemic was held in check by widespread vaccination.)




14. through it all

Transcript
GUY RAZ, HOST:
Now, it's not quite as dramatic as "Battleship," but here's another movie story that could easily be distilled into a short movie trailer, the life of 15-year-old Jake Foushee. And this is what it would sound like if it were a trailer.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
JAKE FOUSHEE: In a world where a voice can separate the boys from the men, one - I was about to say 14 again.
RAZ: Jake was actually 14 when his story began. But now?
FOUSHEE: You want me to start over?
RAZ: He's 15. Sure.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
FOUSHEE: One 15-year-old is walking the line and charting his own destiny. In theaters everywhere, Friday.
RAZ: A little explanation here. When Jake was 13 and his voice changed, he realized his was just a little deeper than his friends'.
FOUSHEE: Hello. My name is Jake. I am 14 years old.
RAZ: So he decided he might want to use his voice for a career someday. So a few months ago, he posted a video on YouTube, just Jake in front of his computer with a microphone.
(SOUNDBITE OF YOUTUBE VIDEO)
FOUSHEE: I'm trying to become a voice actor, and this is my movie trailer guy impression. In a world where the Earth was no longer in our control, with our survival at stake, we have one chance, and that chance is to fight back.
RAZ: So naturally, the video goes viral. He's 14.
FOUSHEE: In theaters everywhere, Friday.
RAZ: And the next thing Jake knows.
FOUSHEE: I remember that first day I got an email from "Good Morning America."
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA")
JOSH ELLIOTT: Fourteen-year-old Jake Foushee from North Carolina has become an Internet sensation with that...
FOUSHEE: And I was insanely surprised by it, and I did not believe it. And I told my dad about it, and they didn't believe it either.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA")
ELLIOTT: What do you want to do?
FOUSHEE: I'd like to be a voice actor when I'm older, like, for movie previews or just movie trailers and stuff.
ELLIOTT: All right.
RAZ: He told us "Good Morning America" was fun.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA")
FOUSHEE: Welcome back to "Good Morning America" with Robin Roberts and George Stephanalapalou(ph)...
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
RAZ: But his next stop was "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW")
ELLEN DEGENERES: Well, Jake, that's quite a voice you have. I'm excited that you're here.
FOUSHEE: Thank you. Thanks so much for having me.
DEGENERES: All right. So when did your voice start to get this deep?
RAZ: And then she sprung a surprise on you.
FOUSHEE: Yes, she did.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW")
FOUSHEE: Yes, ma'am.
DEGENERES: So we called the Abrams Artist Agency in New York City. It's one of the most highly regarded voiceover talent and literary agencies in the industry, and they would like to officially sign you. You have an agent.
FOUSHEE: And I was really excited about that and insanely surprised. And I just - I couldn't even believe it.
RAZ: Have you had any - have you signed a deal yet?
FOUSHEE: We haven't gotten into - we haven't gotten into everything yet. But we are working with them now. My mom and my dad are all having conferences with them and getting everything worked out. So hopefully, we'll get a lot of the big stuff going this summer.
RAZ: Who else do you do?
FOUSHEE: I can do Optimus Prime from "Transformers."
RAZ: How does he sound?
FOUSHEE: Before time began...
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "TRANSFORMERS")
NEIL KAPLAN: (as Optimus Prime) Before time began...
FOUSHEE: ...there was...
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "TRANSFORMERS")
KAPLAN: (as Optimus Prime) ...there was...
FOUSHEE: ...the cube.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "TRANSFORMERS")
KAPLAN: (as Optimus Prime) ...the cube. We know not where it comes from...
RAZ: Wow. That's crazy.
FOUSHEE: Thank you.
RAZ: What about at school? Like, are you, like, the most popular kid now?
FOUSHEE: Well, a lot of people have come up to me and congratulated me, and so a lot of people are trying to be my friend now. And it's fun, but also, I'm just trying to remember who my real friends are and keep everything in check.
RAZ: What about dates? Any luck there?
FOUSHEE: Well, I have a girlfriend, actually, since before all this started and still with her now. She's really happy for me, and she's with me through it all.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
RAZ: That's Jake Foushee. His original viral video is at our website, npr.org. Coming up, music from a new band that describes its sound as orchestral folk. That's in the next part - excuse me - that's in the next part - forget it. Jake, can you finish this one?
FOUSHEE: That's in the next part of ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.