The latest season of House of Cards opens with FrankUnderwood on the verge of becoming a sitting duck president,his empire slipping through his fingers like sand. And thatempire’s foundation – his marriage – appears to be falling to pieces as well.
最新一季的《紙牌屋》一開(kāi)篇,弗蘭克•安德伍德就險(xiǎn)些成了傀儡總統(tǒng),他的權(quán)力帝國(guó)則如同指間沙般一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)脫離他的掌控。而作為他根基的婚姻也岌岌可危、眼看就要?dú)в谝坏?/p>
Frank, on several occasions in this new season, states that he isn’t good enough for his wife. Andby all accounts, this is the plain truth. Where Frank operates like a brutal tyrant, Claire, thoughequally calculating, always enacts her devilish plans with class.
第三季中,弗蘭克多次表示自己配不上妻子。在坊間,這早就是不爭(zhēng)的事實(shí)。弗蘭克殘忍如暴君,雖然她的妻子克萊爾也精于算計(jì),但她總能優(yōu)雅地實(shí)現(xiàn)她的邪惡計(jì)劃。
But despite Claire being perhaps even more talented at manipulation than her husband, she’salways played second fiddle to him. When Frank needs someone to infiltrate the United Nations, heuses Claire. When he needs someone to charm a Russian leader, he trots out Claire. When heneeds his confidence replenished – Claire.
在控制力方面,克萊爾甚至更勝丈夫一籌,但她卻總是屈居二線。當(dāng)弗蘭克需要人打入聯(lián)合國(guó)內(nèi)部時(shí),他讓克萊爾上陣;當(dāng)需要有人誘惑俄羅斯領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人時(shí),他獻(xiàn)出了克萊爾;當(dāng)他需要重拾信心的時(shí)候,還是克萊爾……
Like many real-life first ladies, it’s frustrating to watch Claire live in her husband’s shadow, and ashas always been the case with the series, Claire’s turmoil is as entertaining as it is meaningful.
克萊爾就像現(xiàn)實(shí)生活中的總統(tǒng)夫人們一樣,生活在丈夫的光環(huán)之下,令人沮喪。而就像前幾季一樣,克萊爾的爆發(fā)既意味深長(zhǎng)又富有娛樂(lè)性。
Season three is far from perfect. Like a nasty cold passes from one person to the next, one of theseries’ most exhausting subplots continues to be passed along season to season.
《紙牌屋》第三季遠(yuǎn)非完美。其中,最無(wú)趣的副線就像重感冒一樣從上一季傳染到這一季。
Doug Stamper isn’t that interesting a man, so it’s hard to understand why so much time is spenton him and his obsession with a long lost love interest. Who actually cares who Doug is in lovewith? His story’s constant reappearance is an indication that the show’s creators are possiblyrunning short on creativity. Doug is a distraction from the show’s most interesting component –the crumbling relationship between the first lady and the president.
道格•斯坦普本就不是個(gè)討喜的角色,劇集卻將大量的時(shí)間浪費(fèi)在他和他那曠日持久的失意愛(ài)情上,著實(shí)令人費(fèi)解。誰(shuí)會(huì)真正關(guān)心他喜歡誰(shuí)呢?如此頻繁地講述他的故事也許只能說(shuō)明編劇沒(méi)了創(chuàng)意。道格的故事線反而擾亂了劇中最有趣的總統(tǒng)與夫人間岌岌可危的感情線。
This third season doesn’t reach the dramatic heights that the series’ opening does, but it farexceeds the blandness of season two. Is season three worth watching? Sure, if only becauseseason four threatens to outdo them all.
《紙牌屋》第三季也許很難再達(dá)到該劇首播時(shí)的高度,但是較之平淡無(wú)味的第二季,還是要出色很多。那么《紙牌屋3》是否值得一看?答案是肯定的,因?yàn)榈谒募菊f(shuō)不定會(huì)更出色。
重點(diǎn)解析 Key Phrases/Words
1. by all accounts 據(jù)大家所說(shuō),人人都這么說(shuō)
2. devilish adj. 殘忍的,惡毒的,邪惡的
3. second fiddle n.二流的人,居二線
4. trot out v. 炫耀,使跑給人看,提出…供考慮
5. turmoil n. 混亂,焦慮
6. blandness n. 溫柔,爽快