Brad Pitt: Actor, Producer, Father, and Humanitarian 不僅僅是 Mr. 萬人迷 ── 布萊德．彼特
For Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, watching films as a kid was like going through doors into different worlds. Born on December 18, 1963, in Oklahoma, he was so amazed by movies that he decided to drop out of the University of Missouri to move to Los Angeles. There, during the mid-1980s, Pitt took acting lessons and worked at various jobs. It did not take long for the young actor to find roles in movies and on TV. His first parts in movies came in 1987. However, these roles were small, and his name was not listed in the credits3.
Four years after beginning his career as a professional actor, Pitt began to get noticed when he appeared in Thelma & Louise. In that movie, he played a cowboy hitchhiker4. His love scene with the character Thelma helped turn him into a sex symbol5. In 1994, he was in a big movie, Interview with the Vampire, and he also starred in Legends of the Fall. Since then, Pitt has starred in many memorable roles, which have made him a superstar. He was named People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive in 1995 and 2000. Time chose him as one of the 100 most influential6 people in the world in 2007.
be amazed by / at... 對……感到很驚訝
We are all amazed by how the movie frightened Annie.
我們都對安妮被那部電影嚇成那樣感到吃驚。
various a. 各式各樣的
Vicky's creativity takes various forms, including sculpting, painting, and even dancing.
薇琪的創作採取多種形式，包括雕刻、繪畫，甚至是舞蹈。
take long 費很長的時間（多用於否定句）
It didn't take long for our boat to sink after we hit a rock.
我們的船撞到岩石後沒多久就沉下去了。
list vt. 列舉
The guidebook lists the top 10 restaurants in town.
這本旅遊手冊列出城內十大最棒的餐廳。
notice vt. 看到，注意到
Some people are trying very hard to do anything to get noticed.
有些人總努力想盡辦法引人注意。
appear vi. 出現
My brother appeared out of nowhere and scared me to death.
我弟突然冒出來，把我嚇得半死。
memorable a. 令人難忘的
Last summer, Vivian spent a memorable weekend at her grandmother's house.
去年夏天，薇薇安在她奶奶家度過一個難忘的週末。
alive a. 活著的；活躍的
The village comes alive at Christmas.
這個村子一到耶誕節就活躍了起來。
producer n. 製作人；生產者
humanitarian n. 人道主義者
the credits n.（電影、電視劇等）致謝演員和工作人員的名單（恆用複數）
hitchhiker n. 搭便車的旅行者
sex symbol n. 性感偶像；極富性魅力的人
influential a. 有影響力的
go against the grain 的用法
本文副標 "One actor in Hollywood has spent his life going against the grain." 中的片語 go against the grain 是在形容本文主角布萊德．彼特行事不落俗套，想法跟別人不一樣，而且很有主見。grain 這個字除了通常表『穀物；（沙、鹽等的）顆粒』的意思，也可表『（木、石、織物等的）紋理』，如在此片語 go against the grain 中，字面上的意思是『劈材不順著木紋劈』，衍伸之意則表『做事不落窠臼』或者『違反一個人的原則（本性）』。例：
It's not easy to go against the grain and buy stocks when others are selling them.
（當別人都在賣股票時，你卻順勢買進股票，的確很不容易。）
It really goes against the grain to have to work overtime at weekends.
（週末還要加班是很沒人性的。）
