Hollywood—America’s Movie Wonderland▼ See how a one-time quiet little farming town became the playground of the stars.
瞧瞧這個一度沒沒無聞的農業小鎮是如何轉變成眾星雲集之地。
Everyone knows that Hollywood is the center of the universe when it comes to big-budget blockbuster movies. But have you ever wondered how this corner of Los Angeles became the home of the silver screen elite▼?
Back in the mid-19th century, Hollywood was founded as a farming community▼ in Southern California. It wasn’t until the early 1900s that filmmakers started flocking in. They went out to Hollywood due to a rather strange cause: inventor Thomas Edison. Edison owned many of the patents▼ used in film-making, and those patents were filed in New Jersey. Edison was known for suing▼ movie makers who violated▼ his patents. By coming out west, studio executives and directors could get away from Edison’s lawsuits▼.
The first Hollywood film studio was founded in 1919, but was actually in Edendale, next to Hollywood. Many more studios followed, including those run by well-known filmmakers Cecil DeMille and Charlie Chaplin. The famous Hollywood sign—which originally read “Hollywoodland”—went up in the Hollywood Hills in 1923. From 1910 to 1929, around 40,000 films, most of which were silent, were made in Hollywood. Today, Hollywood still pumps out as many as 500 movies per year.
1. universe n. 宇宙
The scientist explained that the universe is constantly expanding.
這位科學家解釋宇宙不斷在擴張。
* expand vi. 擴張
2. found vt. 建立；創辦
Harper was born on the morning of July 4th, the same day the United States was founded.
哈波生於七月四日早晨，與美利堅合眾國創立的日期同天。
3. flock in... 聚集擁入……
The department store employees watched as the crowd flocked in.
百貨公司員工看著人群擁入。
4. due to... 由於……的緣故
The flight was delayed due to the bad weather.
班機因為天氣欠佳而遭延誤。
5. cause n. 原因
Though Sally?s salary is not much, she enjoys working for a good cause.
雖然莎莉薪水不高，她樂於為了對的目的工作。
6. file vt. 申請／提起（專利、訴訟、客訴等）
If you keep harassing Miss Lin, she?ll file charges against you.
如果你繼續騷擾林小姐，她將對你提出告訴。
* harass vt. 騷擾；打擾
* file charges against sb 對某人提告
7. originally adv. 原本地，原來地
Originally, I thought the course was easy. It turned out, however, that it was quite difficult.
原先我還以為這門課很簡單。不過後來它竟然很困難。
8. pump out... 大量製造／供應……
This Middle Eastern country pumps out oil exports in spite of the stormy political situation.
儘管有著動盪不安的政治局勢，這個中東國家仍大量出產石油。
* stormy a. 動盪的，多風波的
▼wonderland n. 仙境，奇境 ▼elite n. 精英分子 ▼community n. 社區 ▼patent n. 專利（權） ▼sue vt. 控告某人 ▼ violate vt. 違反 ▼lawsuit n. 訴訟
It is / was not until...+ that 子句
1. 此句型為 it is / was 引導的強勢句構，表「直到……才……」，until 之後可接時間點（如本文的 the early 1900s）、名詞或子句。 例 It was not until bedtime that I remembered that my homework wasn’t done.
直到就寢時我才想起功課還沒做。
2. not until 引導的子句視為否定副詞子句，故置於句首時，其後的主要子句須採倒裝句構。 例 It was not until I asked for the check that I realized I had forgotten to bring my wallet.
→ Not until I asked for the check did I realize I had forgotten to bring my wallet.
直到要付帳時我才發現我忘記帶錢包了。
☆ From 1910 to 1929, around 40,000 films, most of which were silent, were made in Hollywood.
本句中的 From 1910 to 1929 為時間副詞片語，修飾主要子句 around 40,000 films...were made in Hollywood，其中，most of which were silent 為關係代名詞 which 引導的形容詞子句，修飾前面的名詞 films。
