Hello :)
March 23rd 2012 can't come soon enough and I'm going to explain why.
Over the summer I read a series of books called the Hunger Gameswritten by Suzanne Collins. Ok, you caught me. I didn't read them. I listened to them, but is there really any difference? Books, audiobooks, same difference if you ask me :)))
THE BOOKS
The Hunger Games is an adventure science-fiction series that consists of three books: the Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay (2008-2010). The story takes place in Panem, a country that stretches across the area that used to be called North America. In Panem there is the Capitol, where everybody is rich and beautiful and leads a comfortable life, and there are also twelve districts, where people are poor and hungry and work just tocater to the Capitol's needs.
In school, they tell us the Capitol was built in a place once called the Rockies. District 12 was in a region known as Appalachia.
In the past there was a rebellion in which thirteen districts fought against the Capitol and failed. As a result, District 13 was annihilated and a new law introduced: each year the twelve remaining districts must select two tributes: a young girl and a boy to represent them in the Hunger Games, where they are going to fight to the death against representatives of the other 11 districts. Only one person can be named the winner. Only one person survives. Others die.
The Hunger Games take place in an outdoor arena and are televised across Panem to the entertainment of the Capitol and as required viewingto the twelve districts.
The twenty-four tributes will be imprisoned in a vast outdoor arena that could hold anything from a burning desert to a frozen wasteland.
The main character of the book is Katniss Everdeen, a girl from District 12, or the coal district. We get to know her on the reapingday – the day when names of the contestants are to be drawn.
You better run now, Fire Girl,...
Katniss is not a typical teen book character. She's not a softie or a girly girl by any means. Katniss is a tough cookie, a fighter. She knows how to use a bow and an arrow. She can climb trees and find her way in the woods. Her internal monologue is not annoying or childish. It is refreshingly mature and relevant. At no point in the series are you bored with this character or fed up with her behaviour. Quite the opposite, you want to get to know her better, to go camping with her :).
What you are going to find in the Hunger Games is extreme cruelty, oppression, hunger, rebellion and fight but also bravery, friendship, love, sacrificeand unity. The description of life in the Capitol offers some food for thoughtwhen it comes to aesthetic surgery, eating disorders, gossipor celebrities. The fastpaceof the story and its multiple twistswill keep you interested and wanting more. The Hunger Games series is a true page-turner!
THE MOVIE
Getting back to the big day (March 23rd 2012). On that day the movie adaptation of the first part of the series – the Hunger Games, is slated to hit movie theatres. And while theteaser trailer was a real snoozefestand fell short of everybody's expectations, the actualtrailer did not disappoint.
I'm particularly excited about casting Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. The actress seems to be a perfect fit with her down-to-earth quality that Katniss has.
teaser trailer:
trailer:
GLOSSARY:
something can't come soon enough – nie mogę doczekać się czegoś
same difference – bez różnicy (comes from combining same thing and no difference)
to stretch across – rozciągać się wzdłuż
a district – okręg, dystrykt (w pol. tłumaczeniu książki)
to cater to (somebody's needs) – zaspokajać (potrzeby)
the Rockies – Góry Skaliste
Appalachia– region Appalachów
a rebellion – powstanie, bunt
to fail – ponieść klęskę
to annihilate – unicestwić, zgładzić
remaining– pozostałe
a tribute – dosł. danina, haracz; trybut (w pol. tłumaczeczniu książki)
a reminder – przypomnienie
required– obowiązkowy
vast– rozległa
a wasteland – nieużytki, zniszczona ziemia
coal– węgiel
the reaping day – dożynki (w pol. tłumaczeniu książki); to reap – zbierać plony
to draw – losować (draw, drew, drawn)
a softie – mięczak (a kind, gentle person who is not forceful, looks for the pleasant things in life and can be easily persuaded to do what you want them to)
not by any means – w żadnym wypadku, wcale
a tough cookie – twarda sztuka (not easily hurt by what people say or do)
a bow – łuk
an arrow– strzała
somebody'sinternal monologue – monolog wewnętrzny
refreshingly– ożywczo, przyjemnie
mature– dojrzały
relevant– istotny, tut. na temat
be fed up with– mieć czegoś dość
oppression– ucisk
sacrifice– poświęcenie
food for thought– materiał do przemyśleń
aesthetic surgery– chirurgia estetyczna
eating disorders– zaburzenia odżywiania
gossip– plotki
a fast pace– wartka akcja (pace – tempo)
a twist – nieoczekiwany zwrot
a page-turner – książka, od której trudno się oderwać
slated– wyznaczony (na jakiś termin)
to hit movie theatres– trafić do kin
a teaser trailer– pierwszy zwiastun (emitowany na długo przed premierą)
a trailer– zwiastun
a snoozefest– nuda (to snooze – drzemać, a fest – festyn)
to fall short of somebody's expectations– nie sprostać oczekiwaniom
actual– właściwy
to cast somebody as– obsadzać kogoś w jakiejś roli
down-to-earth– przyziemny, trzeźwy
quality– cecha
Polish titles:
The Hunger Games – Igrzyska Śmierci
Catching Fire – W pierścieniu ognia
Mockingjay –Kosogłos
