17年之后，我们三十个人的梦想变成了什么样子呢？总之，这个故事不是几句话就可以讲完的。不，应该是三十个故事。我们中的一些人已经成名，几乎是家喻户晓了，比如安德烈亚和艾普丽尔，一个多年来一直演电视剧，另一个则是星期六问答秀节目组唯一的女演员。有些人却没了消息，比如马法和马赛厄斯。在记忆中，马法的舞蹈和钢琴都很出色，然而，第一学年的假期之后，他就再也没有回到学校。现在，马赛厄斯在维也纳经营一家录音室，他最终意识到：“也许，我当年的雄心壮志有点儿过头。”他说的倒是真话，不像许多蹩脚的演员，用谎言来自我安慰：没有得到认可是因为运气太差；如果遇见一位能够发掘自己才能的导演，他们无限的才华就能得到赏识。
在任何一所戏剧学校的任何一个班级里，那些都绝对是随时有可能发生的平常事。不过，在我们那个班级里，有两件事情给人们留下的印象最深刻：一件是令人伤心的，另一件则是令人愉快的。
先说说那个令人伤心的故事吧。埃伯哈德?施密特的生命太短暂了，没能实现自己的梦想。他梦想成为一名大导演，在为几位大牌导演当助理的时候，他已初露锋芒。八年前，他死于艾滋病。我后来只在法兰克福见过他一次，那是在他生病去世的前一年。
我们两个人扯上关系是因为按照字母顺序排列，我们的名字是挨着的。他的姓是施密特，我的姓是施奈德。在被戏剧学校录取之前，我们一共要参加6次考试，每次考试的时候，我们总是被叫到一起搭档表演。因为每个班最多录取12个人，因此最初的时候，我们都把彼此当做敌人和竞争对手。到了后来，我们——施密特和施奈德距离希望越近，我们就越不愿意看到对方被淘汰。当两人都被成功录取时，我们拥抱在一起，那是我们第一次拥抱对方。在法兰克福永别时，我们第二次拥抱了对方。
现在说说令人愉快的故事吧。斯文?贝克托夫，他是目前我们当中唯一实现梦想，甚至所达到的目标已经超出了我们当时所设想目标的人。他在1996年被评为年度最佳导演，这可是一个不同寻常的奖项。
然而，我与斯文第一次见面时，彼此相处得并不愉快。当时，我与其他11名同学刚刚通过入学考试，我和弗兰泽斯卡坐在排练台前的一条长椅上。斯文比我们高一个年级，他当时穿着一条紫红色的粗棉布裤子，站在台阶上望着我们。他纹丝不动地站在那里，有点儿傲慢。不过，他长得倒是很英俊——五官俊朗，眼睛是棕色的，一头金发。
然后，他从台阶上走了下来，朝着我走过来，可是到了跟前，他却转向弗兰泽斯卡问道：“你叫什么名字？”
不过，我们还是成了很好的朋友。三年之后，在河边的一个夜晚，当我们正在为舞蹈课的期末考试练习踢踏舞的时候，他向我作了一个承诺，那就是让我在他导演的第一部片子中饰演一个角色。
现在，斯文成为一名导演，同时也是汉堡的塔里亚剧场管理委员会的委员——塔里亚剧场是德国顶级剧场之一。此外，他还成功演绎了许多不朽的角色，人们奉他为演艺界的巨星。
戏剧学院的课程即将结束的时候，每个学生都不得不准备一个可能一生都不会在舞台上表演的角色。我选中了歌德诗剧中的格莱琴，我没有这个角色所需要的一头金发和高雅气质，因此不会有导演让我演这个角色。这就很有意思了，在剧本的结尾，格莱琴坐在监狱中等待死亡的降临，她几近疯狂地说道：“咳，咳，它们即将降临，令人痛苦的死亡。”我之所以放弃演艺事业，就是因为那句台词。
那句台词说得确实不够流畅。当然，我本可以把它们背诵出来，然而，当说这句台词的时候，我总是不断地问自己：谁会相信你的绝望呢？我还不如说：“谁把我的娃娃糖吃了？”或“什么，已经五点一刻了？”效果都是一样的。我绝望地一遍又一遍地重复着这句台词，希望能够找到死亡的恐惧感。然而，结果恰恰相反。
一名出色演员和一名蹩脚演员的区别就在于角色的逼真程度，当然，这显然也是我一段时间以来失败的原因。能够使观众忘记演员仅仅是在扮演一个角色的艺术，才是真正的艺术。
当我意识到自己不适合从事这个职业的时候，我感到非常痛苦。因为这三年就是我的生命，一段非常美好的生活。博托?施特劳斯曾经写过一段关于戏剧的名言：“阻止我成为一名好演员的就是戏剧。”是的，对我来说也是如此。
记忆填空
1. Everyday reality looked_____ different. The first_____we had to learn was that drama students kiss and hug always and everywhere. The great figures showed us___ . We fell in love with all and sundry, and smoked whatever was______ to us.
2. We wanted to be on____. When we were at long, long last allowed to walk the boards, we quickly understood that a____stage could be the loneliest______in the world.
佳句翻译
1. 所有这一切与伟大艺术有关系的事物，都只是一点一点地呈现在我们的眼前。
译________________________________
2. 他还成功演绎了许多不朽的角色，人们奉他为演艺界的巨星。
译________________________________
3. 因为这三年就是我的生命，一段非常美好的生活。
译________________________________
短语应用
1. What all that had to do with great art only became apparent to us very slowly.
have to do with：与……相关
造_______________________________
2. But it was easy to deceive oneself to begin with since for a while passion can be a good substitute....
begin with：以……开始；开始于……
造_______________________________
爱的奇迹
Love Lives Forever
佚名 / Anonymous
My mouth felt dry as I followed my mother into the doctor’s private office and sank into a padded chair next to hers. This doctor didn’t carry a stethoscope. He had a room full of gadgets and gizmos to analyze the learning abilities of failing students. That day he had analyzed me.
He shuffled papers and jabbed his wire frame glasses with a forefinger. “I’m sorry to tell you this, Mrs. Dow, but Peter has dyslexia. A fairly severe case.”
I swallowed and tried to breathe. The doctor went on. “He’ll never read above the 4th-grade level. Since he won’t be able to complete high school requirements, I suggest you enroll him in a trade school where he can learn to work with his hands.”
I didn’t want to go to trade school. I wanted to be a preacher, like my dad. My eyes filled with tears, but I forced them back. A 12-year-old was too big to cry.
Mom stood up, so I jumped to my feet, too. “Thank you, Doctor,” she said. “Come along, Peter.”
We drove home without saying much. I felt numb. Dyslexia? I’d never heard the word until last week. Sure, I was always the slowest kid in my class. During recess I had a special hiding place behind a shrub. There I would cry because I couldn’t do my lessons no matter how hard I tried.
Of course, I never told my mom about that part of school. I was too ashamed. I didn’ t want to worry her, either. She had enough on her mind with teaching school full-time and taking care of dad, my two brothers, my sister and me.
Mom and I arrived home before the rest of the family. I was glad. I wanted some time alone. With my chin almost touching my chest, I pulled off my coat and hung it in the closet. When I turned around my mother was standing right in front of me. She didn’t say anything. She just stood there looking into my eyes with tears running down her cheeks. Seeing her cry was too much for me. Before I knew what was happening, I was in her arms bawling like a big baby. A few minutes later, she led me into the living room to the couch.
“Sit down, honey. I want to talk to you.”_
I rubbed my eyes with my sleeve and waited, plucking at the crease in my trousers.
“You heard what the doctor said about your not finishing school. I don’t believe him.”
I stopped sniffling and looked at her. Her mild blue eyes smiled into mine. Behind them lay an iron will. “We’ll have to work very hard, you and I, but I think we can do it. Now that I know what the problem is, we can try to overcome it. I’m going to hire a tutor who knows about dyslexia. I’ll work with you myself evenings and weekends.” Her eyebrows drew down as she peered at me. “Are you willing to work, Peter? Do you want to try?”
A ray of hope shone through the hazy future. “Yes, Mom. I want to have a try.”