Make Euro Disney More European

Unit 9 Section A Make Euro Disney More European

Activity & Assignment • Main idea and Text Structure • Detailed study of the text • Warm-up Contents

Beauty and the Beast

{Related Information} Walt Disney is a legend; a folk hero of the 20th century. His worldwide popularity was based upon the ideals which his name represents: imagination, optimism, creation, and self-madesuccess in the American tradition. He brought us closer to the future, while telling us of the past.

{Related Information} “When people laugh at Mickey Mouse, it's because he’s so human; and that is the secret of his popularity.” “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”

{Reading: Shanghai} Shanghai Disney Resort Negotiations for the park began in the late 1990s. At 8:30 on November 4, 2009, an announcement, authorized by the Shanghai Municipal Government Press Office, was made: "Shanghai Disneyland project application report has been approved by the relevant state departments. Estimated total investment of 24.4 billion renminbi."

{Reading: Shanghai} Shanghai Disney Resort China is one of the most dynamic, exciting and important countries in the world, and this approval marks a very significant milestone for The Walt Disney Company in Chinese mainland. Disney CEO Robert Iger said in a statement.

{Reading: Shanghai} Shanghai Disney Resort Shanghai's mayor Han Zheng has estimated the cost of the first phase of the theme park will be 24.4 billion yuan, or $3.73 billion. A Commerce Ministry official termed it China's largest ever foreignservicesectorinvestment and said it will help make the national economy more consumer oriented.

{Reading: Shanghai} Shanghai Disney Resort The city's mayor, said the resort "will improveShanghai'sinternationalprofile" as a tourism destination. The site is expected to include a theme park, two hotels, a retail-and-dining complex and a lake. "Shanghai Disney Resort will be both authenticallyDisney and distinctlyChinese,"

{Reading: Shanghai} Shanghai Disney Resort He Jianmin noted that many mainland residents have been impeded from going to Hong Kong by a regulation requiring them to obtain a special pass before making the trip. Shanghai Disney Resort will find one of its main sources of business in such travelers.

{Reading: Shanghai} Shanghai Disney Resort "My family has been expecting to see the new Disneyland for a long time, ever since the news about it came out years ago," said Yu Xuebin, a public relation manager for a foreign company in Shanghai and the father of a 5-year-old daughter.

{Reading: Shanghai} Shanghai Disney Resort Construction work on the Shanghai Disney resort project began Friday, April82011. The Shanghai Disneyland theme park is scheduled for completion in five years. Supporting projects, including two hotels and retail and catering facilities, will also be built at an estimated cost of 4.5 billion yuan ($670 million).

{Listening Comprehension} Direction: Listen to a passage about a person’s attitude toward Disneyland in France. Q1. What does having Disneyland in France seem like according to the speaker? It seems like having an American flag planted in French soil. Q2. According to the speaker, on whom will Disneyland have the biggest influence? Kids.

{Discussion & Sharing} Q1. Do you think Disney in foreign countries is a cultural invasion? Q2. Is it a good idea to build a Disneyland in Shanghai? Q3. Would you like to see Mickey Mouse dressed as it is in the picture?

take sb. to court begin a case against sb. 起诉某人因为诈骗，他被送上了被告席。 He was taken to court because of cheating. 如果投诉没有得到解决，消费者可以对制造商提起诉讼。 A consumer if a complaint of the product is not handled. can take a producer to court

contend 1) argue or state that sth is true 声称，认为 2) compete against sb in order to gain sth 竞争律师声称他的委托人从未靠近过谋杀现场。 The lawyer contended that his client had never been near the scene of the murder. 他们的公司国模太小，无法与大型跨国公司竞争。 Their firm is too small to contend with large multinational companies. contention 主张；争论 in contention 在争论中 Note contentious 有争议的，爱争论的

delicate adj.needing skillful, careful or sensitive treatment微妙的，需要谨慎处理的一个相当微妙的问题 a rather delicate matter 工资谈判到了一个敏感阶段。 The pay negotiations have . reached a delicate stage

{Text Analysis} Part I (1-7) Delicate cultural issues Euro Disney faces ? People are wondering whether Europeans would welcome the Disneyland. Part II (8) ? Different responses to or concerns about Euro Disney Part III (9--18) ?

{ Main Idea} The article looks into people’s different responses to the Euro Disney through citing a typical lawsuit as the prologue to the point at issue—Euro Disney is a pleasant blend of cultures or a painful clash.

Part I (Para.1-7) The delicate cultural issues Euro Disney faces

{Questions & Answers} Q1. Why was the Disney organization taken to court by a labor inspector in France? Q2. How did the Disney management react to charges like this? Q3. What is the writer’s point in citing the case in the passage?

Make Euro Disney More European Para. 1Does Mickey Mouse have a beard? Para. 2No. Para. 3Does this mean that French men seeking work with the Disney organization must shave off their moustaches too? Para. 4It depends. remove hair with sth sharp 剃掉 Part I: The delicate cultural issues Euro Disney faces.

Para. 5A labor inspector took the Disney organization to court this week, contending that the company’s dress and appearance code—which bans moustaches, beards, excess weight, short skirts and fancy stockings—offends individual liberty and violates French labor law. having a lot of decoration or bright colors 花哨的 disobey or do sth against a law etc 违反，违背 Part I: The delicate cultural issues Euro Disney faces.

Para. 6The case is an illustration of some of the delicate cultural issues the company faces as it gets ready to open its theme park 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of Paris in five months’ time. Part I: The delicate cultural issues Euro Disney faces.

illustration n.a story, event etc that shows the truth or existence of sth clearly实例卓别林一生中的辉煌恰好说明一条真理：幽默是善良与智慧的结合。 The highlights in Charlie Chaplin’s life are that good humor is goodness and wisdom combined. an illustration of the truth Note illustrate

all the people in a play or film 全体演员 Para. 7The Disney management, which is assembling what it calls a “cast” of 12,000 to run the theme park, argues that all the employees, from bottle washers to the president, are similar to actors who have to obey rules about appearance. Anyway, a company spokesman says, no one has yet puthis moustachebeforea job. As one new “cast member” put it: “You must believe in what you are doing, or you would have a terrible time here.” Part I: The delicate cultural issues Euro Disney faces.

put sth. before sth. else consider sb/sth more important than sb/sth else 更看重某事人们在权衡成功的主要因素时习惯把智商看得比情商重要。 People tend to in weighing the key factors for success. put IQ before EQ 最近的一次调查表明，一些煤矿总是把盈利置于安全之上。 A recent survey shows that some coal mines always . put profit before safety

Part II (Para.8) People are wondering whether Europeans would welcome the Disneyland.

Para. 8But what do people think of Euro Disney? People everywhere are wondering whether Europeans would like this form of American recreation. Acting as a transition 过度 Part II: Whether Europeans would welcome the Disneyland.

Part III (Para.9--18) Different responses to or concerns about Euro Disney

Part III Different responses to or concerns about Euro Disney 1 French government (9-11) 2 Ordinary people (12) Intellectuals & Kids Economic effect: tax and financial concessions 3 The Disney organization (13-18) Making it more European besides being American

{Questions & Answers} Q1. What has the French government been concerned more about? It has been more concerned about its economic effect. Q2. What did the French government do to attract Euro Disneyland to Paris? It made an extraordinary series of tax and financial concessions to attract the theme park.

Para. 9For all its concern about foreign cultural invasion and its defense against the pollution of the French language by English words, France’s Socialist government has been untroubled aboutputting such a huge American symbol on the doorstep of the capital and has been more concerned about its economic effect. It made an extraordinary series of tax and financial concessionsto attract the theme park here rather than let it go to sunny Spain. Part III: (1) What does French government think?.

Euro Disneyland Layout TGV. RER & Eurostar Station Disneyland Park Walt Disney Studios

a group of buildings 综合建筑群 Para. 10 The theme park itself will be only part of a giant complex of housing, office, and resort develop-ments stretching far intothe next century, including movie and television production facilities. As part of its deal with the Disney organization, the government is laying and paying for new highways, an extension of Paris’ regional express railway and even a direct connection to the high speed TGV railway to the Channel Tunnel. The TGV station is being built in front of the main entrance of Euro Disneyland, and isscheduled to comeintoservice in 1994. plan to do sth. at a particular time 按计划 Part III: (1) What does French government think?.

TGV The name “Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV)” translated into English means high speed train. The TGV is a system which comprises train, track, and signaling technologies, that, when combined, make high speeds (typically 300 km/h, or 186 mph) possible. The TGV program was launched in the late 1960s.

until now 迄今为止 Para. 11If Euro Disneyland succeeds—theme parks already in France have so far failed—a second and even a third park is likely to be built by the end of the century. Financial experts say that Euro Disneyland, the first phase of which is costing an estimated $3.6 billion, is essential to Disney’s overall fortunes, which have been hit by competition and declining attendance in the United States. the number of people attending a meeting etc 到场人数 Part III: (1) What does French government think?.

for all despite 尽管，虽然尽管对当前的金融危机深感不安，中国人对未来的生活并不担忧。 For all their deep concern about the current financial crisis, the Chinese people are untroubled about their future life. 尽管文化有差异，世界人民应该和平相处。 For all the difference between cultures, people all over the world should live in harmony.

concession n.sth. that you agree to do or give up in order to end an argument让步作为对公众要求执政透明的让步，当地政府决定公开官员的收入情况。 As a concession to public cries for the transparency of administration, the local government decided to make public the incomes of officials. 令人遗憾的是，她做出的一系列痛苦让步未能使他们的婚姻免于破裂。 To her regret, a series of painful concessions she had made was unable to save their marriage from breakup. concede Note

concession n.2) sth. that you agree to do or give up in order to end an argument特许权 3) a lower price for certain groups of people给指定对象的优惠价采矿权 mining concession oil concession 石油开采权在一些旅游景点，学生及退休者可获优惠价。 At some scenic spots, concessions are available for students and pensioners.

come into begin to be in a state 开始进入某种状态新机器下周将投入使用。 The new machine will come into use next week. 新的教学楼将于下学期交付使用。 The new teaching building is going to come into service next term. Note come into existence 出现 come into operation 开始运行 come into effect 开始生效 come into view/sight 进入视线

What attitude did French intellectuals hold toward the Euro Disneyland project? Para. 12French intellectuals have not found many kind things to say about the project. The kids, however, will probably never notice. Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Peter Pan, and Pinocchio all come from European fairy tales or stories and are as familiar to children here as they are in the United States. To a French child Mickey is French. To an Italian kid he is Italian. Part III: (2) What do the ordinary people think?

{Questions & Answers} Q1. What kind of criticism did the Disney management receive on the Euro Disneyland project as implied in the passage? Q2. What has the Disney management done to make Euro Disneyland more European? Q3. What advantage does Euro Disneyland have in attracting tourists?

as a reply or reaction to an event or sth that is said作为对…答复/反应 Para. 13aThe Disney management is stressing this tradition in an apparent responsetosuggestions that it is culturally insensitive. Although the concept of the theme park is closely based on the original Magic Kingdom in California and Walt Disney World in Florida, “Euro Disneyland will be unique in a manner appropriate to its European home,” the company says. Part III: (3) What does the Disney organization think?

在······中占突出地， 起突出作用 Para. 13b“The legends and fairy tales which come from Europe figure prominently in the creative development of the theme park.” Officials point out, for example, that Sleeping Beauty’s castle, the central feature of the theme park, is based not on Hollywood, as some might think, but on the illustrations in a medieval European book.Also, a 360-degree movie, based on the adventures of Jules Verne, features well-known European actors. Part III: (3) What does the Disney organization think?

Euro Disney Theme Park Layout Fantasyland Adventureland Discoveryland Frontierland Main Street, USA

Para. 14 Asked to describe other aspects of the effort to make the park more European, a spokesman mentioned that direction signs in the theme park will be in French as well as English, and that some performers will chat in French, Spanish and English. “The challenge is telling things people already know—and at the same time making it different,” the spokesman said. Part III: (3) What does the Disney organization think?

Make Euro Disney More European