London 2012: Let the show begin | Bangkok Post: learning

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Tonight’s London 2012 opening ceremony will exceed your expectations, thrilled members of the audience for the final rehearsal said yesterday.

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Tower Bridge adorned with the Olympic Rings is seen on late July 25, 2012 two days before the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games. AFP

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Ceremony a ‘spine-tingling’ spectacular

LONDON, AFP: The London 2012 opening ceremony will be a spine-tingling extravaganza that exceeds expectations, thrilled audience members said after witnessing the final rehearsal for today’s showpiece spectacular.

And despite their excitement, those lucky enough to get a sneak peek vowed to keep the surprises secret after the show’s Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle pleaded with them not to ruin it by giving the game away.

Children pose with the Olympic mascot Wenlock. AFP

Games volunteers and troops were given tickets to the final run-through as a thank-you for their efforts, while members of the 15,000-strong cast were able to reserve tickets for friends and family.

The 60,000-odd crowd seemed filled with enthusiasm as they flooded out of the Olympic Stadium late Wednesday.

‘‘That was absolutely amazing. I wanted to whoop,’’ said Hilary Midgley from Darwen in northwest England, whose daughter was in the show.

‘‘She hadn’t told us anything so we didn’t know what to expect.

‘‘It was beyond my wildest expectations. It would have spoilt it for us had we already known what was in it so we’re not going to tell anybody.

‘‘Anyone who does should be ashamed of themselves!

‘‘My daughter’s been rehearsing since the beginning of May, we know how many hours she’s put in and it would just spoil everybody’s hard work.’’

The theme of the £27 million (US$42 million) spectacular is ‘‘Isles of Wonder’’, inspired by a passage from William Shakespeare’s play ‘‘The Tempest’’. The show is set to be watched by a vast global television audience.

Boyle — who won an Academy Award for directing Slumdog Millionaire — and his team, have explained their guiding ideas for the spectacle.

Fellow film-maker Stephen Daldry, the Games ceremonies’ creative director, revealed the show champions ‘‘the rich heritage, diversity, energy, inventiveness, wit and creativity that truly defines the British Isles’’.

It is ‘‘a journey which will celebrate who we are, who we were and who we wish to be.’’

Members of the Colombian delegation (C and R) are welcomed by members of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain during a Welcoming Ceremony for athletes and delegates at the London 2012 Olympic Village in the Olympic Park in east London, on July 20, 2012. AFP

But there are some bits of it that are so secret they did not even appear in the final dress-rehearsal.

Ollie Wright, 27, from Christchurch in New Zealand, who is volunteering at the modern pentathlon, was among those who saw it.

‘‘There’s lots of different things in there that triggered memories. It was spine-tingling at points,’’ he told AFP.

‘‘Every time they have a Games they try and ramp it up to get better and better and following Beijing 2008 they’ve done this in a very British way.

‘‘It’s hard to tell what the final product’s going to be because there was quite a lot we weren’t shown.

‘‘But if my friends ask me what’s in it, I’ll just lie!’’

adorn – to make something/somebody look more attractive by decorating it or them with something ตกแต่ง, ประดับ
spine-tingling – enjoyable because it is very exciting or frightening
spectacular – a large and impressive public event or performance  การแสดงหรือภาพที่น่าตื่นเต้น,ประทับใจ
extravaganza – a large, exciting and expensive event or entertainment
exceed – to be more than something; to go beyond a limit  เกินกว่าที่กำหนด
expectations – the belief that something will happen สิ่งที่คาด คิดว่าจะเกิดขึ้นในอนาคต
thrilled – very pleased and excited ชื่นชมยินดี
audience – the people who watch an event happen ผู้ชม
witness – to see something happen – มองเห็น, เป็นพยาน
rehearsal – a practice for a concert, play, etc. before giving a performance การซักซ้อม
showpiece – the most impressive feature of something or the most impressive thing of its type, in this case, the opening ceremony ตัวอย่างที่ดีที่สุด
sneak peek – a short preview (early look) of something
vow – to make a formal and serious promise to do something สาบาน, ปฏิญาณ
plead – to ask for something in an emotional way ขอร้อง, วิงวอน
give the game away – to give details of something that was supposed to be kept secret แพร่ข่าว, เผย
mascot – an animal, a toy, etc. that people believe will bring them good luck, or that represents an organisation, event, etc  ตัวนำโชค,ผู้นำโชค
volunteer – someone who is not paid for the work that they do อาสาสมัคร
troops – soldiers, especially in large numbers กองทหาร
run-through – a practice of a performance การซ้อม
cast – the performers in a film, play or show คนแสดง
reserve – to make an arrangement so that something such as a room in a hotel or a seat in a theatre is kept for you to use later  จอง
-odd – approximately โดยประมาณ, อย่างคร่าวๆ
enthusiasm – the feeling of being very interested in something or excited by it ความกระตือรือร้น
absolutely – completely โดยสิ้นเชิง, อย่างแท้จริง
amazingly – very surprising, especially in a way that makes you feel pleasure or admiration  น่าประหลาดใจ
whoop – to shout unexpectedly because you are very happy or excited about something  ร้องด้วยความดีใจ
spoil – to destroy or reduce the pleasure, interest or beauty of something ทำให้เสีย
ashamed – feeling guilty or embarrassed because you have done something wrong, or think that you have not reached a standard that people expect ซึ่งละอายใจ, ที่รู้สึกผิด
theme – the main subject of something ใจความสำคัญ, ประเด็นหลัก
inspire – to give someone the idea for a piece of work ทำให้เกิด บันดาลใจให้
passage – a short section of a book, article, poem, or piece of music, considered on its own ตอน, ส่วน(บทความ)
tempest – a severe storm with strong winds and heavy rain  พายุ
vast – extremely large in area, size, amount, etc.  กว้างใหญ่, มหาศาล
global – throughout the world ทั่วโลก
spectacle – an exciting and impressive public event or performance; an unusual, exciting, or impressive event or sight การแสดงต่อหน้าสาธารณชน,การแสดง
reveal – to let something become known เปิดเผย
champion – to publicly support a set of beliefs, political aims, or a group of people สนับสนุน
heritage – the art, buildings, traditions, and beliefs that a society considers important to its history and culture  มรดก ประเพณีที่ตกทอด
diversity – including many different types of things or people ความหลากหลาย
inventiveness – the ability to think of new and interesting ideas การคิดค้นเอง, ความเป็นช่างประดิษฐ์,ความเฉลียวฉลาด
wit – the ability to make people laugh with or without using words คำพูดหรือข้อเขียนที่แสดงเชาวน์ปัญญา, ไหวพริบ
creativity – the ability to create new ideas or things using your imagination ความสามารถในการสร้างสรรค์, ความคิดสร้างสรรค์
define – to describe clearly and exactly what something is  กำหนด,  ระบุ, ทำให้ชัดเจน
delegation – a group of people chosen or elected by a group to represent them คณะผู้แทน, คณะบุคคลที่เป็นตัวแทนของคนกลุ่มใหญ่
bit – a small piece of or part of something ชิ้นส่วนเล็กๆน้อยๆ
dress-rehearsal – the final practice of a play in the theatre, using the clothes and lights that will be used for the real performance การซ้อมใหญ่
pentathlon – a sports event that consists of five different sports or skills การแข่งขันกีฬาโอลิมปิกกรีฑา 5 ประเภท
trigger – to cause ก่อให้เกิด กระตุ้น
ramp up – to make something increase in amount or strength เสริม
hard to tell – difficult to know in advance
lie – to say or write something that you know is not true โกหก, พูดเท็จ

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