Listening Script: Audio at the bottom of the page.
Part One
Interviewer: Could I start by asking you about the beginning of your career?
Rachid: Well, in the beginning, acting was a pastime for me- something to kill time with. I, together with some friends, used to write short plays and act them out in a local teen centre. This way, I got the acting bug. As I grew older, I bacame more and more committed to it.
Interviewer: How did your parents react? Did they approve or disapprove of your choice?
Rachid:In fact, my father really put his foot down. He said acting couldn't give me a stable and secure income for living, and things like that. But, I finally was able to make him change his mind with the help of my mother.
Interviewer: What about now? Do you feel you have made the right choice?
Rachid: Let me make it clearer: There is more to life than money. I don't earn much, but I'm really happy. I've got a house and a supportive and loving family. Above all, I'm doing what I'm really good at, and what I enjoy most. So, what should I complain about?
Part Two
Interviewer: You've worked in theatre, TV and cinema. Which medium do you prefer working in and why?
Rachid: I have no preference really, each has its own demands and each has its own benefits. In film and television you can act in a relaxed atmosphere. In theatre, people are a bit far away from you; so you must show them where to focus on the stage. In films, the camera takes care of focusing problems. On stage, it is your voice and your physicality that draws the focus so that the audience know where to pay attention and where not to. I like them all equally, in fact.
Interviewer: you say tastes are changing. Could you explain in what way?
Rachid: As you know, change is the essence of life. Look around you and you'll see that things aren't as they used to be: interests, mentalities, and tastes as well heve changed. The audience have become more selective and more demanding: they just can't watch anything; they really choose what to watch and what not to. You must give them good works; otherwise, they will look for them somewhere else.
Interviewer: What advice can you give to the growing generation of actors?
Rachid: Patience and hard work, plus the most valuable piece of advice I was geven myself: Modesty.
Vocabulary:
bug: /bʌɡ/ (informal) a very strong enthusiasm for something.
Examples:
He's been bitten by the sailing bug. When I was about 17, I was bitten by the acting bug and began to try out for parts. put his foot down: to use your authority to stop something happening. Examples: When she started borrowing my clothes without asking, I had to put my foot down. In fact, my father really put his foot down. income: /ˈɪn.kʌm/ money that is earned from doing work or received from investments. Examples: Average incomes have risen by 4.5 percent over the past year. The report shows that poor families spend a larger proportion of their income on food. physicality : /ˌfɪz.ɪˈkæl.ə.tɪ/ the quality of being full of energy and force. Examples: Such figures always possess a stronger, more specifically presentational physicality on the stage. She dances with an impassioned physicality. essence : /ˈes.əns/ the basic or most important idea or quality of something. Examples: The essence of his argument was that education should continue throughout life. The essence of punk music was a revolt against both the sound and the system of popular music.