Mini Script and Vocabulary List: Groundhog Day

Movie Class – Week 01 (EB – week 13)
Mini Script and Vocabulary List: Groundhog Day (0:00:56 – 0:09:00)
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What is Groundhog Day? It is a day celebrated on February 2. According to folklore, if it is
cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early;
if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and go back into its burrow, and
there will be six more weeks of winter.
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Main Characters
Phil Connors
Rita Hanson
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The Weather Report_______________________________________________________
Phil
Elko, Nevada.
Our nation’s high at 79 today.
Out in California they are going to have…..gang wars and some very overpriced real
estate.
Up in the Pacific Northwest they are going to have some very tall trees.
Clear across the Rockies and the Great Plains, mostly.
Oh, boy! Front coming our way!
What’s that going to mean to us in the Three Rivers area? One of these big blue
things! This cold, frigid arctic air, this big mass coming out of the north.
Going out on a limb now. Not gonna hit us here in Pittsburgh.
Gonna push off and hit Altoona. Let’s take a look at the 5-day. Close call folks.
Bundle up warm of course, but I think you can leave your galoshes at home.
Tomorrow is Groundhog Day and I am going out to Punxsutawney….
…according to the legend, tomorrow, February 2nd, if the groundhog wakes and
sees its shadow we’ve got six more weeks of winter to look forward to. So keep your
fingers crossed.
For your information, Hairdo, there is a major network interested in me.
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1.
Elko: a city in Nevada in the United States
2.
79: 79 degrees Fahrenheit ( 26 degrees Celsius)
3.
Pacific Northwest: an area in America bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and
the Rocky Mountains on the east. Because of plentiful rainfall, this region of America
has some of the most lush and extensive forests
4.
The Great Plains: a broad expanse of flat land that runs north to south through the
middle of America
5.
front: a place where a large area of cold air meets a large area of warm air, often
shown as a line on a weather map
6.
the Three Rivers area: a city in St. Joseph County in the US state of Michigan
7.
frigid artic air: extremely cold air
8.
go out on a limb: to state an opinion or do something which is very different from most
other people
9.
Altoona: a city in Pennsylvania
10. close call: a narrow escape from danger or trouble
11. bundle up: to wear warm clothes, especially many layers
12. galoshes: rain boots
13. keep your fingers crossed: to put your middle finger over your first finger as a wish for
good luck
14. Hairdo: Phil uses this word as a nickname for his female coworker because her hair
has been carefully arranged in a special style and perhaps according to Phil is the
most important thing about her
On the Way to Punxsutawney_______________________________________________
Phil
I’ll probably be leaving PBH.
15. PBH: the name of the network that Phil works for
Larry – cameraman
I covered the swallows returning to Capistrano six years in a row.
16. cover a story: to give a report or description of an event on TV, radio, or in a
newspaper
17. swallow: a small bird
18. Capistrano: a city located in California, on March 19th people gather to witness the
return of the swallows that then build their mud nests on the walls of the ruins of a
stone church
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Rita
He wrinkles up his little nose.
19. wrinkle up: to move part of your face, especially your nose to form small lines or folds
Phil
You know, people like blood sausage too. People are morons.
20. moron: an idiot
In Punxsutawney_________________________________________________________
Larry
Prima donna.
21. Prima donna: someone who thinks that they are very important or special, and who is
difficult to please
Phil
I hate this place.
I was miserable.
It’s a fleabag.
You know I think this is one of the traits of a really good producer.
Keep the talent happy.
Would you help me with my pelvic tilt?
22. fleabag: a dirty cheap hotel
23. trait: a particular quality in someone’s character
24. pelvic tilt: the orientation of the pelvis (骨盤) that affects one’s posture
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At the bed and breakfast___________________________________________________
Radio DJs
A: Okay campers, rise and shine! And don’t forget your booties because it’s cold
out there!
B: It’s cold out there every day. What is this, Miami Beach?
A: Not hardly! And you know, you can expect hazardous travel later today with
that…you know, that blizzard thing.
A: The National Weather Service is calling for a big blizzard thing.
B: Yes, they are. But you know, there’s another reason why today is especially
exciting…especially cold. But the big question on everybody’s lips…
A: Their chapped lips…
B: On their chapped lips, right. Do you think Phil’s going to come out and see his
shadow?
That’s right woodchuck chuckers!
A & B: It’s Groundhog Day!
A: Get out and check that hog out there! Hyah!
B: Sooey, sooey. Come here girl.
25. campers: a casual way that the radio DJ is referring to the listeners
26. rise and shine: get up
27. hazardous: dangerous, especially to people’s health or safety
28. blizzard: a storm with a lot of snow and strong winds
29. something is on everybody’s lips: a lot of people are talking about something
30. chapped lips: lips that are dry and painful because of cold weather
31. woodchuck: another name for a groundhog
32. woodchuck chuckers: this phrase has no real meaning; it is a reference to the famous
riddle – How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
33. sooey: said to get the attention of a pig
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