مرد آهنی

Today you’re learning English with Iron Man. Aww yeah!

So, did you know that Iron Man was actually the first movie in the Marvel Universe?

Well, in today’s scene you’re going to learn some really great English for speech giving with Tony Stark and Pepper, plus you will also be learning a bit of grammar and how to properly use the active and passive voice in English.

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Now, let’s jump into the Marvel Universe with Iron Man.

You’ve all received the official statement of what occurred at Stark Industries last night.

There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the arc reactor.

Fortunately, a member of Tony Stark’s personal security staff—

“Iron Man.” That’s kind of catchy. It’s got a nice ring to it. I mean, it’s not technically accurate. The suit’s a gold-titanium alloy, but it’s kind of evocative, the imagery, anyway.

Here’s your alibi.

Okay.

You were on your yacht.

Yeah.

We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night, and sworn statements from 50 of your guests.

See, I was thinking maybe we should say it was just Pepper and me alone on the island.

That’s what happened.

All right.

Just read it, word for word.

There’s nothing about Stane here.

That’s being handled, He’s on vacation. Small aircraft have such a poor safety record. But what about the whole cover story that it’s a bodyguard?

He’s my– I mean, is that—

That’s kind of flimsy, don’t you think?

This isn’t my first rodeo, Mr. Stark.

Just stick to the official statement, and soon, this will all be behind you.

You know, if I were Iron Man, I’d have this girlfriend who knew my true identity.

She’d be a wreck, ‘cause she’d always be worrying that I was going to die, yet so proud— of man I’d become. She’d be—wildly conflicted, which would only make her more—crazy about me.

There have been unconfirmed repots that a robotic prototype malfunctioned

A report is a piece of information that a person or group of people have observed, heard, done, or investigated.

K, it’s O. We have reports of several humans suffering from— intestinal worms of alien origin.

Thank you, O.

When we say something like, there have been some reports, we imply that’s there’s no firm evidence that proves said reports are true, yet.

That’s why he says I’m confirmed reports in this sentence.

Also look at the structure of this sentence:

Have you ever heard of the passive voice in English?

To say that in the active voice, we’d have to know who made those reports or maybe we could be vague and say something like: some people have reported that–

If we say that, we’re putting emphasis on who did the action.

What the passive voice allows us to do is shift the emphasis from the subject in the active voice to something else by starting the sentence in a different way.

If we put the emphasis on the object “report,” we get:

Report have been made.

In the sentence from the scene, the emphasis is put the verb to be.

This means, they’re putting the emphasis on the fact that reports exist or have emerged (hence, the “there is”).

In addition, one of the main reasons for the passive voice is to avoid specifying who did the action because it is obvious or it is unimportant.

In this case, we do not care who made the reports, but rather we focus on the fact that reports have emerged.

There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned

A prototype is a new type of machine or device which is not yet ready to be made in large numbers and sold.

This mysterious device damaged Iron Man’s arc reactor and caused it to malfunction.

When something malfunctions, it doesn’t work properly. If you got problems with malfunctioning equipment—

I suggest you take them up with Maintenance, counselor.

“Iron Man.” That’s kind of catchy. It’s got a nice ring to it.

As the first movie of the Marvel universe, it’s funny to see here how the name Iron Man came about.

Tony’s first reaction to it is saying that it’s catchy.

We often say that a song or a name is catchy, meaning it’s attractive and easy to remember.

You could describe modern pop music as catchy.

When we say this, we can also mean that it is addictive. It sticks in your head.

Then he says that the name has a nice ring to it. This just means that it is a pleasant name, it is auditorily pleasant.

Musk said that the name Tesla had a nice ring to it for a car company.

I mean, it’s not technically accurate. The suit’s a gold-titanium alloy, but it’s kind of evocative, the imagery, anyway.

An alloy is a combination of metals.

In this case, the Iron Man suit is a combination of gold and titanium. So, in fact, it’s not really iron.

That’s why he says the name has a nice ring to it. The name “gold-titanium alloy man” would of course sound ridiculous.

Evocative means bringing thoughts, memories, or feelings into the mind.

The name Iron Man evokes a sense that the superhero is made of solid, strong material.

The name Iron Man is a metaphor because it is not really made of iron. We often describe metaphors as evocative.

All I know is that I’m a ticking time bomb, and if I don’t do something for me right away, I swear I’m gonna explode! Wow, tha— that’s an evocative metaphor to use for your nonthreatening, totally patriotic emotions.

According to Tony, the name Iron Man has an evocative imagery.

This is what you could say to describe a set of images, real or imagined, that have a specific purpose or effect.

For example, if I asked you, what’s the imagery that comes to your mind when I say New York?

It could probably be something like this.

Here’s your alibi.

Okay.

You were on your yacht.

This is a claim that you cannot be guilty of a crime because you were somewhere else when the crime was committed.

Tony’s alibi states that he was on his yacht, not really fighting Stane, which, by the way, is what really happened.

We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night, and sworn statements from 50 of your guests.

The agent here is describing further details about Tony’s alibi. He is letting him know that he should say that he was in Avalon, an island.

To prove this, he’s giving him paperwork, admittedly fake, and sworn statements.

A sworn statement is a legal document that states facts or lists statements that are relevant to a legal proceeding or court case.

There’s nothing about Stane here. That’s being handled. He’s on vacation. Small aircraft have such a poor safety record.

Stane is Tony’s enemy. The agent is suggesting that part of the cover story, meaning a fake story that’s intended to hide true events, is that Stane died in a plane accident.

That’s why he says the part about Stane in the story is being handled. This means that there’s a solution for the inconsistency that the cover story could have because of him.

I didn’t tell him anything. Nothing? No.

You should have pressed the panic button.

Well I panicked, but then I handled it.

In relation to this, he says that small aircraft have poor safety record.

Poor is an adjective we can use to describe something as not good in quality, not skilled, or bad depending on what we’re describing.

In this case, small aircraft have a poor safety record, meaning they are known to be unsafe.

The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery and sacrifice. Denied enlistment due to poor health, Steven Rogers was chosen for a program unique in the annals of American warfare.

Oh, sure.

You just take off your little mask and show us all who you really are. Hm?

Let her go.

Very poor choice of words.

But what about the whole cover story that it’s a bodyguard?

In more details about the cover story, we learn that Iron Man is supposed to be Tony’s bodyguard.

That’s kind of flimsy, don’t you think?

This isn’t my first rodeo, Mr. Stark.

Just stick to the official statement, and soon, this will all be behind you.

If you describe a structure of some kind as flimsy, you mean that it’s easily broken, torn, etc.; not strong or solid.

For example, a flimsy building

By extension, if a story, excuse, etc.; is flimsy, it is not likely to be believed.

Later in the scene, it becomes evident why this was a flimsy cover up.

I’m sorry, Mr. Stark, but do you honestly expect us to believe

that that was a bodyguard in a suit—

This isn’t my first rodeo, Mr. Stark.

Just stick to the official statement, and soon, this will all be behind you. This is a fairly common expression.

By “this isn’t my first rodeo” he’s saying that he’s experienced with the type of situation that they’re dealing with here.

Example: when you travel with me you don’t have to worry. This isn’t my first rodeo. I’ve traveled all around the world.

He recommends he sticks to the official statement. To stick to something means to continue to do or use one particular thing and not change it.

In this case, he shouldn’t say anything that isn’t in the statement they’ve created. If we say, “Let’s stick to the plane.

And Dom, Letty’s with them. We stick to the plan.

Then, he uses the word behind. If an unpleasant experience or situation is behind you, it no longer upsets you or affects your life.

You know, if I were Iron Man, I’d have this girlfriend who knew my true identity.

She’d be a wreck, ‘cause she’d always be worrying that I was going to die, yet so proud—

A wreck usually refers to a car, plane, or train that has been damaged very badly, especially in a crash.

But when it’s used to refer to a person, it describes someone who is very nervous, tired, or unhealthy.

Yeah. Add mouth-catching to things she can’t do. No. I mean, she’s not nervous at all, and look at the other kids. They’re a wreck.

As a verb, to wreck means to destroy. My body, literally, cannot handle the stress.

I never know if you’re gonna kill yourself or wreck the whole company.

I think I did okay. You might also hear the collocation check yourself before you wreck yourself.

This is used to threaten someone, sometimes jokingly, who is acting in a foolish way.

Wait, are you stalking Selena?

Stalking is such an ugly word.

Parachuting into somebody’s backyard is like kinda psycho bro.

You gotta check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Does that mean you don’t want to press charges?

No, just get him out of my property ASAP.

Of the man I’d become. She’d be— wildly conflicted, which would only make her more—

If you feel conflicted about something, you have feeling that disagree with one another.

I never got to say goodbye to my father.

There’s questions that I would have asked him.

I would have asked him how he felt about what this company did.

If he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts.

Wildly, in this case, is the adverb that can collocate with the adjective conflicted, intensifying its meaning.

And now, Mr. Stake has prepared a statement. He will not be taking any questions. Thank you.

Been a while since I was in front of you. I figure I’ll stick to the cards this time.

There’s been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop—

I’m sorry, Mr. Stark, but do you honestly expect us to believe

that that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you—

I know that it’s confusing. It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I’m a superhero.

I never said you were a superhero.

Didn’t?

Well, good, because that would be outlandish and fantastic. I’m just not the hero type. Clearly.

With this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I’ve made, largely public.

Just stick to the cards, man. Yeah, okay. Yeah.

The truth is

I am Iron Man.

And now, Mr. Stake has prepared a statement. He will not be taking any questions. Thank you.

Take in this case means accept. Many times in press conferences, the speaker conferences, the speaker is not wiling to take any questions.

Let’s now take a look at some pronunciation. How would you say the following sentence?

Did you say it like this?

Been a while since I was in front of you, I figure I’ll stick to the cards this time.

Let’s try to imitate him. He says his sentence in three chunks.

You say this as if it were a three-syllable word: beh-na-while It’s been a while.

Here, it’s important you get the pronunciation of “was” right.

So, don’t say WAS, say: wuhz

For, um—Well, since I was 14.

Here, the T gets absorbed by the N in ‘front’, and then it links with ‘of’.

This is said as another three-syllable word: fron-nuh-vew.

But the person for the job is right in front of you.

Just worry about the dog in front of you.

Now, let’s put the whole sentence together.

“Been a while since I was in front of you”

We’ve asked the members of our Fluency Circle community to pronounce this sentence. Check out how they do it.

Been a while since I was in front of you

Been a while since I was in front of you

Been a while since I was in front of you

Been a while since I was in front of you

Been a while since I was in front of you

Been a while since I was in front of you

Been a while since I was in front of you

I’m sorry, Mr. Stark, but do you honestly expect us to believe

that that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you—

If something is convenient, it is suitable for your purpose and needs and causes the least difficulty.

Example: I love the gym that’s across town, but I come to this one because it’s more convenient for me, at it’s just two blocks away from my house.

It would be more convenient if I could pick up the children at four.

But this is what friends do. They show up! Not when convenient or easy.

When hard, and you always make it hard.

Another frequent use of this word, whether the adjective from convenient or the adverb form conveniently, is to refer to the part a story that makes it hard to believe.

Alright, we all agreed not to tell her and to look for Dart. Who you conveniently found? Are you suggesting that I’m lying?

I’m saying you have a creepy little bound with him.

Yeah, that was before he turned into a Demogorgon.

It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusation, or insinuate that I’m a superhero.

To question something is to express doubts about the value or truth of something.

Example: I trusted him and I never questioned what he told me.

New studied question the use of drugs as an effective treatment to the illness.

As we’ve seen before, wild is used as an emphasizer here, this time collocated with accusations.

I never said you were a superhero.

Didn’t?

Well, good, because that would be outlandish and fantastic.

Outlandish means very strange or unusual; extremely different from what is normal or expected.

Example: His story seemed so outlandish.

Those are outlandish clothes.

This probably comes from the noun outlander, which is an uncommon alternative for foreigner

That is, someone who comes from another country.

Hey, are you a Marvel fan? Then don’t miss this lesson that we made with the Avengers after you finished in this lesson.

I’m just not the hero type. Clearly.

Then, when we say that someone is a certain type, or the type of person to do something, we mean that a person has, or seems to have, a particular character.

If we say that someone is not the type to cheat in a game, it means that you wouldn’t expect of that person to be a cheater, for example.

Here, Tony is using the word a bit differently though.

He says he’s not the hero type. Keeping the same example just mentioned, this would be like saying someone is not a cheating type.

With this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I’ve made, largely public.

A laundry list is a way of saying “a long list of things”

Example: There’s a whole laundry list of things to do.

You’ve all received the official statement of what occurred at Stark Industries last night.

There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the arc reactor.

Fortunately, a member of Tony Stark’s personal security staff—

“Iron Man.” That’s kind of catchy.

It’s got a nice ring to it. I mean, it’s not technically accurate. The suit’s a gold-titanium alloy, but it’s kind of evocative, the imagery, anyway.

Here’s your alibi.

Okay.

You were on your yacht.

Yeah.

We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night, and sworn statements from 50 of your guests.

See, I was thinking maybe we should say it was just Pepper and me alone on the island.

That’s what happened.

All right.

Just read it, word for word.

There’s nothing about Stane here.

That’s being handled, He’s on vacation.

Small aircraft have such a poor safety record. But what about the whole cover story that it’s a bodyguard?

He’s my– I mean, is that—

That’s kind of flimsy, don’t you think?

This isn’t my first rodeo, Mr. Stark.

Just stick to the official statement, and soon, this will all be behind you.

You know, if I were Iron Man, I’d have this girlfriend who knew my true identity.

She’d be a wreck, ‘cause she’d always be worrying that I was going to die, yet so proud— of man I’d become. She’d be—wildly conflicted, which would only make her more—crazy about me.

And now, Mr. Stake has prepared a statement. He will not be taking any questions. Thank you.

Been a while since I was in front of you. I figure I’ll stick to the cards this time.

There’s been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop—

I’m sorry, Mr. Stark, but do you honestly expect us to believe

that that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you—

I know that it’s confusing. It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I’m a superhero.

I never said you were a superhero.

Didn’t?

Well, good, because that would be outlandish and

fantastic.

I’m just not the hero type. Clearly.

With this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I’ve made, largely public.

Just stick to the cards, man. Yeah, okay. Yeah.

The truth is

I am Iron Man.