English & Movies
Learn with INDEPENDENCE DAY

In this section, we analyze parts of the movie script to learn and understand the use of daily English language.
Read the passages and try to understand them. Then, read the vocabulary explanation. Finally, read the passage again.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: We're two days away from the fourth of July. We have over fifty percent of our armed forces on weekend leave, not to mention the troops and commanders we have in town for the Fourth of July parade. We call them back now, we're sending up a major red flag.
COMMANDING OFFICER: Our intelligence tells us the object has settled into a stationary orbit.
NIMZICKI: Well, that's good news.
COMMANDING OFFICER: Not really. Part of it has broken off into nearly three dozens of other pieces.
PRESIDENT WHITMORE: Pieces?
COMMANDING OFFICER: Smaller than the whole, yet over fifteen miles in width themselves.
NIMZICKI: Where are they heading?
COMMANDING OFFICER: They should be entering our atmosphere within the next twenty-five minutes.
| two days away |
a dos días |
| leave |
licencia |
| parade |
desfile. El verbo to parade significa desfilar. |
| to settle |
establecerse, posarse |
| dozen |
docena |
| to head |
dirigirse a |
CHIEF OF STAFF: How much time do we have?
AAC CINC: Less than ten minutes.
NIMZICKI: Organize a military escort to Crystal Mountain.
GENERAL GREY: Sir, I strongly recommend we move you to a secured location immediately.
PRESIDENT WHITMORE: Can we expect the same kind of panic here as in Russia?
CONSTANCE: More than likely.
NIMZICKI: Mr. President, you can discuss this on the way.
PRESIDENT WHITMORE: I'm not leaving.
NIMZICKI: We must maintain a working government in a time of crisis...
PRESIDENT WHITMORE: I want the Vice President, Secretary of Defense, the whole Cabinet and the Joint Chiefs taken to a secured location. I'm staying here. I am not going to add to a public hysteria that could cost lives.
| escort |
escolta |
| on the way |
en el camino. Para aprender otras expresiones, ver Expressions with "way". |
| joint chief |
jefe adjunto |
| cost |
costar. Es interesante recordar que en las formas del pasado queda igual: cost, cost. |

DAVID: Remember I told you that the signal hidden within our satellite signal is slowly recycling down to extinction.
MARTY: Not really...
DAVID: That signal. It's a countdown.
MARTY: A countdown to what?
DAVID: Think. It's like in chess. First, you strategically position your pieces. Then, when the timing's right, you strike. They are positioning themselves all over the world and using this one signal to synchronize their efforts. In approximately six hours the signal will disappear and the countdown will be over.
MARTY: Then what?
DAVID: Checkmate.
| countdown |
cuenta regresiva, cuenta atrás |
| chess |
ajedrez |
| to strike |
golpear |
| checkmate |
jaque mate |
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