精美英文欣赏:聚光灯下的生活 A Life in the Spotlight(下)

The group's popularity waned¹ in the 1970s, and Michael eventually went solo, releasing the album "Off the Wall", Michael eventually became the best-selling album in history.

20世纪70年代，组合的受欢迎程度不断减退。迈克尔随后单飞，发行专辑《偏执》，最终成为历史上拥有最畅销的专辑的音乐人。

But, as the showbiz saying has it, when you're on top of the world there's nowhere to go but down.

但是，正如娱乐界的惯例，当你到达世界之巅，那将无处可去，只有下山了。

The pop music landscape was changing, opening up for rap and hip-hop. Jackson was seen as out of step.

流行音乐风云变幻，作为说唱乐的发起人，杰克逊被视为不合拍。

His 1991's release, "Dangerous", only produced one top-ranking single—"Black or White"—and that song earned criticism for its violent ending, in which Jackson was seen smashing car windows and clutching his crotch. And then "Dangerous" was knocked out of its No.1 spot on the album charts by Nirvana's "Nevermind." A 2001 album, "Invincible," did even worse.

他在1991年发行专辑《危险》，采用了单色调，黑色或者白色，但是被批评说暴力场面太多。专辑里有杰克逊砸车窗，用手紧紧握住自己胯部的场景。《危险》在专辑排行榜的第一名的位置很快就被涅槃乐队的《别介意》代替了。2001年的专辑《无敌的》更糟糕。

More attention has been paid to Jackson's private life than his music career, which has faltered². People started focusing on his eccentricities³. He was rumored⁴ to sleep in a hyperbaric chamber⁵ and to have bought the bones of John Merrick, the "Elephant Man".(Neither was true)

相比较杰克逊起伏不定的音乐，人们更关心他的私生活。人们开始关注他的怪癖。谣传他在睡在高压氧舱里，还买了《象人》里“约翰的骨头”。（这两个都不是真正。）

He did have a pet chimpanzee; underwent many plastic surgeries; established an estate filled with zoo animals and amusement park rides.

他确实有一个宠物黑猩猩；经历了许多整形手术；建立了一个充满了动物的动物园和游乐园。

Meanwhile, Jackson has found himself popular for his short-lived marriages, the first to Elvis Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie.

与此同时，杰克逊已经发现自己因为几场短暂的婚姻而受到欢迎，第一位妻子是猫王的女儿莉莎·玛丽。

Today the 46-year-old singing icon⁶ heads to trial on child-molestation charges.

如今这位46岁的音乐偶像因为娈童的指控受审。

短语讲解：

1. on top of the world 幸福到极点；欣喜若狂；世界最高点

同义词：over the moon

eg. How many people can say he stood on top of the world?有多少人能骄傲地说自己曾站在世界的顶峰呢？

eg. We think of being on top of the world as being in heaven.我们以为自己在这个世界的顶层就如在天堂。

2. knock out 敲空；击倒；打破；使筋疲力竭

eg. The three drinks knocked him out.这3杯酒让他昏昏欲睡。

eg. He got knocked out in the first inning.他在第1局就被淘汰了。

1 waned   

v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• However,my enthusiasm waned.The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. 然而，我的热情减退了。我在做操上花的时间逐渐减少了。 来自《用法词典》
• The bicycle craze has waned. 自行车热已冷下去了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”

3 eccentricities   

n.古怪行为( eccentricity的名词复数 )；反常；怪癖

参考例句：

• My wife has many eccentricities. 我妻子有很多怪癖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His eccentricities had earned for him the nickname"The Madman". 他的怪癖已使他得到'疯子'的绰号。 来自辞典例句

4 rumored   

adj.传说的，谣传的v.传闻( rumor的过去式和过去分词 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• It is rumored that he cheats on his wife. 据传他对他老婆不忠。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was rumored that the white officer had been a Swede. 传说那个白人军官是个瑞典人。 来自辞典例句

5 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

6 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。