VOA慢速英语2009年-THIS IS AMERICA - Kennedy Center to Honor

VOICE ONE:

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Barbara Klein. Each year, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington honors performers for their lifetime of work. This year the Kennedy Center will honor Mel Brooks¹, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry, Robert De Niro and Bruce Springsteen.

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VOICE ONE:
　
Grace Bumbry

Opera singer Grace Bumbry earned starring roles as a soprano and mezzo-soprano in some of the world's most famous opera houses. Her warm voice and wide range brought roles including Carmen, Salome, Aida, Tosca, Medea and Bess.

She was born in nineteen thirty-seven in Saint² Louis, Missouri. At seventeen, she won her first big competition. The prize was a scholarship to a local music school.

But the school would not let her attend classes with other students because she was African-American. The school offered her private lessons instead. Her parents refused.

Grace Bumbry went on to study music at Boston University and Northwestern University. She also studied at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California.

In nineteen sixty, at the age of twenty-three, she made her international debut³ at the Paris Opera. She appeared as Amneris in Verdi's "Aida." Her performance is said to have made her an instant star.

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VOICE TWO:

In nineteen sixty-one, Grace Bumbry became the first black singer ever to perform at the Bayreuth Festival in Germany. Again, some people objected because of her race. In the end, her performance as Venus was a great success.

The seventy-two year old singer is retired⁴ now from opera. But she continues to sing in concert and teaches students around the world.

ROBERT DE NIRO IN RAGING BULL⁵:
　
Robert De Niro

"Some people aren't that lucky. Like the one that Marlon Brando played in, 'On The Waterfront.' An up-and-comer who's now a down- and-outer. Do you remember that scene in the back of the car with his brother Charlie a small time racket guy? And it went something like this…

It wasn't him Charlie, it was you. You remember that night at the Garden. You came down in my dressing⁶ room and you said, 'Kid, this ain't your night.' We're going for the price on Wilson?' 'Remember that? 'This ain't your night?' My night. I could've taken Wilson apart that night. So what happens? He gets a title shot outdoors in the ballpark, and what do I get, a one-way ticket to Palookaville. I was never no good after that night, Charley. It was like a peak you reach, and then it's downhill."

VOICE ONE:

Robert De Niro won an Academy Award for best actor for the nineteen eighty movie "Raging Bull." He played boxing champion Jake La Motta. The movie is a good example of how far the actor will go to perfect a role. To prepare for "Raging Bull" he gained twenty-seven kilos and became a boxer⁷.

He also won an Oscar for best supporting actor. He played the young Vito Corleone in the second "Godfather" movie in nineteen seventy-four.

Robert De Niro has appeared in more than seventy films. He has also produced and directed several movies, including "Everybody's Fine," released this year. He was born in New York City in nineteen forty-three.

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VOICE TWO:
　
Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks is a comedian⁸, actor, writer, producer, director and composer. He has a long list of credits from television, film and stage. In fact, he is one of only a few entertainers ever to have won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and a Tony award.

Mel Brooks began doing live comedy acts in the early nineteen fifties. He later wrote for TV comedy shows before making his mark on the Hollywood film industry. His awards include a best writing Oscar for the nineteen sixty-eight movie "The Producers."

Other notable⁹ early films included "Blazing¹⁰ Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein," both from nineteen seventy-four.

(SOUND FROM "YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN")

VOICE ONE:

The American Film Institute has a list of the one hundred funniest movies. "Young Frankenstein," "Blazing Saddles" and "The Producers" are all listed among the top twenty. In recent years a musical play based on "The Producers" became a big hit.

Mel Brooks was born in nineteen twenty-six in Brooklyn, New York. He is known for his sometimes shocking humor that makes fun of people and situations.

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VOICE TWO:
　
Dave Brubeck

The Library of Congress calls jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck a living legend.

The nineteen fifty-nine album "Time Out" by the Dave Brubeck Quartet was the first jazz album to sell more than one million copies. It includes the well known "Take Five," written by Paul Desmond.

Dave Brubeck was born in Concord¹¹, California, in nineteen twenty. He began piano lessons at the age of four. By fourteen he was performing in local bands.

During World War Two, Dave Brubeck, who is white, formed one of the first racially mixed bands in the Army. After leaving the Army he studied with the French composer Darius Milhaud.

Dave Brubeck formed his first quartet in nineteen fifty-one. The group's unusual mix of jazz and classical styles earned praise around the world. Since then Dave Brubeck has had many different quartets and produced many different works, including two ballets and a musical.

His best known jazz works include "In Your Own Sweet Way," "The Duke" and "Blue Rondo a La Turk."

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VOICE ONE:
　
Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen has sold more than one hundred twenty million albums. Most of his songs tell stories about American life. Many are about his life growing up in the state of New Jersey¹², where he was born in nineteen forty-nine.

His first song to enjoy widespread success was "Born to Run." It was the title song from his nineteen seventy-five album.

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VOICE TWO:

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has a list of the five hundred songs that shaped rock and roll. "Born to Run" is number twenty-one on the list. Also listed are "Thunder Road," which was on the same album, and "Born in the U.S.A."

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VOICE ONE:

The nineteen eighty-four album "Born in the U.S.A." has sold more than fifteen million copies in the United States alone. It is considered one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all time.

Bruce Springsteen is also known for his live performances. He and his E Street Band remain one of the top selling acts in the world.

VOICE TWO:

Bruce Springsteen, Dave Brubeck, Mel Brooks, Robert De Niro and Grace Bumbry will be honored at the Kennedy Center on December sixth.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Our program was written by June Simms and produced by Caty Weaver¹³. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Barbara Klein. Join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.

1 brooks   

n.小溪( brook的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks gave the business when Haas caught him with his watch. 哈斯抓到偷他的手表的布鲁克斯时，狠狠地揍了他一顿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ade and Brooks exchanged blows yesterday and they were severely punished today. 艾德和布鲁克斯昨天打起来了，今天他们受到严厉的惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 saint   

n.圣徒；基督教徒；vt.成为圣徒，把...视为圣徒

参考例句：

• He was made a saint.他被封为圣人。
• The saint had a lowly heart.圣人有谦诚之心。

3 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

4 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

5 bull   

n.公牛，买进证券投机图利者，看涨的人

参考例句：

• It's only a hair off a bull's back to them.这对他们来说，不过九牛一毛。
• Many dogs closed around the bull.很多狗渐渐地把那只牛围了起来。

6 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

7 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

8 comedian   

n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员

参考例句：

• The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
• The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

9 notable   

adj.值得注意的，著名的；n.名人，要人

参考例句：

• His achievement is very notable.他的成就是非常显著的。
• He wrote and published the essay under notable's name.他假托名人写文章发表。

10 blazing   

a.强烈的，燃烧的，炫目的

参考例句：

• A huge fire was blazing in the fireplace. 壁炉中火烧得正旺。
• a blazing hot day 大热天

11 concord   

n.和谐；协调

参考例句：

• These states had lived in concord for centuries.这些国家几个世纪以来一直和睦相处。
• His speech did nothing for racial concord.他的讲话对种族和谐没有作用。

12 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

13 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。