VOA标准英语2013--加州老年人共享人才、热情

 

California Seniors Share Talent, Enthusiasm 加州老年人共享人才、热情

LOS ANGELES  Senior citizens put their talents on display in Los Angeles recently in a talent show for people over age 55.  Some contestants¹ were much older. 

Ching Fen² Wang, 95, has waited months for this moment, her daughter explained, as they sat in the audience at a meeting room of a senior center, waiting for a talent show to start.

She says that she is a little bit nervous, but hopes everything turns out; but in case something happens, just forgive me, she says.  I will do the best I can, the daughter explained, translating for her mother. 

Ching played a love song on a traditional Chinese string instrument in the 13th Annual Senior Talent Show, something her family encourages.

The performance was just one of more than 30 acts this year.  There are former professional singers, dancers, comedians³, and musicians - including many who traveled the world in their younger years.  Their repertoire⁴ spans⁵ American blues⁶ to opera and Broadway show tunes⁷.  

Accordionist⁸ Oscar Rospide, a native of Argentina, has been entertaining crowds for nearly 70 years with Latin and European compositions.

I am very grateful for the competition, not for the reason that I am probably going to win money or something like that, but because it is a chance to share a little bit of music with the people.  I think that is one of the best languages of the world, he said.

The sharing of different cultures is what the shows creators had in mind.  Competition judge Dolores Petersen said, for many older people, the Senior Talent Show is an annual highlight.

You can tell that they have been practicing, they love what they do, and they want to share, she said.

Most senior performers say they do not care if they win or lose.  They are just glad to share their talents and their cultural traditions, and have some fun.

VOA producer Deyane Moses contributed to this report. 

1 contestants   

n.竞争者，参赛者( contestant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The competition attracted over 500 contestants representing 8 different countries. 这次比赛吸引了代表8个不同国家的500多名参赛者。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency. 两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 fen   

n.沼泽，沼池

参考例句：

• The willows over all the fen rippled and whitened like a field of wheat.沼泽上的柳树，随风一起一伏，泛出白光，就象一片麦田一样。
• There is a fen around each island.每个岛屿周围有一个沼泽。

3 comedians   

n.喜剧演员，丑角( comedian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The voice was rich, lordly, Harvardish, like all the boring radio comedians'imitations. 声音浑厚、威严，俨然是哈佛出身的气派，就跟无线电里所有的滑稽演员叫人已经听腻的模仿完全一样。 来自辞典例句
• He distracted them by joking and imitating movie and radio comedians. 他用开玩笑的方法或者模仿电影及广播中的滑稽演员来对付他们。 来自辞典例句

4 repertoire   

n.(准备好演出的)节目，保留剧目；(计算机的)指令表，指令系统， <美>(某个人的)全部技能；清单，指令表

参考例句：

• There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。
• He has added considerably to his piano repertoire.他的钢琴演奏曲目大大增加了。

5 spans   

跨度( span的名词复数 )； 持续时间； 一段时间； （五指张开时的）指距

参考例句：

• A steel railway bridge spans the Yalu River. 鸭绿江上有一座钢铁大桥。
• The wire door was a couple of hand-spans from his face. 铁笼门距他的脸只有一两个巴掌远。 来自英汉文学

6 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

7 tunes   

n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• a potpourri of tunes 乐曲集锦
• When things get a bit too much, she simply tunes out temporarily. 碰到事情太棘手时，她干脆暂时撒手不管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 accordionist   

n.手风琴师

参考例句：