VOA标准英语2014--Capitol Hill Honors Lady Antebellum

 

Capitol Hill Honors Lady Antebellum

WASHINGTON — Seven-time Grammy winners Lady Antebellum, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, and House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi received honors at the 2014 Grammy’s On The Hill Awards in Washington D.C. in early April. The annual event unites musicians and politicians to raise money for music education programs across the country.

Since Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott began playing together as Lady Antebellum eight years ago, they’ve sold more than 11 million albums worldwide and won seven Grammy Awards. But as Neil Portnow, President of the Recording¹ Academy explains, that’s not the only reason why Lady A was honored at the Grammy’s on The Hill this year.

“When we look at the artist community, we look at artists who give back," he said. "They walk the walk and not just talk the talk. They have their own foundation, they do lots of good in this country and around the world. So they’re a great honoree for us.”

The band’s charitable foundation is called LadyAid.  Lead singers Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott explain the efforts they are putting into raising money to help children.

“We’ve got five different organizations that are a part of the LadyAid organization," Kelley said. "We’re always putting on different events. Last year, we only had this little ping pong tournament at the CMA [Country Music Association] Festival, a kind of fun little even that raised some good money.”

“And then there are a handful of our shows this summer that a portion of the ticket [price] will go to it," Scott said. ""We’re really just starting to raise awareness² and continuing to spread the word about it It’s got a lot of growing yet to do.  We have high hopes that it will just continue to get bigger and bigger and generate more money to give to these organizations to protect and support and encourage children. That’s the heart of it.”

Prior to the awards ceremony, the musicians mingled⁴ with lawmakers. And before the evening was over, they did more than mingle³. As the finale to the show, Senators and Members of the House of Representatives took up tambourines⁵ and maracas and joined Lady Antebellum onstage. There was no rehearsal⁶ ahead of time, but that didn’t scare Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott or Dave Haywood.

“We fly by the seat of our pants,” Scott said.

That’s the best way to do it,” Haywood said. “That’s ‘Music 101.’ You’ve got to just get up there and wing it!”

1 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

2 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

3 mingle   

vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往

参考例句：

• If we mingle with the crowd,we should not be noticed.如果我们混在人群中，就不会被注意到。
• Oil will not mingle with water.油和水不相融。

4 mingled   

混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
• The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

5 tambourines   

n.铃鼓，手鼓( tambourine的名词复数 )；（鸣声似铃鼓的）白胸森鸠

参考例句：

• The gaiety of tambourines ceases, The noise of revelers stops, The gaiety of the harp ceases. 赛24:8击鼓之乐止息、宴乐人的声音完毕、弹琴之乐也止息了。 来自互联网
• The singers went on, the musicians after them, In the midst of the maidens beating tambourines. 诗68:25歌唱的行在前、乐的随在后、在击鼓的童女中间。 来自互联网

6 rehearsal   

n.排练，排演；练习

参考例句：

• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
• You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal.排练可以让技巧更加纯熟。