Whitney Houston dies of drowning, heart disease, cocaine use

 　　LOS ANGELES, March 22 (Xinhua) -- The Los Angeles County coroner's office revealed Thursday that U.S. pop icon¹ Whitney Houston died of "drowning and effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine² use."

　　The coroner's office determined³ that Houston's death was an " accident."

　　The singer of 48 was found in the bathtub of her Beverly Hilton Hotel room on Feb. 11.

　　The toxicology report said that "Cocaine and metabolites were identified and were contributory to the death.

　　Houston was an award-winning singer, actress, producer and a former model best known for her chart-topping single "I Will Always Love You" which led to the production of an award-nominated film "The Bodyguard⁴" in 1992. She was also known for musical hits including "How Will I Know" and "Saving All My Love for You."

　　As one of the most successful pop singers in modern music history, Houston garnered⁵ a total of 415 awards including six Grammy Awards, 22 American Music Awards and countless⁶ other accolades⁷ during her lifetime, according to Guiness World Records.

　　She was often referred to as "Queen of Pop" or simply "the Voice," and is also one of the best-selling music artists in the world, having sold more than 170 million albums and singles before her death.

　　The singer had a history of drug abuse. In 2004, following years of rumored⁸ drug abuse, Houston entered a rehab during her first stint⁹. She returned for second stint in the following year. In March 2011, the singer checked in for the third treatment of the problem.

　　The singer's voice sounded ragged¹⁰ and off-key when she appeared on "Good Morning" to promote her new album "I Look To You," which triggered suspicions that she had lost her treasured gift as the drug and alcohol problem took its toll¹¹. Some of the dates of her world tour were forced to cancel which triggered suspicion that she was still using drug.

1 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。

2 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 bodyguard   

n.护卫，保镖

参考例句：

• She has to have an armed bodyguard wherever she goes.她不管到哪儿都得有带武器的保镖跟从。
• The big guy standing at his side may be his bodyguard.站在他身旁的那个大个子可能是他的保镖。

5 garnered   

v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith gradually garnered a national reputation as a financial expert. 史密斯先生逐渐赢得全国金融专家的声誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals. 他的提议得到了广泛的支持。 来自辞典例句

6 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

7 accolades   

n.（连结几行谱表的）连谱号( accolade的名词复数 )；嘉奖；（窗、门上方的）桃尖拱形线脚；册封爵士的仪式（用剑面在肩上轻拍一下）

参考例句：

• Unlike other accolades for literature which tend to value style or experimentation. 有别于其他偏重风格活实验性的文学奖项。 来自互联网
• Build your trophy room while amassing awards and accolades. 建立您的奖杯积累奖项和荣誉。 来自互联网

8 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

9 stint   

v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事

参考例句：

• He lavished money on his children without stint.他在孩子们身上花钱毫不吝惜。
• We hope that you will not stint your criticism.我们希望您不吝指教。

10 ragged   

adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的

参考例句：

• A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
• Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。

11 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。