VOA慢速英语2012 AMERICAN MOSAIC - China's Mo Yan Wins Nobel in Literature; Roma Culture in New York; American

 

AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ - China's Mo Yan Wins Nobel in Literature; Roma Culture in New York; American 

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC in VOA Special English.

I’m June Simms.

On our show this week, we play some music nominated² for American Music Awards.

We also take a look at Roma culture in New York City.

But first, we talk about the winner of a major writing prize.

2012 Nobel Prize for Literature

The Swedish Academy in Stockholm on Thursday named Mo Yan winner of the Twenty-Twelve Nobel Prize in Literature. 

The academy praised the Chinese writer for what it called his “hallucinatory realism.” It noted³ his ability to combine folk stories, history and modern events in his works.

An academy official said Mister Mo said he was “overjoyed and scared” when he learned he had won the award. He will receive his Nobel diploma, a medal and more than one million dollars at a ceremony in Stockholm in December.

Mo Yan is a leading author of modern Chinese novels. He often writes from memories of his youth. He also sets many of his stories in the area where he was born – Shandong Province in northeastern China.

Mister Mo’s nineteen eighty-seven book “Red Sorghum,” is an example. It is about the extreme violence in rural eastern China during the Communist Revolution in the nineteen twenties and nineteen thirties. The story describes the criminal culture of the time, Japan’s occupation and the terrible conditions faced by farm workers. “Red Sorghum” was later made into a movie.

Mo Yan’s other major works include, “Big Breasts and Wide Hips,” “Republic of Wine” and “Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out.”

The Royal Swedish Academy compared him to two twentieth century writers: American William Faulkner and Colombia’s Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Mo Yan is fifty-seven. His real name is Guan Moye. Mo Yan means “Don’t Speak.” The writer said he chose the name to remember to stop his tongue from getting him in trouble.

But, China is celebrating the victory of this native son. Minutes after the award was announced, millions of Chinese expressed pleasure and pride for Mo Yan on social media websites.

Roma in New York

They are known by many names -- including “Gypsies” and “Travelers.” But they favor the name Roma. They are among the most widely-spread and least-understood ethnic⁴ groups on earth.

Faith Lapidus looks at Romany culture and its influences in New York City. Thousands of the world’s estimated twelve million Roma live in that city.

Romany music and celebration were heard and seen at the Drom nightclub recently. The club was the center of the three-week-long New York Gypsy Festival.

The festival presents the musical cultures of a people who moved north from India about a thousand years ago. They settled mainly in southern and eastern Europe, the Balkans and present-day Russia.

Producer Mehmet Dede says the festival is aimed at those who, like him, are “Gypsy at heart.”

“I would like to think that in New York City we are all a little bit of Gypsy.”

The Roma have been influenced by the lands in which they have lived. Similarly, New York City has been influenced by the immigrant groups that moved there, including the Roma.

Ismail Lumanovsky leads The New York Gypsy All Stars musical group. He sees himself as a cultural ambassador⁵. 

“By playing Romany music, I wanna offer the New York audience a very free way of looking at music…of expressing the feelings in the moment.”

The Gypsy spirit seems to work for New York’s downtown music scene.

“It’s kinda’ like a European blues⁶.”

“They can feel music. And they…you feel that they love playing.”

Petra Gelbart teaches non-Roma the Romany language, dances and music. And she corrects misinformation.

“We’re not nomadic⁷ for the most part. We are people who have been settled for hundreds of years or have certainly been trying to settle and get jobs.”

Roma have long considered themselves outsiders. They have been treated as a dirty, dishonest people in many countries. Throughout history, Roma have experienced extreme discrimination.

Nazi⁸ forces murdered an estimated half-million Roma during World War Two. Today, anti-Roma violence is increasing in western and southern Europe.

Even in the United States, some Roma fear prejudice. Petra Gelbart’s mother worked at a bank.

“She just wasn’t gonna tell people that she’s a Gypsy, because -- as she put it -- ‘the minute something goes missing, who do you think they’re gonna blame?’

Still, many New York Roma are proud to continue traditions Roma are known for, like fortune telling. Roma dancer Pirozhka Racz says despite globalization, there will always be Roma.

“Keeping the important things alive --- love and generosity⁹, sharing with family, music and the other arts.

Award Nominated Musicians

On Tuesday, singer Christina Aguilera announced nominations¹⁰ for the American Music Awards. Laurel Bowman has music from some of the nominated performers.

Was anyone surprised to hear the name Justin Bieber during the nominations for favorite male pop/rock artist? Probably not. The eighteen year old singer has only made three albums. But, all have gone platinum¹¹ --- meaning sales of more than one million copies. In fact, his first album went double platinum.

Justin Bieber’s latest release is “Believe.” It came out in June. The single “Boyfriend” entered Billboard¹² Magazine’s Hot One Hundred chart at number two.

Justin Bieber’s “Believe” was nominated for an American Music Award as favorite pop/rock album. Another nominee¹³ is Nicki Minaj’s album “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.”

Nicki Minaj is known for her wild clothing, colorful hairstyles and exciting performances. The first single and video from “Roman Reloaded” is no exception. A green haired Minaj dances on a beach and in the ocean wearing only a small, bright pink bikini.

Several musicians were honored with nominations for favorite artist in the alternative rock group. Gotye was certainly expected. The Australian’s hit song “Somebody That I Used to Know” went to number one on the Hot One Hundred chart. It also won several awards and was covered on the American television series “Glee.”

The groups Black Keys and Linkin Park were also nominated as favorite alternative rock artist. “El Camino,” Black Keys’ most recent record came out in two thousand eleven.

Linkin Park has already won more than forty music awards in the group’s sixteen year career. Its latest album, “Living Things,” came out in June and is already rated gold. We leave you now with Linkin Park performing “Castle of Glass,” from the album, “Living Things.”

1 mosaic   

n./adj.镶嵌细工的，镶嵌工艺品的，嵌花式的

参考例句：

• The sky this morning is a mosaic of blue and white.今天早上的天空是幅蓝白相间的画面。
• The image mosaic is a troublesome work.图象镶嵌是个麻烦的工作。

2 nominated   

adj.被提名的，被任命的 动词nominate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• She has been nominated for the presidency. 她已经获得了董事长职位的提名。
• The movie was nominated for an Oscar. 这部电影获奥斯卡金像奖提名。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 ambassador   

n.大使，特使，（派驻国际组织的）代表

参考例句：

• He took up office as an ambassador for ten years continuously.他连任十年大使。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

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 nomadic   

adj.流浪的；游牧的

参考例句：

• This tribe still live a nomadic life.这个民族仍然过着游牧生活。
• The plowing culture and the nomadic culture are two traditional principal cultures in China.农耕文化与游牧文化是我国传统的两大主体文化。

8 Nazi   

n.纳粹分子，adj.纳粹党的，纳粹的

参考例句：

• They declare the Nazi regime overthrown and sue for peace.他们宣布纳粹政权已被推翻，并出面求和。
• Nazi closes those war criminals inside their concentration camp.纳粹把那些战犯关在他们的集中营里。

9 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

10 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

11 platinum   

n.白金

参考例句：

• I'll give her a platinum ring.我打算送给她一枚白金戒指。
• Platinum exceeds gold in value.白金的价值高于黄金。

12 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

13 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。