名人为海啸受难者捐款

Celebrities¹ Raise Funds for Tsunami² Victims

名人为海啸受难者捐款

 

Madonna, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder were among dozens of entertainers who helped raise funds for tsunami relief in a U.S. benefit concert Saturday that was broadcast around the United States. Some of the biggest names in music and movies joined the effort to help the millions left homeless by the disaster.

 

The two-hour program was originated in Los Angeles, New York and London. It featured news footage of the devastating³ tsunami and the stories of some whose lives it shattered in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and other parts of Asia and Africa.

 

The actor Morgan Freeman was one of many who appeared, asking viewers to call and offer donations. The funds will go to American Red Cross International Response Fund.

 

Morgan Freeman: 170,000 people have died. In the next few weeks, that number could double or triple. Right now, we can all work toward one goal: How to bring help to these people in their time of need.

 

Former U.S presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton also appeared on the program. President Bush has asked both to spearhead the U.S fundraising efforts for the tsunami victims.

 

Actor Bruce Willis said the evening's musical performances from artists like Norah Jones, Sheryl Crow, Tom Jones and Eric Clapton showed the healing power of music.

 

Bruce Willis: And tonight is about healing. When the world says please, let us help, extraordinary things begin to happen.

 

Actor Robert Downey Junior spoke⁴ of the needs of those in stricken communities, initially⁵ for basics like cooking utensils⁷, and later for things like school supplies. We have a choice, said actor Clint Eastwood. We can either look away or we can help.

 

The actor Robert De Niro spoke of the force and devastation⁸ of the earthquake and tsunami that followed.

 

Robert De Niro: But tonight we can participate in a force more powerful than that, the power of giving, and help change the lives of those most directly affected⁹ by this tragedy. And in the process, we change our hearts because you can't give and remain the same.

 

Celebrities manned the phone banks to speak with those who called to make their contributions. The effort was reminiscent of a televised fundraiser in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, which raised nearly $130 million for the families of the victims.

 

Saturday's event was organized by the NBC Universal Television Group and was aired its flagship NBC broadcast network and several affiliated¹⁰ cable networks. NBC executives say they will release fundraising totals later.

 

Mike O'Sullivan, VOA news, Los Angeles.

 

注释：

entertainer [entE5teinE(r)] n. 款待者，表演娱乐节目的人，演艺人员

footage [5futidV] n. 电影胶片

spearhead [5spiEhed] v. 充当先锋，先头部队

fundraising adj. 筹款的，募款的

utensil⁶ [ju(:)5tensl] n. 器具

reminiscent [remI5nis(E)nt] adj. 回忆往事的

aftermath [5B:ftEmAW] n. 结果，后果

affiliated [E5filieitid] adj. 附属的，有关连的

1 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

2 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

3 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

6 utensil   

n.器皿，用具

参考例句：

• The best carving utensil is a long, sharp, flexible knife.最好的雕刻工具是锋利而柔韧的长刻刀。
• Wok is a very common cooking utensil in every Chinese family.炒菜锅是每个中国人家庭里很常用的厨房食用具。

7 utensils   

器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物

参考例句：

• Formerly most of our household utensils were made of brass. 以前我们家庭用的器皿多数是用黄铜做的。
• Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。

8 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

10 affiliated   

adj. 附属的, 有关连的

参考例句：

• The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
• All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。