2006年VOA标准英语-48th Annual Grammys Had Something for Ever

By Ray McDonald
Washington
11 February 2006

The 48th annual Grammy Award ceremony had something for everyone, including a performance by an imaginary rock band and the mysterious re-appearance of a musical legend.

The rock band Gorillaz exists only in the mind of its creator, Blur¹ leader Damon Albarn. That did not, however, stop the cartoon quartet from winning a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration² With Vocals⁴. Gorillaz also got the 48th annual Award ceremony off to a rousing start, performing with an extremely fit-looking Madonna.

This was one of a series of odd pairings during the three and one-half hour telecast, beamed worldwide from Los Angeles. Rapper Jay-Z and rockers Linkin Park teamed with Sir Paul McCartney, who seemed rather befuddled⁵ while performing his Beatles classic "Yesterday."
 

Bono from group U2 accepts award for Album of the Year  
  
The evening, however, belonged to another quartet, U2. The Irish rock band trumped⁶ the competition by taking home five Grammies, including Best Rock Song, Song Of The Year, Best Rock Album, and Album Of The Year, for How To Dismantle⁷ An Atomic Bomb. Bandleader Paul "Bono" Hewson explained the album title.

"How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb is an odd title for an album," he said. "We accept that … and people have asked 'What are you talking about?' Actually, I was talking about my father, Bob. He was the 'atomic bomb' in question. And, when he died, set off a kind of chain reaction in me. I've been shouting about him, and giving off about him, and complaining about him, and screaming about him for the last few years. And maybe, maybe tonight is the time to stop. It's really a great, great moment for me personally. I want to thank my father, Bob, for giving me the voice and a bit of attitude to use it. "

Kelly Clarkson accepts award for Best Female Pop Vocal³ Performance   
  
Other acts who came up big included two-time winner Kelly Clarkson, who four years ago launched her career by winning the inaugural⁸ season of American Idol⁹. The 23-year-old Texas native made no mention of that show, although her two trips to the stage included profuse¹⁰ thanks to just about everyone else.

"Yeah, I'm terrible at speaking when I cry. So, sorry. Thank you so much," she said. "Thank you to everybody that has supported me this year, including my record label and my management. I love you! Thank you to my date, Ashley Donovan, my first producer in my closet back home when I was a kid. Thank you to my mom. Thank you so much, Mom. I'm sorry I'm crying again on national television. Thank you to the fans. Thank you for everyone who worked on my record. Yikes! And just thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me. So thank you so much!"

Also trekking¹¹ to the podium was Alison Krauss, who, with her band, Union Station, took home three trophies¹², including Best Country Album for Lonely Runs Both Ways. This brings her career Grammy total to 20 - more than any other female performer.

While Wednesday's ceremony was short on controversy¹³, it did provide some surprises. Mariah Carey, Kanye West, and newcomer John Legend led the field of nominees¹⁴ with eight apiece, but none dominated the proceedings¹⁵. Kanye lost his bids for Record and Album Of The Year, but still managed to win three statuettes. Mariah Carey, who enjoyed the best-selling U.S. album of 2005 with The Emancipation¹⁶ Of Mimi, collected three trophies, while John Legend - real name John Stephens - also took home three Grammies, including Best New Artist. He won largely on the strength of his throwback hit single, "Ordinary People."

Sly Stone from the group Sly and the Family Stone performs at  Grammy Awards, Feb. 8, 2006  
  
The evening's musical highlights were anything but ordinary: Bruce Springsteen delivered a chilling solo performance of his Grammy-winning song "Devils And Dust"; an all-star lineup paid tribute to hurricane-damaged New Orleans; and in the telecast's strangest moment, Sly Stone tottered¹⁷ onstage to perform "I Wanna Take You Higher." Stooped and sporting a white Mohawk hairstyle, the reclusive funk-rock star waved at the crowd and left the stage before the all-star tribute band finished performing. It was his first major public appearance since 1993.

While rap and R&B currently dominate the U.S. charts, rock music ruled the major Grammy categories. Green Day took the Record Of The Year trophy¹⁸ with "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams," while U2's Bono was gracious in his Album Of The Year victory speech.

"This is our second Album of the Year, but we've lost two, Achtung, Baby and All That You Can't Leave Behind, so I know how it feels," he said. "Kanye, you're next. He's a great artist. He's been on the road with us. He's extraordinary! Listen … to be in the company of Paul McCartney, who discovered the country that we're all living in, is a true honor indeed. Yes, sir! Mariah, you sing like an angel. You're really something else. And what about Gwen [Stefani]? This is the heart of Hollywood. She's like [1940s actress] Carole Lombard. She's this extraordinary girl. I don't know what to say. This is really a big, big night for our band."

More than 1,000 individuals were nominated in 108 categories, but only 11 awards were actually handed out during the televised ceremony. The other winners were announced at the Los Angeles Convention Center - far from the glitz and glamour¹⁹ of the awards show.

1 blur   

n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚

参考例句：

• The houses appeared as a blur in the mist.房子在薄雾中隐隐约约看不清。
• If you move your eyes and your head,the picture will blur.如果你的眼睛或头动了，图像就会变得模糊不清。

2 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

3 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

4 vocals   

（乐曲中的）歌唱部份，声乐部份( vocal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Also look out for soaring vocals on The Right Man. 另外，也可留意一下《意中人》中的那高亢的唱腔。
• Lazy bass line, lazier drums, lush violins, great piano and incomparable vocals. 懒惰的低音线，较懒惰的鼓，饮小提琴，棒的钢琴和无比的声音。

5 befuddled   

adj.迷糊的，糊涂的v.使烂醉( befuddle的过去式和过去分词 )；使迷惑不解

参考例句：

• He was befuddled by drink. 他喝得迷迷糊糊的。
• John is very amusing when he is completely befuddled. 当约翰喝得完全糊涂了的时候，他非常有趣儿。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 trumped   

v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去分词 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造

参考例句：

• That woman trumped up various baseless charges against him. 那个女人捏造种种毫无根据的罪名指控他。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Several of his colleagues trumped up a complaint to get him removed from the job. 他的几位同事诬告他，使他丟掉了工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

8 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

9 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

10 profuse   

adj.很多的，大量的，极其丰富的

参考例句：

• The hostess is profuse in her hospitality.女主人招待得十分周到。
• There was a profuse crop of hair impending over the top of his face.一大绺头发垂在他额头上。

11 trekking   

v.艰苦跋涉，徒步旅行( trek的现在分词 )；（尤指在山中）远足，徒步旅行，游山玩水

参考例句：

• She can't come pony trekking after all because she's in a delicate condition. 她结果还是不能坐小马车旅行，因为她已怀孕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We spent the summer trekking in the foothills of the Himalayas. 我们整个夏天都在喜马拉雅山的山麓艰难跋涉。 来自互联网

12 trophies   

n.（为竞赛获胜者颁发的）奖品( trophy的名词复数 )；奖杯；（尤指狩猎或战争中获得的）纪念品；（用于比赛或赛跑名称）奖

参考例句：

• His football trophies were prominently displayed in the kitchen. 他的足球奖杯陈列在厨房里显眼的位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The hunter kept the lion's skin and head as trophies. 这猎人保存狮子的皮和头作为纪念品。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

13 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

14 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

15 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

16 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 tottered   

v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠

参考例句：

• The pile of books tottered then fell. 这堆书晃了几下，然后就倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The wounded soldier tottered to his feet. 伤员摇摇晃晃地站了起来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 trophy   

n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品

参考例句：

• The cup is a cherished trophy of the company.那只奖杯是该公司很珍惜的奖品。
• He hung the lion's head as a trophy.他把那狮子头挂起来作为狩猎纪念品。

19 glamour   

n.魔力，魅力；vt.迷住

参考例句：

• Foreign travel has lost its glamour for her.到国外旅行对她已失去吸引力了。
• The moonlight cast a glamour over the scene.月光给景色增添了魅力。