VOA标准英语2010年-Beyonce, Taylor Swift Dominate Grammys

The 52nd annual Grammy Awards ceremony took place Sunday, 31 January, in Los Angeles.

No longer single but very much in control, Beyonce emerged the big winner at Sunday night's 52nd annual Grammy Award ceremony.  The 28-year-old singer, and wife of rap kingpin Jay-Z, collected six Grammys on the evening, setting a single-ceremony record for a female artist.  That puts Beyonce's career Grammy total at 16. She's third among female acts, behind 26-time winner Alison Krauss and 18-time winner Aretha Franklin.  Among Beyonce's victories was Song Of The Year, for "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)."

Several high-profile acts emerged first-time winners, including Lady Gaga.  The flamboyant¹ singer took two trophies²: Best Dance Recording³, for "Poker⁴ Face," and Best Electronic/Dance Album, for "The Fame."

Lady Gaga also opened the three-and-one-half-hour telecast, changing costumes during a two-song performance of "Poker Face" and "Speechless."  The latter saw her share the stage with Elton John, who performed bits of his 1970 hit single "Your Song."
   
Among other performing highlights were Beyonce singing a few bars of Alanis Morissette's 1995 hit "You Oughta Know"; Pink's upside-down high-wire rendition of "Glitter In The Air"; The Black Eyed Peas' futuristic performance of "Imma Be" and "I Gotta Feeling"; and Mary J. Blige providing an emotional rendition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" with operatic tenor⁵ Andrea Bocelli.  Images of the Haitian earthquake flashed onscreen during their performance of the Simon and Garfunkel favorite.  Currently available for downloading, the song benefits Red Cross recovery efforts in the devastated⁶ Caribbean island.

Among the night's most-anticipated performances was a 3D tribute to the late Michael Jackson. Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood and Usher⁷ performed his composition, "Earth Song," accompanied by three-dimensional images of nature.
   

Michael Jackson's son Prince Michael Jackson II accepts the Lifetime Achievement award on behalf of his father at the Grammy Awards, 31 Jan. 2010

Following the performance, two of Michael's three children - son Prince and daughter Paris - accepted their father's posthumous⁸ Lifetime Achievement Award.  Prince spoke⁹ of his father's concern for nature and humanity.

"We are proud to be here to accept this award on behalf of our father, Michael Jackson," Prince Jackson said.  "First of all, we'd like to thank God for watching over us for these past seven months.  We'd also like to thank the fans.  Our father loved you so much because you were always there for him.  Our father was always concerned about the planet and humanity.  Through all his hard work and dedication¹⁰, he has helped through many charities, and donated to all of them.  Through all his songs, his message was simple: Love.  We will continue to spread his message and help the world.  Thank you.  We love you, Daddy." 

While Beyonce dominated the award count, she didn't collect on all 10 of her nominations¹¹. Rock band Kings Of Leon bested her for Record Of The Year, with "Use Somebody." The Tennessee quartet, which won three awards on the evening, gave one of the telecast's more informal acceptance speeches.

"I'm not going to lie," said one member of the group, Caleb.  "We're a little drunk, but we're happy drunks.  We have a lot of people we're supposed to thank, but I'm not good at it, so I'll let him do it.

Another bandmember, Nathan said, "Man, thank you fans!  First of all … amazing!  We have the best fans in the world.  Thank you God!  Thank you family!  Whoever else I forgot, I'll buy you shots afterwards." 

Also surprising Grammy observers was The Zac Brown Band, which took Best New Artist honors.  The Georgia country-rock outfit¹² was viewed as a long shot, competing against rock acts Silversun Pickups and The Ting Tings; Rhythm and Blues¹³ singer Keri Hilson; and alternative dance-pop duo MGMT.    

Taylor Swift accepts the Album of the Year award at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, 31 Jan. 2010

Two years ago, Taylor Swift was nominated for Best New Artist … and lost.  On Sunday night, the 20-year-old Pennsylvania native was not to be denied.  She took home four Grammy Awards, including Album Of The Year, for the five-million-selling 'Fearless.'  It makes Taylor the youngest artist to ever win the category.

"Oh, wow!   Thank you so much," she said.  "I just hope that you know how much this means to me.  Our families are freaking out in their living rooms. My dad and my little brother are losing their minds in the living room right now.  This is the story all of us, when we're 80 years old, and we are be telling the same stories over and over again to our grandkids, and they're so annoyed with us  .. this is the story we're going to be tell over and over again, in 2010, how we got to win Album of the Year at the Grammys.  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!"

The Black Eyed Peas won three trophies, including Best Pop Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocals¹⁴ for its global hit "I Gotta Feeling."

Sunday's telecast also paused to look back at the artists who died over the past year, among them folk singer Mary Travers, soul great Teddy Pendergrass, and Les Paul, who helped popularize the solid-body electric guitar and multi-track recording.

 

1 flamboyant   

adj.火焰般的，华丽的，炫耀的

参考例句：

• His clothes were rather flamboyant for such a serious occasion.他的衣着在这种严肃场合太浮夸了。
• The King's flamboyant lifestyle is well known.国王的奢华生活方式是人尽皆知的。

2 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》

3 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。

4 poker   

n.扑克；vt.烙制

参考例句：

• He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。
• I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

5 tenor   

n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意

参考例句：

• The tenor of his speech was that war would come.他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。
• The four parts in singing are soprano,alto,tenor and bass.唱歌的四个声部是女高音、女低音、男高音和男低音。

6 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

7 usher   

n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员

参考例句：

• The usher seated us in the front row.引座员让我们在前排就座。
• They were quickly ushered away.他们被迅速领开。

8 posthumous   

adj.遗腹的；父亡后出生的；死后的，身后的

参考例句：

• He received a posthumous award for bravery.他表现勇敢，死后受到了嘉奖。
• The legendary actor received a posthumous achievement award.这位传奇男星在过世后获得终身成就奖的肯定。

9 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。

10 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。

11 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

12 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

13 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。

14 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。