VOA标准英语2010年-2009 'American Idol' Finalist Releases

During the past two years, Danny Gokey has gone from working as a commercial truck driver to signing with a major Nashville record company.  The 2009 "American Idol¹" Top 5 finalist recently released his debut² album, "My Best Days."

 

Danny Gokey's new album gave him the best first-week sales by a debut Country male artist in 18 years.  It also set a new record for highest first-week digital album sales ever by a debut Country act.

Danny credits his late wife, Sophia, with inspiring him to pursue his musical dreams.  Her death, following surgery for a heart condition, came just weeks before Danny's 2008 "American Idol" audition³.  The Milwaukee native placed third in the competition.  The day after finishing last year's "American Idols⁴ Live" tour, Danny moved to Nashville, and began work on his debut album.

During his time on "American Idol," Danny showed the versatility⁵ of his voice by performing songs by The Temptations, Michael Jackson, Queen and Rascal⁶ Flatts, among others.  His decision to pursue a career in Country music was encouraged by Randy Travis.

Danny says, "Randy Travis was a mentor⁷ for American Idol, and he asked me, 'Have you thought about Country?  You really should because people would love you and the amount of soul that you could bring to Country.  You bring a uniqueness to it.'" 

Danny is spending most of the year performing concerts throughout the United States.  Many of the dates are with the popular Country duo Sugarland.  He's also running Sophia's Heart, a charitable foundation for disadvantaged children, which Danny created to keep his late wife's legacy⁸ alive.

Danny says his new single, "I Will Not Say Goodbye," represents exactly how he felt after Sophia passed away.

 

1 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。

2 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

3 audition   

n.(对志愿艺人等的)面试(指试读、试唱等)

参考例句：

• I'm going to the audition but I don't expect I'll get a part.我去试音，可并不指望会给我个角色演出。
• At first,they said he was too young,but later they called him for an audition.起初，他们说他太小，但后来他们叫他去试听。

4 idols   

偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像

参考例句：

• The genii will give evidence against those who have worshipped idols. 魔怪将提供证据来反对那些崇拜偶像的人。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• Teenagers are very sequacious and they often emulate the behavior of their idols. 青少年非常盲从，经常模仿他们的偶像的行为。

5 versatility   

n.多才多艺，多样性，多功能

参考例句：

• Versatility is another of your strong points,but don't overdo it by having too many irons in the fire.你还有一个长处是多才多艺，但不要揽事太多而太露锋芒。
• This versatility comes from a dual weather influence.这种多样性是由于双重的气候影响而形成的。

6 rascal   

n.流氓；不诚实的人

参考例句：

• If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
• The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

7 mentor   

n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导

参考例句：

• He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
• He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。

8 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。