VOA标准英语2014--Top 5 Countdown for Week Ending July 19

 

Top 5 Countdown for Week Ending July 19

We’re counting down the five most popular songs in the Billboard¹ Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending July 19, 2014.

We need a song transfusion², and fast…absolutely nothing changes in this week’s lineup.

We start out in fifth place, where Sam Smith holds steady with “Stay With Me" his former British chart-topper.  A remix features Mary J. Blige, and the U.S. soul great has high praise for Sam: she says she loves his talent and sincerity³. Sam, 22, says working with Mary was a dream come true, and he remembers holding her album in his hand as a young boy.

Staying put in fourth place is Nico & Vinz, with “Am I Wrong.” The members of this Afro-Norwegian duo - Nico Sereba and Vincent Dery - grew up in Norway, and both say they were influenced by the popular 1990s U.S. TV series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. A mutual⁴ friend introduced them in 2009, and they called themselves Envy before changing their name early this year.

?Ariana Grande just lost her TV show…which may not be as much of a “problem” as it sounds.  Ariana and Iggy Azalea hold in third place with “Problem.” Her TV series Sam & Cat has been cancelled after only one season. Web site Deadline reports that despite drawing high ratings⁵, the Nickelodeon network show was plagued with behind-the-scenes conflicts.

It’s a big week for MAGIC! Not only does “Rude” hold in the runner-up slot⁶, the Canadian band just released its debut⁷ album "Don’t Kill The Magic." It opened in sixth place in the United States, and fifth place in its native Canada.

This week’s lineup is a regular United Nations: of all the artists in the Top Five, only Ariana Grande is a U.S. native. Australian rapper Iggy Azalea and British singer Charli XCX spend a seventh big week atop the Billboard Pop Singles chart with “Fancy.”

During this decade, only four female artists have enjoyed longer reigns⁸ at the top: Rihanna at 10 weeks with “We Found Love,” while Lorde, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Ke$ha all held the title for nine weeks.

That’s it for now, but who knows what next week holds? Join us in seven days to find out.

1 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。

2 transfusion   

n.输血，输液

参考例句：

• She soon came to her senses after a blood transfusion.输血后不久她就苏醒了。
• The doctor kept him alive by a blood transfusion.医生靠输血使他仍然活着。

3 sincerity   

n.真诚，诚意；真实

参考例句：

• His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
• He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

4 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

5 ratings   

n.等级( rating的名词复数 )；收视率；表示电影分级的数字（或字母）；（海军）水兵

参考例句：

• He won high ratings [marks] in all his examinations. 他所有的考试都获得高分。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The boat was operated by two naval ratings in dress whites. 船由两个穿着白色礼服的水兵驾驶。 来自辞典例句

6 slot   

n.（口）位置，职位，狭长孔，狭槽

参考例句：

• Put a coin in the slot.将硬币放入投币口。
• He's been given a regular ten-minute slot on the radio.电台定期给他十分钟的节目广播时间。

7 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。

8 reigns   

n.君主的统治( reign的名词复数 )；君主统治时期；任期；当政期

参考例句：

• In these valleys night reigns. 夜色笼罩着那些山谷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The Queen of Britain reigns, but she does not rule or govern. 英国女王是国家元首，但不治国事。 来自辞典例句