英语名人堂：吉尔伯托·吉尔

汉译：吉尔伯托·吉尔

原名 Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira

巴西音乐家，原文化部部长，南美洲本土音乐界风云人物，格莱美奖得主

 

Gilberto Gil is a Grammy award-winning singer, guitarist, environmentalist and politician. Between 2003 and 2008, he served as Brazil’s Minister of Culture on the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He stepped down from the post to focus on his music career. He incorporates¹ a wide range of styles in his music and has won many international awards.

 

Gil was born in 1946 in the northeast of Brazil. He had an intense² love of music from the age of two. He grew up listening to local street performers and taught himself to play the drum and trumpet³. His mother developed his musical talents by sending him to music school. He learnt to play the guitar after being inspired by Joao Gilberto.

 

Gil’s career started in the early 1960s as a composer for television advertisements. He released⁴ several singles and became influenced by rock and roll. He left Brazil and went to London, where he played with groups like Pink Floyd. In 1998, Gil won a Grammy for Best World Music Album for ‘Quanta Live’. He became one of the stars of world music.

 

Gil's political career began in 1987 as a secretary of culture for the city of Salvador. A year later he was commissioner⁵ for environmental protection. In 1990, Gil joined Brazil’s Green Party. He also founded the environmental protection organization Blue Wave, which protected Brazil’s coastline. He quit as Minister of Culture in July 2008 because public speaking was affecting his singing ability.

1 incorporates   

组成公司( incorporate的第三人称单数 )； 包含； 使混合； 使具体化

参考例句：

• The shopping centre also incorporates a library and a bank. 商业中心还包括一家银行和一家图书馆。
• The factory incorporates with others. 这家工厂与别家合并了。

2 intense   

adj.认真的，专注的；强烈的；紧张的；热情的

参考例句：

• Susan was an intense young lady.苏珊是一个热情的年轻姑娘。
• The quarrel caused her intense unhappiness.争吵令她极其不快。

3 trumpet   

n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘

参考例句：

• He plays the violin, but I play the trumpet.他拉提琴，我吹喇叭。
• The trumpet sounded for battle.战斗的号角吹响了。

4 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。