谢谢你们！谢谢你们！

　　Michael Jackson was born in August 1958. So was I. Michael Jackson grew up in the suburbs of the Midwest. So did I. Michael Jackson had eight brothers and sisters. So do I. When Michael Jackson was six, he became a superstar, and was perhaps the world's most beloved child. When I was six, my mother died. I think he got the shorter end of the stick. I never had a mother, but he never had a childhood. And when you never get to have something, you become obsessed by it. I spent my childhood searching for my mother's figures. Sometimes I was successful, but how do you recreate your childhood when you are under the magnifying glass of the world for your entire life.

　　迈克尔·杰克逊出生于1958年8月，我也是。迈克尔·杰克逊是在美国中西部的郊区长大的，我也是。迈克尔·杰克逊有八个兄弟姐妹，我也是。在迈克尔·杰克逊6岁的时候，他便成为了一个超级巨星，或许更是世界上最受钟爱的小孩。而我6岁的时候，母亲永远离开了我。我想他甚至更加早就失去了母亲。我从没有拥有过母爱，而他却从来没有享受过童年。当一个人意识到永远得不到某种东西时，他就会对此念念不忘。我耗尽了童年寻找母亲的形象，有时我做到了。但当你的一生都被安置在放大镜下被人关注时，试问你又如何重新找回你的童年？

　　There is no question that Michael Jackson was one of the greatest talents the world has ever known. That, when he sang a song at the ripe old age of eight he could make you feel like an experienced adult was squeezing your heart with his words. That the way he moved had the elegance of Fred Astaire and packed the punch of Muhammad Ali. That his music had an extra layer of inexplicable magic that didn't just make you want to dance but actually made you believe you could fly, dare to dream, be anything that you wanted to be. Because that is what heroes do and Michael Jackson was a hero!

　　毫无疑问迈克尔·杰克逊是世界上最伟大的天才之一。当他还是个8岁的小孩时，他的歌声已经让人感觉像个饱经沧桑的成人在述说他的故事，也因此扣人心弦。他的舞台魅力，有歌舞之王之称的弗雷德·阿斯泰尔那样的优雅，又有拳王穆罕默德·阿里那样的震撼力。这使得他的音乐有一种难以言喻的魔力，让你不仅仅想随之起舞，更让你相信你可以飞翔，勇于梦想，成为任何你想成为的人。因为这就是英雄的影响力！而迈克尔·杰克逊就是个英雄！

　　重点讲解：

　　1. get the short end of the stick

　　固定表达，表示“吃亏；受到不公平的待遇”；

　　eg. I don't like getting the short end of the stick.

　　我可不愿意受到不公平的待遇。

　　eg. When the mayor cut our budget almost in half, I felt like we were getting the short end of the stick.

　　市长削减了我们将近一半的预算，我觉得我们吃亏了。

　　2. get to do sth.

　　（最终或逐渐）到达（某阶段）；得以做；有机会做某事；

　　eg. He's just a pussycat really, once you get to know him.

　　你了解他以后就会发现他实在和蔼可亲。

　　eg. I couldn't get to sleep last night; I was too excited.

　　我昨晚无法入睡，我太兴奋了。

　　eg. You'll get to like your work.

　　你慢慢会喜欢你的工作的。

　　3. search for sth.

　　搜寻；搜索；搜查；寻求；

　　eg. The Turkish security forces have started searching for the missing men.

　　土耳其安全部队已经开始搜寻失踪人员。

　　eg. They searched for a spot where they could sit on the floor.

　　他们在地板上寻找一处能够坐下的地方。

　　eg. Nonetheless there are signs that both sides may be searching for a compromise.

　　然而，有迹象表明双方可能都在寻求和解。

　　4. There is no question that...

　　毫无疑问；

　　eg. There is no question that he will help us.

　　毫无疑问，他肯定会帮我们的。

　　eg. There is no question that we will finish the work with in two days.

　　我们有把握在两天内完成这项工作。

　　5. dare to do sth.

　　敢；有足够的胆量做某事；

　　eg. Since he was stuck in a lift a year ago he hasn't dared to get back into one.

　　自从一年前被困在电梯里之后，他就再也没敢乘过电梯。

　　eg. Most people hate Harry but they don't dare to say so.

　　大多数人都对哈里敢怒不敢言。

　　eg. He has also dared to take unpopular, but principled stands at times.

　　他有时也会大胆坚持不受欢迎、但却有原则性的立场。

　　背景资料：

　　第26届MTV音乐录影带大奖（VMA）的开场永远是最值得人回味的时刻，而邀请VMA的获奖常客麦当娜为开场致辞绝对不会令观众失望。麦当娜以一身黑色拉链夹克搭配黑色裙子的装扮走上没有灯光的舞台，做了感人肺腑的发言——向已故流行音乐之王迈克尔·杰克逊致敬。

　　名人经典：

　　That consciousness is everything and that all things begin with a thought. That we are responsible for our own fate, we reap what we sow, we get what we give, we pull in what we put out. I know these things for sure.

　　意识决定一切，一切都源于思想；我们对自己的命运负责；播种了才能收割，给予了才能得到，投入了才能获取——毫无疑问这些道理我明白。