VOA慢速英语2009年-AMERICAN MOSAIC - Making Merry With Th

HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Bob Doughty².

As always, music makers³ released lots of new holiday albums this year. There are country, jazz, gospel and other kinds of holiday songs. Since it is Christmas today we thought we would take time to listen to some of the new offerings.

The biggest surprise came from this artist. Maybe you will recognize the voice.

(MUSIC)

Bob Dylan's album, "Christmas in the Heart," has many traditional Christmas songs. The video for the song "Must Be Santa" has been very popular on the Internet. Dylan is wearing false long hair and dancing around with a crowd of mostly younger people at a wild house party. It is all very strange. But it does seem merry. "Christmas in the Heart" is truly a gift, too. All of Dylan's profits from the album are going to aid organizations.

Also for charity is another release in the "Very Special Christmas" series. Two thousand nine marks the seventh recording⁴ in the series. It began in nineteen-eighty-seven to help the Special Olympics. Artists who took part this season include Colbie Caillat, Miley Cyrus and this country superstar, Carrie Underwood. She sings "Hark! The Herald⁵ Angels Sing."

(MUSIC)

The country band Sugarland released its first Christmas album this year called "Gold and Green." The band's two members, Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles⁶, perform some traditional songs. They also co-wrote many new holiday songs too, like the title track.

(MUSIC)

Straight No Chaser is a famous men's singing group that began at Indiana University. Former members formed a professional group of the same name. Straight No Chaser is an acapella group which means the singers do not perform with any instrumental music. Their voices do all the work.

Straight No Chaser released "Christmas Cheers" in November. Here the men perform a funny piece called "The Christmas Can-Can."

(MUSIC)

Last month, the British musician Sting released "If on a Winter's Night ... " The album is filled with beautiful, old music from the British Isles⁷. The recording is more about the winter season than a holiday. However, in "Christmas at Sea" Sting takes a haunting Robert Louis Stevenson poem and sets it to music.

(MUSIC)

"My Christmas" is Andrea Bocelli's new holiday album. The Italian singer invited many guest artists to perform on the recording. They include the Mormon Tabernacle Choir⁸, the Muppets, and Mary J. Blige.

Here Andrea Bocelli and Natalie Cole sing "The Christmas Song," from "My Christmas."

(MUSIC)

Ayiesha Woods is a Christian⁹ musician originally from Long Island, New York. The singer-songwriter has won several gospel music awards and has released four albums. They include this year's holiday recording, "Christmas Like This." It was released last month. Here Ayiesha Woods performs "O Holy Night."

(MUSIC)

Neil Diamond is another American singer-songwriter. He has been a superstar in the music business for almost forty years. "A Cherry, Cherry, Christmas" is Diamond's third Christmas album. Diamond says his latest record let people experience the special feelings of Christmas year after year. One of those feelings might be the fun of a sleigh ride through the snow.

(MUSIC: "SLEIGH RIDE")

There is also a nice seasonal¹⁰ album out for jazz lovers. "Jazzy Brass¹¹ for the Holidays" is the latest recording by jazz trumpet¹² player Eddie Allen. Allen arranged all fourteen pieces on the recording. He also leads the four-member brass band, drummer and bass¹³ player.

We leave you with Eddie Allen and the band playing "Let it Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" from "Jazzy Brass for the Holidays."

(MUSIC)

I'm Bob Doughty. This program was written and produced by Caty Weaver¹⁴.

Do you have a question about people, places or things in America? Send it to [email protected] we may answer it on this show.

Join us again next week for AMERICAN MOSAIC, VOA's radio magazine in Special English.

 

1 mosaic   

n./adj.镶嵌细工的，镶嵌工艺品的，嵌花式的

参考例句：

• The sky this morning is a mosaic of blue and white.今天早上的天空是幅蓝白相间的画面。
• The image mosaic is a troublesome work.图象镶嵌是个麻烦的工作。

2 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

3 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 herald   

vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎

参考例句：

• In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
• Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。

6 nettles   

n.荨麻( nettle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I tingle where I sat in the nettles. 我坐过在荨麻上的那个部位觉得刺痛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This bleak place overgrown with nettles was the churchyard. 那蔓草丛生的凄凉地方是教堂公墓。 来自辞典例句

7 isles   

岛( isle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the geology of the British Isles 不列颠群岛的地质
• The boat left for the isles. 小船驶向那些小岛。

8 choir   

n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• The church choir is singing tonight.今晚教堂歌唱队要唱诗。

9 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

10 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

11 brass   

n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器

参考例句：

• Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

12 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。

13 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

14 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。