VOA慢速英语2009-IN THE NEWS - The Talented but Tragic Life o

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

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Fans hold pictures of Michael Jackson near the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles Thursday

Fans around the world are remembering the man who called himself the King of Pop. Michael Jackson died Thursday in Los Angeles. This was the emergency call from the house where he was living.

CALLER: "We have a gentleman here that needs help and he's not breathing. He's not breathing and we're trying to pump him but he's not -- "
OPERATOR: "OK, OK. How old is he?"
CALLER: "He's fifty years old, sir."
OPERATOR: "Fifty, OK."

A personal doctor was with him at the house.

Michael Jackson would have celebrated¹ his fifty-first birthday in August. He was just days from launching what he hoped would be a comeback -- a series of fifty concerts in London.

More than seven hundred fifty thousand tickets sold out within hours of going on sale in March. The shows were set to begin July thirteenth. There were questions, though, about whether his health could handle the extended tour.

And after he died there were more questions -- this time about his use of painkillers². Medical examiners did an autopsy³ on Friday, but tests for drugs in the body normally take weeks.

Around the world, fans like this one reacted to news of his death.

WOMAN: "Somebody like Michael Jackson who's done so much for the world and stuff, you think almost like he's invincible⁴."

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"Thriller⁵," his nineteen eighty-two album, earned a place in Guinness World Records as the best selling album of all time. It produced hits like "Beat It" and "Billie Jean."

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Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children. He was five years old when he and his brothers began performing in the Jackson 5.

He was eleven when they had their first album. "Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5" was released in nineteen sixty-nine. Their album "ABC" followed less than a year later.

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Jackson waves after receiving a World Music Award for "Thriller" in 1996

In nineteen seventy-one, Michael Jackson began his solo⁶ career. He went on to sell an estimated seven hundred fifty million albums. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- twice.

But as talented and successful as he was, he was also deeply troubled. His behavior and appearance grew increasingly strange. He was heavily in debt.

He was childlike. But in nineteen ninety-three, a thirteen-year-old boy accused him of child molestation⁷. The case was settled out of court. Later, another accusation⁸ led to a criminal trial. But four years ago this month a jury⁹ cleared him of all charges.

Michael Jackson left his mark on popular culture. His music, his videos. His dance moves and moonwalking. The hand in a sequined white glove. The father of three was even married for a time to Elvis Presley's daughter. Now, he leaves behind family, friends and fans to mourn his death. In a sad way he did make a comeback. His death has pushed sales of his music back to the top of the charts again.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by June Simms. I'm Steve Ember.

1 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

2 painkillers   

n.止痛药( painkiller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The doctor gave him some painkillers to ease the pain. 医生给了他一些止疼片以减缓疼痛。 来自辞典例句
• The primary painkillers - opiates, like OxyContin - are widely feared, misunderstood and underused. 人们对主要的镇痛药——如鸦片剂奥施康定——存在广泛的恐惧、误解，因此没有充分利用。 来自时文部分

3 autopsy   

n.尸体解剖；尸检

参考例句：

• They're carrying out an autopsy on the victim.他们正在给受害者验尸。
• A hemorrhagic gut was the predominant lesion at autopsy.尸检的主要发现是肠出血。

4 invincible   

adj.不可征服的，难以制服的

参考例句：

• This football team was once reputed to be invincible.这支足球队曾被誉为无敌的劲旅。
• The workers are invincible as long as they hold together.只要工人团结一致，他们就是不可战胜的。

5 thriller   

n.惊险片，恐怖片

参考例句：

• He began by writing a thriller.That book sold a million copies.他是写惊险小说起家的。那本书卖了一百万册。
• I always take a thriller to read on the train.我乘火车时，总带一本惊险小说看。

6 solo   

n.独奏，独唱；adj.单独的；adv.单独地；v.放单飞，单独表演

参考例句：

• Tara is currently working on a solo album.塔拉眼下正忙着制作个人专辑。
• There's wonderfully lyrical flute solo in the middle of this symphony.在交响乐中间有一段奇妙的抒情长笛独奏。

7 molestation   

n.骚扰，干扰，调戏；折磨

参考例句：

• Michael Jackson is arrested by police on charges of child molestation. 2003年的今天，迈克尔·杰克逊因被警方指控有儿童性骚扰行为而被捕。 来自互联网
• Jackson pleads not guilty on the molestation charges. 2004年：杰克逊认罪不认罪的性骚扰指控。 来自互联网

8 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

9 jury   

n.陪审团，评委会；adj.临时用的；vt.挑选

参考例句：

• These twelve men are believed to compose the jury.据信，陪审团是由这12人组成的。
• The members of the jury were discharged from their duties.陪审员们被解除了职务。