VOA慢速英语2010年-AMERICAN MOSAIC - Americans Sing the P

HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ in VOA Special English.

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I'm Doug Johnson.

This week on our program we tell all about the very popular American television series "Glee." And we play music from the show's many stars.

But first we answer a question about the strange American use of the number eighty-six.

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86?

HOST:

We answer a question today from China about an American term. Ella wants to know what it means to "eighty-six" something. She says she heard the term in a movie.

Most dictionaries say the term "eighty-six" comes from employees in the restaurant industry. It means the restaurant has sold out of something. This can happen with a really popular dish, or a special of the day. Specials are foods not on the usual list of foods served.

The head cook, or chef, of a restaurant will tell the head server that the kitchen is out of chicken soup, for example. That server might say to the rest of the employees, "eighty-six the chicken soup."

But, if a customer then orders the chicken soup a server will simply answer, "Sorry, we're out of the soup." It would not be considered respectful to say, "It's eighty-sixed."

Eighty-six has also been used in popular culture to mean dismiss or even kill. If someone has been fired from a job they might say, "My boss eighty-sixed me." Sometimes on television crime dramas you might hear a police officer or a suspect say someone was "eighty-sixed," meaning killed.

The Random² House Historical Dictionary of Slang provides a possible explanation for the use of eighty-six in restaurants. The notation³ comes from a nineteen twenties play called "Burlesque⁴." A waiter in the play tells a customer, "If you need any Scotch⁵ or gin, Sir -- … My number is Eighty-Six." In other words, he is saying, if you run out, call eighty-six.

The same dictionary also says another former definition of eighty-six was undesirable⁶ customer. It notes a nineteen forty-six book about the famous American actor Lionel Barrymore. Gene⁷ Fowler wrote that Barrymore was considered an "eighty-six" at one drinking establishment, or bar. He was not to be served because he visited the bar often and did not behave well.

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"Glee"

HOST:

"Glee" is a new television series about high school students who like to sing. Music from the show has become extremely popular on CDs and on iTunes. Shirley Griffith has more.

SHIRLEY GRIFFITH:

Cast members of 'Glee'

"Glee" is about a high school singing group, also known as a glee club. It takes place at the fictional⁹ William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan created the show. They based it on their own high school glee club experiences.

Mister Murphy chooses all the music for the show. His goal is to include many kinds of music – from current pop songs to classic rock to show tunes⁸ from Broadway musicals. The stars of "Glee" sing their versions of these famous songs. Here the members of the glee club sing "Somebody to Love." The British rock group Queen recorded this song in the nineteen seventies.

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Songs performed on "Glee" are released on iTunes before the show is broadcast. They are released through other digital outlets¹⁰ and mobile carriers a week later. More than three million copies of the songs have been downloaded. And two CDs have been released. The first one, "Glee: The Music, Volume 1," was released in November.

Matthew Morrison plays the teacher who directs the club. Jayma Mays plays a school counselor¹¹.

Matthew Morrison plays Will Schuester, the teacher who directs the glee club. Here is his version of Kanye West's rap song "Gold Digger."

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"Glee" deals with the problems of high school students. The rest of the school does not respect the glee club. Sue Sylvester, the coach of the cheerleaders, plots to destroy it. Some members of the glee club are not popular because they are different from the rest of the students. But some members are football players and cheerleaders – the most popular kids at school.

At first they do not get along. Then they realize they all have something in common – their love of music. They decide to work together to compete against other high school glee clubs. Here Lea Michele sings her version of "Take a Bow" by Rihanna.

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Ryan Murphy created "Glee" as a family show that both adults and children would like. He said each show has a main idea or theme. He chooses the songs to help move the story along. Critics have praised the talent of the young singers and the show's humor. One critic calls it the first television show in a long time that is just plain fun. Last month, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association nominated "Glee" for four Golden Globe Awards, including Best Comedy Series.

The second CD of music from "Glee" was released last month. Here Amber¹² Riley sings "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from the Broadway musical "Dreamgirls."

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HOST:

I'm Doug Johnson. Our program was written by Shelley Gollust and Caty Weaver¹³, who was also the producer.

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 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

3 notation   

n.记号法，表示法，注释；[计算机]记法

参考例句：

• Music has a special system of notation.音乐有一套特殊的标记法。
• We shall find it convenient to adopt the following notation.采用下面的记号是方便的。

4 burlesque   

v.嘲弄，戏仿；n.嘲弄，取笑，滑稽模仿

参考例句：

• Our comic play was a burlesque of a Shakespearean tragedy.我们的喜剧是对莎士比亚一出悲剧的讽刺性模仿。
• He shouldn't burlesque the elder.他不应模仿那长者。

5 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的

参考例句：

• Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
• Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

6 undesirable   

adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子

参考例句：

• They are the undesirable elements among the employees.他们是雇员中的不良分子。
• Certain chemicals can induce undesirable changes in the nervous system.有些化学物质能在神经系统中引起不良变化。

7 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

8 tunes   

n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• a potpourri of tunes 乐曲集锦
• When things get a bit too much, she simply tunes out temporarily. 碰到事情太棘手时，她干脆暂时撒手不管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 fictional   

adj.小说的，虚构的

参考例句：

• The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
• The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。

10 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

12 amber   

n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的

参考例句：

• Would you like an amber necklace for your birthday?你过生日想要一条琥珀项链吗？
• This is a piece of little amber stones.这是一块小小的琥珀化石。

13 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。