2007年VOA标准英语-'Idols West Africa' Starts Search for Africa's

By Phuong Tran
Dakar
17 January 2007

A South African television company is choosing contestants² for its new audience participation³ and reality television music show, Idols⁵ West Africa.  Auditions⁶ are under way for a music competition series that combines audience participation, brutally⁷ honest judges and live performances.  Thousands of West Africans are competing for the chance to become the continent's next pop star "Idol⁴."  Phuong Tran reports from VOA's West African bureau in Dakar.

More than 3,000 would-be music stars turned out for the first of four open auditions in West Africa.  The contestants were eager to prove that they deserved a chance to be Africa's next idol.

"I want to be famous. I want the world to know me," said one male contestant¹.

"Hello Pop Idol West Africa. I want to be a pop idol, because I know I have got all it takes to be one," said a female contestant. 

"I will be able to tell the whole world that we have got it here in Africa," said another contestant.

These are a few of the young singers who are competing to star in a television series that features a real music competition in which one contestant will be eliminated each week through a combination of audience voting and judges' marks.

The singer who gets the highest rating will win prize money and a recording⁸ contract.

The first competition will be broadcast by the South African television company M-NET in early March.

Auditions are taking place in cities in Nigeria and Ghana - countries in West Africa with the most M-NET subscribers.  Following these auditions, judges will select 10 contestants.  Though M-Net only has subscribers in two other countries in West Africa now, Senegal and Sierra Leone, it hopes Idols West Africa will attract new viewers.

Joseph Hundah, Director of Operations for Idols West Africa, is counting on the almost universal appeal of reality television to make it a hit.

"Reality shows have been quite a popular format⁹ for television," he noted¹⁰.  "M-NET, like any broadcaster in the world, would be foolish to ignore that."

M-NET introduced its first idols show in South Africa in 2002.  Called Idols South Africa, it was based on Britain's Pop Idol, a format also copied by the U.S. in its American Idol series.

Hundah says the competition has been a big hit in South Africa since it began four years ago.

"Amazing how popular reality TV is with African audiences," he added.

Karin Kortje, 2005 Idols South Africa winner

The 2005 winner of Idols South Africa was Karin Kortje, a former fruit packer.  She won a prize of almost $500,000 and a recording contract with SONY BMG. Hundah says one of the real pleasures of the show is discovering a real star.

"Talent is talent and when you unearth¹¹ it, it is the most wonderful thing you can do," he said.

While Hundah hopes he can repeat the success of the Idols South Africa in West Africa, he also hopes the show will discover some unique talents.

"One hopes every pop star looks different," he explained.  "You do not want the same thing. You want someone different to break out now and again. We are looking for someone young, vibrant¹², who is going to be able to sell their music internationally."

Like so many discoveries in the music world, the show's criteria¹³ for stardom are simple, yet unforgiving.

Contestants are now waiting to hear if they will make it to round two.

Idols West Africa will air early March and continue to the end of May.

1 contestant   

n.竞争者，参加竞赛者

参考例句：

• The company will furnish each contestant with a free ticket.公司将为每个参赛者免费提供一张票。
• The personal appearance and interview of the contestant is another count.参加比赛者的个人仪表和谈话也是一项。

2 contestants   

n.竞争者，参赛者( contestant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The competition attracted over 500 contestants representing 8 different countries. 这次比赛吸引了代表8个不同国家的500多名参赛者。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency. 两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

4 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

5 idols   

偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像

参考例句：

• The genii will give evidence against those who have worshipped idols. 魔怪将提供证据来反对那些崇拜偶像的人。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• Teenagers are very sequacious and they often emulate the behavior of their idols. 青少年非常盲从，经常模仿他们的偶像的行为。

6 auditions   

n.（对拟做演员、歌手、乐师等人的）试听，试音( audition的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Find modeling auditions, casting calls& acting auditions, all in one place. 找一个立体感试听，铸造呼叫和表演试听一体的地方。 来自互联网
• We are now about to start auditions to find a touring guitarist. 我们现在准备找一个新的吉他手。 来自互联网

7 brutally   

adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地

参考例句：

• The uprising was brutally put down.起义被残酷地镇压下去了。
• A pro-democracy uprising was brutally suppressed.一场争取民主的起义被残酷镇压了。

8 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。

9 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 unearth   

v.发掘，掘出，从洞中赶出

参考例句：

• Most of the unearth relics remain intact.大多数出土文物仍保持完整无损。
• More human remains have been unearthed in the north.北部又挖掘出了更多的人体遗骸。

12 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

13 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。