VOA标准英语2011--Country Music's Grammy Nominees Face Tou

The 53rd annual Grammy Awards will be presented on February 13 in Los Angeles. There are many top contenders in the Country categories.
"Free" by the Zac Brown Band is nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Country Song and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals². Last year, the band won its first Grammy Award in the all-genre Best New Artist category. Only two other Country artists have been named Best New Artist: LeAnn Rimes in 1997 and Carrie Underwood in 2007. The Zac Brown Band picked up a total of four nominations³ this year, including Best Country Album for "You Get What You Give." They face tough competition in that category from Lady Antebellum, Jamey Johnson, Dierks Bentley, and Miranda Lambert.
Miranda Lambert is a Best Female Country Vocal¹ Performance nominee⁴ for her first Number One hit, "The House That Built Me."?The category also includes Jewel, LeAnn Rimes, Carrie Underwood, and Gretchen Wilson. Miranda also is up for the Best Country Collaboration⁵ with Vocals Grammy for "Bad Angel." The track features Dierks Bentley and Jamey Johnson.
The composers of "The House That Built Me," Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin, are mentioned in two songwriter award categories: Best Country Song and Song of the Year.
"Macon" by Jamey Johnson is a nominee for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.?Also vying⁶ for that award are Toby Keith, David Nail, Keith Urban, and Chris Young.
This year's most-nominated Country act is Lady Antebellum.?The trio received six mentions, including Album of the Year and Best Country Album for "Need You Now."?The title track added nominations for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Country Song, and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert are the only Country artists performing at this year's Grammy Awards.

1 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

2 vocals   

（乐曲中的）歌唱部份，声乐部份( vocal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Also look out for soaring vocals on The Right Man. 另外，也可留意一下《意中人》中的那高亢的唱腔。
• Lazy bass line, lazier drums, lush violins, great piano and incomparable vocals. 懒惰的低音线，较懒惰的鼓，饮小提琴，棒的钢琴和无比的声音。

3 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

4 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

5 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

6 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。