VOA标准英语2012--Rock Musician Struggles to Find Boundaries in Burma

Rock Musician Struggles to Find Boundaries in Burma

The musician who calls himself Darko C has been the leader of a struggling Rangoon rock band for seven years. He says he is unsure about the new standards of Burma's censorship board, which vets² all music albums before they are published.
"It's going to take some time to really change," said Darko. "So now they have reduced the rules a bit, but there are some lame³ rules about censorship still."
Burma's ministry⁴ of information checks lyrics⁵ to see if they reflect what authorities call "traditional values." In the past, censors¹ have banned songs about politics, alcohol or kissing. Darko says on his last album, censors cut an entire song that referred obliquely⁶ to prostitution. He says the process can be unpredictable.
"To be honest I think it depends on their moods," noted⁷ Darko. "They have their personalities⁸, right? Different people doing this job so it depends on the person who is censoring⁹ your lyrics. We pray, pray to the Buddha¹⁰, oh please don't let them ruin my lyrics."
Darko and his wife, Emily, who is a performance artist, own a small tailor shop where they work during the week to pay their bills. But Darko hopes to become a full-time¹¹ musician soon.
"If I already do this, take measurements of people, then I can do this, like this, play guitar," he added.
Darko's band, Side Effect, plays live shows in front of crowds of young local fans at the popular open-air concert space in Kandawgyi Park. Darko says the band does not have a political agenda, but still wants to challenge its audiences.
"Pushing the limits is good, not only to push the government or authority, but to push the people's beliefs and thoughts as well," Darko noted. "So we need to push that limit."
As local artists, musicians and writers test their new creative limits, Darko says that it is a strange time in his country, but he enjoys it.
"This time of change, yeah it does affect me. We're not sure if we are really free really. I mean freedom to express. We're still not sure. Yea, we are kind of happy though. I don't know. It's really weird¹², this weird season. So yeah, let's see," said Darko.
Like many other artists in Burma, the members of Side Effect hope that as the country opens up, they can reach a wider audience. The band already has a presence on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and looks forward to the day it can bring its brand of Burmese rock to foreign fans.

1 censors   

删剪（书籍、电影等中被认为犯忌、违反道德或政治上危险的内容）( censor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The censors eviscerated the book to make it inoffensive to the President. 审查员删去了该书的精华以取悦于总统。
• The censors let out not a word. 检察官一字也不发。

2 vets   

abbr.veterans （复数）老手，退伍军人；veterinaries （复数）兽医n.兽医( vet的名词复数 )；老兵；退伍军人；兽医诊所v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的第三人称单数 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• I helped train many young vets and veterinary nurses too. 我还帮助培训了许多年青的兽医和护士。 来自互联网
• In fact, we've expanded mental health counseling and services for our vets. 实际上，我们已经扩大了退伍军人的心理健康咨询和服务。 来自互联网

3 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 lyrics   

n.歌词

参考例句：

• music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
• The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。

6 obliquely   

adv.斜； 倾斜； 间接； 不光明正大

参考例句：

• From the gateway two paths led obliquely across the court. 从门口那儿，有两条小路斜越过院子。 来自辞典例句
• He was receding obliquely with a curious hurrying gait. 他歪着身子，古怪而急促地迈着步子，往后退去。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

9 censoring   

删剪（书籍、电影等中被认为犯忌、违反道德或政治上危险的内容）( censor的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Therefore, exhibitors shall not make use of these materials before censoring. 展商在审查前不可使用这些资料。
• The company then said it would end self-censoring search results, putting it at odds with Beijing. 随后该公司表示，将停止自我审查搜索结果，从而与中国政府发生对抗。

10 Buddha   

n.佛；佛像；佛陀

参考例句：

• Several women knelt down before the statue of Buddha and prayed.几个妇女跪在佛像前祈祷。
• He has kept the figure of Buddha for luck.为了图吉利他一直保存着这尊佛像。

11 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

12 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。