VOA标准英语2014--Top 5 Countdown for Week Ending March 1

 

Top 5 Countdown for Week Ending March 1 

This is the Top Five Countdown! We’re training our gaze upon the five most popular songs in the Billboard¹ Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending March 1, 2014.

Last week, the top five was in flux², with four positions changing hands. This week - not so much. Beyonce and Jay Z are your comeback kids, as “Drunk In Love,” which previously³ plunged⁴ six slots to eighth place, rebounds⁵ to number five. It turns out Beyonce has her critics, and one spoke⁶ out this week.  Back in January, she raised a few eyebrows⁷ with her risqué performance of the song at the Grammy Awards. This week, actress Garcelle Beauvais told the web site Hello Beautiful that certain things are too overt⁸ for children…and Beyonce may want to tone down her act a bit. She later clarified her remarks, saying she loves Beyonce and her words were taken out of context.

Holding at number four are A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera with “Say Something.” Christina’s full of surprises these days. Last week, Christina said she was engaged to her boyfriend of three years, Matthew Rutler. This week, reports emerged that she’s expecting her second child. She has a six-year-old son, Max.

Holding at number three are Jason Derulo and 2 Chainz with “Talk Dirty.” Jason’s readying a follow-up to last year's Tattoos⁹. His new full-length album, also titled Talk Dirty, will hit the market on April 15, and will feature a collaboration¹⁰ with his girlfriend Jordin Sparks…upon whom Jason bestowed¹¹ 10,000 roses on Valentine’s Day.

Last week, Pharrell Williams stormed into second place with his worldwide hit “Happy” which first appeared in the animated¹² film Despicable Me 2. This week he pauses - ahead of what may be a huge awards victory. On March 2, Pharrell will perform at the Academy Awards ceremony, where “Happy” is up for a Best Original Song Oscar. It’s running against another big pop hit, “Let It Go,” from the movie Frozen.

Katy Perry spends a fourth week atop the Hot 100 with “Dark Horse,” featuring Juicy J of Three 6 Mafia. Some members of the Muslim community are protesting the video, in which Katy melts a man wearing a necklace bearing the name of Allah in Arabic. An online petition asking YouTube to ban the clip has compiled more than 15,000 signatures.

That’s it for now, but the Hot 100 never sleeps! Join us next week for an all-new Top Five Countdown.

1 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

2 flux   

n.流动；不断的改变

参考例句：

• The market is in a constant state of flux.市场行情在不断变化。
• In most reactors,there is a significant flux of fast neutrons.在大部分反应堆中都有一定强度的快中子流。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

5 rebounds   

反弹球( rebound的名词复数 )； 回弹球； 抢断篮板球； 复兴

参考例句：

• V is the velocity after the gas particle rebounds from the wall. V是粒子从壁上弹开后的速度。
• In the former case, the first body rebounds with practically its original velocity. 在前一种情况下，第一个物体实际上以原来的速度弹回。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

8 overt   

adj.公开的，明显的，公然的

参考例句：

• His opponent's intention is quite overt.他的对手的意图很明显。
• We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。

9 tattoos   

n.文身( tattoo的名词复数 )；归营鼓；军队夜间表演操；连续有节奏的敲击声v.刺青，文身( tattoo的第三人称单数 )；连续有节奏地敲击；作连续有节奏的敲击

参考例句：

• His arms were covered in tattoos. 他的胳膊上刺满了花纹。
• His arms were covered in tattoos. 他的双臂刺满了纹身。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 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。

11 bestowed   

赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It was a title bestowed upon him by the king. 那是国王赐给他的头衔。
• He considered himself unworthy of the honour they had bestowed on him. 他认为自己不配得到大家赋予他的荣誉。

12 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。