Whitney Houston Remembered as Trailblazer, World Class Entertainer
时间：2019-01-14 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2012年(二月)
英语课
Whitney Houston Remembered as Trailblazer, World Class Entertainer
Among all of Houston’s groundbreaking achievements, including a tally 1 of more than 400 career awards, her most significant feat 2 was her record-setting string of seven consecutive 3 Number One singles on the Billboard 4 Hot 100 chart. It broke the previous record of six set by The Bee Gees 5 and The Beatles. The string began on October 26, 1985 with her Grammy-winning hit “Saving All My Love For You,” and ended on April 23, 1988 with her R&B ballad 6 “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.” It was the fourth single from her album “Whitney” to go to Number One, also a record for a female artist. She sold more than 170 million albums worldwide and co-produced and recorded songs for one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time, The Bodyguard 7.
Whitney Houston was born the daughter of famed gospel singer Cissy Houston in Newark, New Jersey 8. Dionne Warwick was her cousin and Aretha Franklin her godmother. She began as a gospel singer and pianist in her mother’s church and sometimes performed alongside her in nightclubs. At age 15, Whitney sang backup on Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman,” a tune 9 she later performed on The Bodyguard soundtrack. Her multi-octave vocal 10 range became her signature sound, and led to her discovery by Arista Records’ president Clive Davis.
Whitney signed with Arista in 1983 and released her self-titled debut 11 album two years later. The New York Times called her first effort, “an impressive, musically conservative showcase for an exceptional vocal talent.” She continued to garner 12 similar accolades 13 for subsequent albums, while her fast-growing fan base catapulted her into the realm of world-class entertainer. She crossed over into acting 14, starring in the Hollywood blockbusters “The Bodyguard,” “Waiting To Exhale,” and “The Preacher’s Wife.” In 1998, she released her most musically-diverse album to date, “My Love Is Your Love.” The title track became her third best-selling single ever.
The past 10 years were filled with highs and lows. While Whitney’s contract at Arista Records was renewed for $100 million, album sales began to slide. Her 14-year marriage to singer Bobby Brown ended in 2007, she canceled concerts and interviews, and allegations arose of drug abuse. As recently as May 2011, she was enrolled 15 at a rehabilitation 16 facility for drug and alcohol problems. Her final album I Look To You, sold more than two million copies and reached the Number One spot in 2009.
Houston’s untimely death prompted tributes the world over. Celebrities 17 in Los Angeles for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards spoke 18 glowingly about her influences and contributions. Mariah Carey said, “She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices ever to grace the earth.” And Tony Bennett, who dedicated 19 a song to her at a pre-Grammy party, said, “When I first heard her I called Clive Davis and said, ‘You finally found the greatest singer I’ve ever heard in my life.’”
n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致
- Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
- The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。
n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的
- Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
- He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。
adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的
- It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
- The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。
n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌
- 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。
n.（美俚）一千元（gee的复数形式）v.驭马快走或向右（gee的第三人称单数形式）
- When the lunch bell rang, she peeled the gees and ate them. 中午吃饭铃响时她就剥开鸡蛋吃起来。 来自互联网
- How do you want you gees? 你要怎么样的蛋呢？ 来自互联网
n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲
- This poem has the distinctive flavour of a ballad.这首诗有民歌风味。
- This is a romantic ballad that is pure corn.这是一首极为伤感的浪漫小曲。
n.护卫，保镖
- She has to have an armed bodyguard wherever she goes.她不管到哪儿都得有带武器的保镖跟从。
- The big guy standing at his side may be his bodyguard.站在他身旁的那个大个子可能是他的保镖。
n.运动衫
- He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
- They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。
n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整
- He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
- The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。
adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目
- 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。
n.首次演出，初次露面
- That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
- The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。
v.收藏；取得
- He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.他的提议得到了广泛的支持。
- Squirrels garner nuts for the winter.松鼠为过冬储存松果。
n.（连结几行谱表的）连谱号( accolade的名词复数 )；嘉奖；（窗、门上方的）桃尖拱形线脚；册封爵士的仪式（用剑面在肩上轻拍一下）
- Unlike other accolades for literature which tend to value style or experimentation. 有别于其他偏重风格活实验性的文学奖项。 来自互联网
- Build your trophy room while amassing awards and accolades. 建立您的奖杯积累奖项和荣誉。 来自互联网
n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的
- Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
- During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。
adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起
- They have been studying hard from the moment they enrolled. 从入学时起，他们就一直努力学习。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He enrolled with an employment agency for a teaching position. 他在职业介绍所登了记以谋求一个教师的职位。 来自《简明英汉词典》
n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位
- He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。
- No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。
n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉
- He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
- a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目
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
- 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。
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