Take Away English-New Music Stars 歌坛新星
时间：2018-12-07 作者：英语课 分类：Take Away English
However, some musicians have come from the army. Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, served with the American Army in Germany whilst 1 Jimi Hendrix was in the parachute regiment 2.
Following in that tradition comes the latest British musical sensation 3, James Blunt 4. His last single, ‘You’re Beautiful’, was a huge hit, and his concerts have sold out all over the country.
But what is a well spoken, ex-army officer doing making music? James Blunt comes from a family with a long tradition of military service. His early life was not filled with music. His army officer father thought all music, even classical, was unnecessary noise.
Being from a good family, he was sent to boarding school at the age of seven. He then went on to University to study engineering, then Sandhurst, the officer training college. His life seemed certain to follow that of his father’s and grandfather’s before him - private schools, a good university and a career as an officer in the Household Cavalry 5, one of the best regiments 6 in the British Army.
He had, however, started playing the guitar as a teenager. When he was sent to Kosovo, he didn’t just take his gun – he also took his guitar, attached to the side of his tank. As he drove through villages damaged by the war, he used to sing the John Lennon song ‘Give Peace a Chance.’ “Well,” he later said, “we were peacekeepers.”
So where did all this lead him? Well, in 2003 he left the army and went to Los Angeles to make a record. His accent was considered too posh for many record producers and companies in England.
In America, however, it helped open doors. In 2004, his first album ‘Back to Bedlam’ was released, and the singles ‘High’, ‘Wise Men’ and ‘You’re Beautiful’ have been great successes. For the singing soldier, swapping 7 a gun for a guitar has been a good choice.
GLOSSARY 词汇表
upper classes
上层社会， 贵族阶层
ghettoes
（城市中的）少数民族聚居区
single
单曲
sold out
售完，卖光
ex
前…
military
军事的，军队的
regiments
团
peacekeepers
维持和平的人；维和战士
album
专辑
trailer park
活动房屋或(家庭拖车的)停车场
parachute
降落伞
huge hit
巨大成功
well spoken
善于辞令的；谈吐文雅的
army officer
军官；陆军军官
boarding school
寄宿学校
tank
坦克
lead
指引；带领
swapping
交换
- She sang whilst she worked.她边干活边唱歌。
- There was dead silence in the court,whilst the white rabbit read out these verses.当白兔子念诗的时候，法庭上鸦雀无声。
- As he hated army life,he decide to desert his regiment.因为他嫌恶军队生活，所以他决心背弃自己所在的那个团。
- They reformed a division into a regiment.他们将一个师整编成为一个团。
- He lost all sensation in his legs through cramp.他的腿部因抽筋而失去知觉。
- Seeing him again after so many years was a strange sensation.那么多年以后又见到他，是一种不可思议的感觉。
- The axe is too blunt to cut down the tree.斧头太钝，砍不倒树。
- She is rather blunt in speech.她说话很直率。
- We were taken in flank by a troop of cavalry. 我们翼侧受到一队骑兵的袭击。
- The enemy cavalry rode our men down. 敌人的骑兵撞倒了我们的人。