英語名人堂：席琳·迪翁

席琳·迪翁(Celine Dion)，1968年3月30日生于加拿大魁北克省，加拿大歌手。

1980年，12歲的席琳·迪翁步入歌壇，15歲時推出首支法文單曲，1990年，推出首張英文專輯《UNISON》。1996年為美國亞特蘭大奧運會演唱了主題曲《The Power of The Dream》。1997年為電影《泰坦尼克號》獻唱片尾曲《My Heart Will Go On》，并獲得第70屆奧斯卡最佳電影歌曲獎。2008年5月22日，席琳·迪翁在巴黎接受法國總統(tǒng)薩科齊親自頒發(fā)的Legion d'Honneur騎士勛章。2013年，席琳·迪翁受央視春晚邀請擔任表演嘉賓，與宋祖英合唱中國民曲《茉莉花》;同年發(fā)行專輯《Love Me Back To Life》。

Celine Dion is a superstar in both French and English. She is one of the most talented and successful artists of her generation. In May 2008, she received France’s highest award, but her beginnings were slightly more humble1. She was the youngest of 14 children born to poor parents. Music was a key part of family life and her earliest dream was to be famous.

When she was eighteen, at a Michael Jackson concert, she decided she wanted to be a star like him. She needed a change of image and had cosmetic and dental surgery. She also had English lessons to polish her accent for singing songs in English. Her English debut, the 1990 album ‘Unison’, brought her to the world’s attention.

Dion has spent two decades making hit albums in English and sticking to her roots by singing in French. She says she is a French singer who occasionally records in English. Her 1995 release ‘D’eux’ is still the best-selling French album of all time. She continues to perform regularly and is today regarded as one of pop music's most influential female vocalists.

Dion is also a clever businesswoman. She has branched out into different areas to market her name. She started and then sold a successful restaurant franchise. She then signed a profitable deal with perfume giant Coty to release her own line of fragrances. She also supports many charities worldwide. She has achieved her childhood dream and helped countless people along the way.

 

1 humble

adj.謙卑的，恭順的;地位低下的;v.降低，貶低

參考例句：

In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙見，他將在選舉中獲勝。

Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折與失敗會使人謙卑。

2 decided

adj.決定了的，堅決的;明顯的，明確的

參考例句：

This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.這使他們比對手具有明顯的優(yōu)勢。

There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英國人和中國人打招呼的方式有很明顯的區(qū)別。

3 cosmetic

n.化妝品;adj.化妝用的;裝門面的;裝飾性的

參考例句：

These changes are purely cosmetic.這些改變純粹是裝飾門面。

Laughter is the best cosmetic,so grin and wear it!微笑是最好的化妝品，所以請盡情微笑吧!

4 debut

n.首次演出，初次露面

參考例句：

That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老匯登臺，扮演一個溫文而雅的電臺記者。

The actress made her debut in the new comedy.這位演員在那出新喜劇中首次登臺演出。

5 influential

adj.有影響的，有權勢的

參考例句：

He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他總是試圖巴結最有影響的人物。

He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是個很有影響的人物。

6 franchise

n.特許，特權，專營權，特許權

參考例句：

Catering in the schools is run on a franchise basis.學校餐飲服務以特許權經(jīng)營。

The United States granted the franchise to women in 1920.美國于1920年給婦女以參政權。

7 fragrances

n.芳香，香味( fragrance的名詞復數(shù) );香水

參考例句：

The bath oil comes in various fragrances. 這種沐浴油有不同的香味。

This toilet soap lathers so nicely and has several fragrances. 這種香皂起泡很多，并且有好幾種香味。 來自《現(xiàn)代漢英綜合大詞典》

8 countless

adj.無數(shù)的，多得不計其數(shù)的

參考例句：

In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在這場戰(zhàn)爭中無數(shù)無辜的人喪失了性命。

I've told you countless times.我已經(jīng)告訴你無數(shù)遍了。