Music Born in Hong Kong
From a region of seven million people has arisen① some of the greatest pop music in the world.② As well as③ attracting huge audiences in its Hong Kong home, Cantopop has spread offshore④， and its stars are known in Beijing, London and New York. Music born in Hong Kong⑤ is booming⑥ .
In most of the world, pop music is a sign of friction⑦ between generations. But Cantopop expresses only harmony⑧ and virtue⑨， and Hong Kong is blessed with⑩ the most conventional? music scene? in the world. The stars don't wear fancy? clothes. The women wear clean blouses? and the men wear pressed? slacks?. They're so neat? and wellbehaved? that any mom? would want their kids to watch them?. And the consensus of most people is that the music is very good. But it is ...well, different from anywhere else.
①arise /?'raIz/ v．(arose, arisen)(由……)引起(产生)
②地点状语位于句首，句子用完全倒装。
③as well as也，还 ④offshore /??f'???/ adv.向海，离岸
⑤过去分词短语作后置定语，修饰music。
⑥boom /bu?m/ v．繁荣；兴起；迅速发展
⑦friction /'frIk?n/ n．不合，抵触；摩擦
⑧harmony /'hɑ?m?ni/ n．融洽，一致
⑨virtue /'v??t?u?/ n．美德 ⑩be blessed with有幸
?conventional /k?n'ven?nl/ adj.按惯例的；因袭的；传统的
?scene n．场所，场地 ?fancy /'fænsi/ adj.新潮的
?blouse /bla?z/ n．女士宽松短衫，女衬衫
?pressed adj.平整的 ?slacks /slæks/ n．宽松长裤，便裤
?neat /ni?t/ adj.整齐的，整洁的
?wellbehaved adj.举止好的 ?mom /m?m/ n．妈妈
?so neat and wellbehaved ...含有so ...that ...句式，意为“如此……以至于……”。
consensus /k?n'sens?s/ n．共同意见，一致看法，共识
that the music ...是that引导的表语从句。
香港的音乐
[第1～2段译文]
在一个有七百万人口的地区出现了一些世界上最伟大的流行音乐。粤语流行音乐不仅仅吸引了香港本地大批听众，还传到海外各地，粤语流行歌星在北京、伦敦和纽约都非常出名。香港的音乐越来越繁荣。
在世界上的大部分地区，流行音乐是两代人之间产生代沟的象征。但是粤语流行歌曲只表达了融洽与美德，香港有幸成为世界上最传统的音乐基地。明星们不穿新潮的衣服。女士们穿着干净的衬衫，男士们穿着平整的长裤。他们的形象整洁，举止良好，因此每位母亲都喜欢让自己的孩子看他们。大多数人一致认为这种音乐很好。但是它是……噢，不同于其他地方。
Their fans expect regular makeovers. You can't budget for looking good, you just need a blank cheque and a fashion consultant. Singer Kelly Chen changes her image once every three months. But she claims she isn't vain.
As a bonus for their fans, nearly every Cantopop singer also acts in the movies, from Jackie Cheung to Faye Wong. Andy Lau regularly stars in tough guy roles and romantic comedies, and their movie DVDs and VCDs sell worldwide.
Hong Kong stars work hard, and the pace is hot. Some make ten movies a year, others record four CDs as well as keeping to a tight schedule of concerts and TV shows. Last year 20yearold Nicholas Tse released five albums， and his spokeswoman says that he just has to meet the deadline. Otherwise， he will soon be abandoned by his company and his fans. When new albums come out， the stars are marketed like consumer products, as teenagers spend their allowance on the latest songs. It's far from being a parttime job.
makeover /'meIk???v?/ n．改头换面
budget /'b?d?It/ v．制定预算，按预算来安排开支
cheque /t?ek/ n．支票
consultant /k?n's?lt?nt/ n．顾问
image n．形象 claim v．声明，声称
vain /veIn/ adj.自负的；自视过高的
in vain徒劳，无结果，白白地
bonus /'b??n?s/ n．没有预料到的好事
tough guy 坏小子
DVD/?di?vi?'di?/数码录像光碟
VCD 影音光碟
pace /peIs/ n．速度，进度
at a rapid pace 以很快的速度
keep pace with与……并驾齐驱/步伐一致
as well as此处接动名词。 keep to 遵守，遵从
schedule /'?edju?l/ n．计划表，进度表，日程表
release v．发行 album n．专辑
spokeswoman /'sp??ks?w?m?n/ n．女发言人，女代言人
meet the deadline 赶上截止时间
otherwise /'?ð??waIz/ adv.否则，要不然
abandon v．抛弃，遗弃 come out出版
market v．销售 allowance /?'la??ns/ n．津贴，补助
far from完全不
far from (being) satisfactory远不令人满意；远非满意
parttime /'pɑ?t taIm/ adj.部分时间的，兼职的
fulltime全职的，专职的
[第3～5段译文]
歌迷们期望明星们有规律的改变。为了展示良好形象，你不能按预算安排开支，你只需要一张空白支票和一个时尚顾问。歌手陈慧琳每三个月改变一次造型。但她声称她并不自负。
作为给歌迷们的惊喜，基本上所有的粤语歌手都会演电影，从张学友到王菲。刘德华就经常扮演坏小子或者拍浪漫喜剧，他们的电影光碟DVD和VCD在全世界销售。
香港的明星们努力工作，拍片进度也很紧张。一些明星一年拍10部电影，另一些一年录4张唱片，还安排紧凑的演唱会和电视节目。去年，20岁的谢霆锋发行了5张专辑，他的女经纪人说这只是达到了最低线。否则，他很快就会被公司和歌迷遗弃。当新专辑发行的时候，明星们就像消费品一样被宣传，因为青少年用他们的零花钱来买最新问世的歌曲。这可远远不是一项业余工作。
The fans are devoted to their stars. Online they swap information about their super heroes. They yell their names at concerts and beg for autographs. The Kings of Cantopop are Jacky Cheung, Aaron Kwok, Leon Lai, and Andy Lau and their fame is their pension， and they won't quit the concert stage for the rest of their lives. But the new talent isn't far behind. They include Hacken Lee, Andy Hui, Leo Ku, and Edmond Yung. Sammi Cheng easily sells a million albums a year. Their fans find the music clean and refreshing， and the songs are easy to sing in karaoke bars.
Cantopop isn't just a type of pop music but a musical empire. Any music which has millions of fans around the world must be doing something right.
devote /dI'v??t/ v．为……付出时间/努力/金钱等
be devoted to对……专一，专注
swap /sw?p/ v．(＝exchange)交换
swap sth. for sth.用某物交换某物
swap sth. with sb.跟某人交换某物
super /'su?p?/ adj.极好的，了不起的，超级的
yell /jel/ v．叫喊，叫嚷
yell out 叫喊，大嚷大叫 yell at 冲……大喊大叫
beg /beɡ/ v．请求，恳求
beg for乞求，请求
autograph n．亲笔签名
pension /'pen?n/ n．养老金；退休金；抚恤金
quit /kwIt/ v．离开，辞去
其过去式和过去分词为quit或quitted；现在分词为quitting。
the new talent在此处指“新出现的歌星”。
far behind远远落后
此处是“find＋宾语＋宾补(adj.)”结构。
refreshing /rI'fre?I?/ adj.令人耳目一新的
not just/only ...but(also) ...不仅……而且……
which引导定语从句，修饰any music。
do something right做正义之事，做正确之事
[第6～7段译文]
歌迷们对他们喜爱的明星非常忠实。他们在网上相互交流超级巨星的信息。他们在他们的音乐会上大喊他们的名字并索要亲笔签名。粤语流行歌曲的天王们有张学友、郭富城、黎明和刘德华，他们的名气就是他们的养老金，他们将不会退出音乐舞台度过余生。但是新星也不甘落后，包括李克勤、许志安、古巨基和Edmond Yung。郑秀文一年很轻松地卖掉100万张专辑。歌迷们认为这些音乐纯净、令人耳目一新，很适合在卡拉OK里点唱。
粤语流行歌曲不仅仅是一种流行音乐，也是音乐帝国。任何一种在世界上有上百万歌迷的音乐，必定有它的可取之处。
