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Cirque du Soleil: Dancing on Sunshine 太阳剧团：欢跃阳光下

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课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

A fire juggler slams his torch on to the ground, setting the stage aflame. An acrobat floats to the ceiling on a bungee cord. This is the world of Cirque du Soleil (Circus of the Sun), one of the most famous circus troupes of recent times.

火把杂耍艺人将手中的火把往地上用力一砸，整个舞台顿时陷入一片火海。一名特技演员荡着高空弹跳绳索飞上天花板。这是太阳剧团的世界，近年来世界最著名的马戏团。

The troupe has its origins in Baie-Sanit-Paul, a small town near Quebec City in Canada. In the early 1980s, a band of colorful characters frequently performed on the town’s streets, walking on stilts, juggling, dancing, breathing fire, and playing music. One of these young entertainers was Guy Laliberte, who later became the founder of Cirque du Soleil.

太阳剧团源自圣保罗湾，一个位于加拿大靠近魁北克市的小乡镇。在1980年代早期，一群衣着鲜艳的表演者经常在这个小镇的街道上演出，如踩高跷、玩杂耍、跳舞、喷火以及演奏音乐等。当中一位年轻的表演者纪．拉里伯提后来成为太阳剧团的创立者。

In 1984, Quebec City was preparing to hold festivities for the 450th anniversary of Canada’s discovery by Jacques Cartier. The organizers needed a show that would draw in crowds from across the province. Guy Laliberte submitted a proposal for a show called Cirque du Soleil. The organizers were convinced and the troupe’s circus acts proved to be an instant hit.

1984年，魁北克市准备举行庆典，庆祝贾奎．卡蒂埃发现加拿大的450周年纪念。庆典筹办人需要举办一场演出，藉以吸引来自魁北克省内各地人前来观赏。纪．拉里伯提提出一项演出计划，称做太阳剧团。筹办单位接受他的提案，而这个剧团的演出立即大受欢迎。

Today. The organization has grown to over 1,000 performers and has put on shows in over 200 cities worldwide. Cirque du Soleil may have started on the streets of Quebec, but now it showcases its acts in the most famous theaters. Crowds pay top dollar to see its shows, with Alegria being one of the most popular.

目前，这个剧团的规模已经成长到超过一千名表演者，并且已经在全球超过两百座城市演出。太阳剧团在魁北克的街道上发迹，但是，现在它都在最著名的剧院进行演出。观众支付昂贵的票价来欣赏他们的表演，其中《欢跃之旅》是最受观迎的剧目之一。

Vocabulary

单词发音

torch [tɔrtʃ] n. 火炬，火把

founder [ˋfaʊndɚ] n. 创立者

anniversary [͵ænəˋvɝsərɪ] n. 周年纪念

submit [səbˋmɪt] v. 提交，呈递

showcase [ˋʃo͵kes] v. 展现; 陈列

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单词发音

juggler [ˋdʒʌglɚ] n. 耍把戏的人；变戏法的人

slam [slæm] v. 砰地放下

aflame [əˋflem] adj. 燃烧的

acrobat [ˋækrəbæt] n. 杂技演员；特技演员

bungee cord [`bʌndʒɪˏkɔrd]【美】〔用于绑紧跳的〕有弹性的绳

circus [ˋsɝkəs] n. 马戏团

troupe [trup] n.（演员等的）一团；一班

stilt [stɪlt] n. 高跷

juggle [ˋdʒʌg!] n. 玩杂耍；变戏法

put on 演出(戏剧) to present or stage

top dollar 高价格  the highest level of payment

课文朗读

课文讲解

Alegria was a departure from Cirque du Soleil’s usual shows. The troupe’s leaders wanted to go in a new direction to commemorate its 10th anniversary. While the organization’s previous productions had generally been bright and colorful, Alegria was darker in design and tone. The show explores more serious themes of the abuse of power and the struggle for freedom. One particular act revolves around a group of children trapped in slavery and their efforts to escape.

《欢跃之旅》不同于太阳剧团的一般表演。剧团的领导者想要发展新方向来庆祝剧团成立十周年。相较于剧团之前轻快且色彩鲜艳的作品，《欢跃之旅》在设计以及调性上都比较阴暗、深沈。这个演出探索权力的滥用以及争取自由等比较严肃的主题。其中一幕特别围绕在一群孩童陷在劳役中无法脱身、努力逃离的故事。

The word “Alegria” means “jubilation” in Spanish, which refers to a joyful state f mind. By adopting this name, the show affirms that obstacles can be overcome, no matter how difficult. This theme is played out by the characters, which range from rich aristocrats to beggars.

Alegria在西班牙文里是「欢腾、庆祝」的意思，意指心境的快乐。《欢跃之旅》采用Alegria这一个字，强调不管多艰辛，困难终会被克服。从富有的贵族到乞丐，每个角色都体现这个主题。

Cirque du Soleil is not only notable for its eye-catching visual effects but also its distinctive music. The musical score of Alegria mixes jazz, pop, and tango and features instruments such as the accordion, saxophone, and guitar to evoke the sounds of traveling street performers. The music was well-received, with the soundtrack for Alegria selling over 500,000 copies worldwide. Furthermore, the title song, Alegria, was nominated for a Grammy Award.

太阳剧团所闻名的不仅是令人目不转睛的视觉效果，它的音乐表现也一样突出。《欢跃之旅》的音乐融合了爵士乐、流行乐、以及探戈，所用的乐器有手风琴、萨克斯风、吉他等，令人想起街头的旅行艺人。《欢跃之旅》的配乐广受欢迎，在全球卖出超过五十万张的原声带。主题曲Alegria更被提名葛莱美奖。

Although circus acts are usually thought of as simply entertainment, Cirque du Soleil has shown that it is possible to explore deeper issues while still thrilling audiences.

尽管一般人常认为马戏团的表演不过是种娱乐，但是太阳剧团证明在探索深刻议题的时候，依旧可以令观众感到兴奋不已。

−by Marcus Lindy Sortijas

Vocabulary

单词发音

departure [dɪˋpɑrtʃɚ] n. 变更[C][（+from）]

abuse [əˋbjus] n. 滥用

affirm [əˋfɝm] v. 证实

notable [ˋnotəb!] adj. 著名的，显要的

distinctive [dɪˋstɪŋktɪv] adj. 有特色的，特殊的

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单词发音

commemorate [kəˋmɛmə͵ret] v. 庆祝；纪念

revolve [rɪˋvɑlv] around 旋转; 以...为中心  center upon

slavery [ˋslevərɪ] n. 奴隶身分；奴役

jubilation [͵dʒub!ˋeʃən] n.【正式】〔因成功而〕欢欣﹐愉快

aristocrat [æˋrɪstə͵kræt] n. 贵族（指个人）

beggar [ˋbɛgɚ] n. 乞丐，叫化子

eye-catching [ˋaɪ͵kætʃɪŋ] adj.【口】引人注目的；显著的

score [skor] n.【音】总谱，乐谱；（电影，歌舞等的）配乐

accordion [əˋkɔrdɪən] n. 手风琴

saxophone [ˋsæksə͵fon] n.【音】萨克斯管

evoke [ɪˋvok] v. 唤起（记忆等）；引起

well-received 受到欢迎的 getting a good reaction from people

soundtrack [ˋsaʊnd͵træk] n. 电影配音; 电影配乐

Reading Questions

1. What is the first half of the article mainly about?

A. The meaning behind the troupe’s symbolic name.

B. The beginnings of this world-famous circus troupe.

C. What it is about them that captures the audience’s attention.

D. The history and development of circus arts.

2. Which is NOT mentioned as being true about Cirque du Soleil today?

A. People pay a lot of money to see them.

B. They enjoy much international success.

C. The size of the troupe has reached huge proportions.

D. They still perform both on the streets and in theaters.

3. How did “Alegria” differ from previous shows?

A. Bright colors were used to provide more powerful effects.

B. It concentrated more on serious issues.

C. The music was simple so as not to distract people from the action.

D. Spanish acrobats were invited to join the performance.

4. Which would be a good alternative for a title?

A. Interest in Circus Acts on the Rise

B. The New Face of Cirque du Soleil

C. Cirque du Soleil: How the Story Began

D. The Joyful Spectacle of Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil - Alegria

 Answer