Empress Of Pop

　　At 23, Ayumi Hamasaki, Ayu to fans, is the most powerful figure in Japanese pop music. Shehas sold more records than any other musical act for two years running in the world's secondlargest music market. Her frequent makeovers1 determine the course of fashion. Her hugeblack eyes peer2 out from billboards in every corner of the country.

　　Fans memorize her lyrics, transform into Ayu clones and swear she's changed their lives.

　　Despite her childlike persona, you can't help but sense Hamasaki was never truly a child. Born inFukuoka on the southern island of Kyushu, she was just a toddler when her father walked out.Raised by a single mother and a grandmother, she began modeling locally at seven, in part toearn money for the family. It was an unusual and lonely childhood in this country of steadfastlynuclear families, but Hamasaki says she wasn't aware of what she was missing.

　　Hamasaki began to pursue an acting and modeling career. Old magazine spreads feature thesweetly smiling young starlet clad in bathing suits or prim outfits that would never make it toher own wardrobe. After bit parts in five low-budget movies and handful of TV dramas, shetired of acting and, with her tiny frame, did not have a future in modeling.

　　Then a friend invited her out for karaoke that forever changed her life. The friend had alsoinvited Masato Matsuura, who introduced himself to Hamasaki as a producer. Hamasaki recalls,laughing,"When, he asked if I wanted to pursue a singing career, I said, ‘No way.'he was thisolder guy, and I thought the whole thing sounded fishy. "Over the following year, though,Matsuura persisted. Finally she relented to his request that she at least attended vocaltraining, only because"I had nothing better to do . "But classes were dull and the teachersharsh.

　　Finally, she confessed3 to Matsuura that she'd skipped most of the classes. But instead ofwriting her off, he proposed sending her to New York for some real training. She stayed in NewYork for three months. Then suggested by Matsuura she tried her hands on writing songs."Noone had ever asked anything of me before, or expected anything of me, "she says ofMatsuura,"He's the one who found me and drew me out. "

　　練習題：

　　Ⅰ. Complete the following sentences with the words: give stare glancing glare peeringskip confess fritter

　　1. She is often caught at people or objects at a distance when she is not wearing her glasses.

　　2. The hearings are conducted under the full of publicity.

　　3. down the list of name, she was pleased when saw his name heading the list.

　　4. She has an insuperable habit to at the abnormal in the street.

　　Ⅱ. Questions:

　　1. Where is Ayu’s hometown?

　　2. When did she begin her modeling career? Why?

　　3. Why couldn’t she see her future in her modeling career?

　　Ⅰ. 1. peering 2. glare 3 . Glancing 4. stare

　　Ⅱ. 1. Her hometown is Fukuoka on the southern island of Kyushu.

　　2. At seven. To earn the money for the family.

　　3. Because of her tiny frame.

　　流行歌后———濱崎步

　　被歌迷們昵稱為“小步”的濱崎步年僅23歲, 是日本流行樂壇舉足輕重的人物。在這個世界第二大音樂市場里, 她的唱片銷量連續兩年位居榜首。她多變的風格引領著時尚潮流。全國每一個角落的廣告牌上, 都可以看到她那雙凝視的大眼睛。歌迷們熟記小步的歌, 模仿她的樣子, 并斷言小步改變了他們的生活。

　　雖然小步有著孩子氣的外表, 可你卻能感覺到她從來都不曾是真正的小孩。她出生于日本南部九州島的福岡縣。早在她蹣跚學步時, 父親棄家而去, 她由單身母親和外祖母撫養長大。她7 歲就開始在家鄉當模特兒, 賺錢補貼家用。在這個以穩固的核心家庭為基礎的社會, 她的童年異常的孤寂, 但濱崎步說她并不覺得自己缺失了什么。

　　濱崎步14歲開始演藝和模特生涯。這個笑容甜美的少女新星, 穿著那些永遠也無緣進入她自己衣櫥的泳裝或淑女裝, 在舊雜志的版面上頻頻亮相。她在五部低預算的電影和幾部電視劇里演了幾個小角色后, 開始厭倦演戲。又因她個頭嬌小, 在模特這行也無前途可言。

　　有一次, 一個朋友邀她去唱卡拉OK, 這次經歷改變了她的一生。應這個朋友之邀同去的還有松浦真人。他向濱崎步介紹說自己是制作人。濱崎步笑著回憶說:“ 他問我是否有意唱歌。我說‘沒門’。他是個上了點年紀的人, 我覺得事情整個有點可疑。”可接下來的一年, 松浦依然鍥而不舍。濱崎步被感化了, 好歹接受了他的建議去接受聲帶訓練, 不過純粹是因為“ 我沒更好的事可干”。課程很枯燥, 老師又很嚴厲。|

　　她后來向松浦承認, 她逃掉了大部分的課程。但是松浦非但沒有放棄她, 還提議送她到紐約接受正規的訓練。她在那兒呆了三個月, 然后接受松浦的建議開始寫歌。“從來沒有人要求或期待我做什么,”提到松浦時, 她說:“是他發掘了我, 使我脫穎而出。”

　　1. makeover n. 這個詞是詞組make over 變形而來。make over 本身主要有兩種意思: ① 移交( 尤指以法律形式) , 轉讓( 財產等的所有權) , 如: make over one’s property to sb. ( 把財產轉讓給某人) 。② 翻新, 重做, 改造, 如: make over an old dress ( 翻新舊衣) 。

　　2. peer n. 仔細地看, 瞇著眼睛看, 凝視, 如: peer out of the window /through a gap ( 凝視窗外或從縫隙中窺視) 。

　　3. confess v. 承認( 錯誤、罪行等) , 供認, 如: She finally confessed to having stolen the money.( 她最后招認偷了那筆錢。)