◎俞智敏
After years of disappointment, Britain is staking its Eurovision hopes on 75-year-old Engelbert Humperdinck, the square-jawed crooner who famously beat the Beatles to the number 1 spot in 1967.
在歷經多年的失望後，英國打算把歐洲歌唱大賽的希望寄託在高齡75歲的英格伯．漢柏汀克身上，這位有著方形下巴的情歌歌手的著名事蹟包括曾於1967年時擊敗披頭四，拿下排行榜冠軍。
The BBC said Humperdinck, whose last hit was more than 40 years ago, would champion Britain at the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest.
英國廣播公司表示，漢柏汀克將代表英國參加2012年歐洲歌唱大賽。漢柏汀克上一首暢銷金曲是遠在逾40年以前所發行。
Enlisting the septuagenarian singer to compete in a pan-European talent show usually dominated by eclectic pop acts was seen as the musical equivalent of a "Hail Mary" pass in American football.
但徵召這位年逾70歲的歌手參加一場通常由各類流行樂手獨領風騷的選秀比賽，也被視為形同在音樂界使出一記美式足球的「萬福馬利亞傳球」。
The Daily Telegraph’s rock critic Neil McCormick called it "either an act of desperation or a stroke of genius." "Clearly, the notion that our thriving national pop culture should be embodied by a 75-year-old cabaret crooner is someone’s idea of an ironic joke," McCormick added.
「每日電訊報」的搖滾樂樂評人麥柯米克就稱其為「若非走投無路，就是神來之筆。」「我們國家蓬勃發展的流行文化竟然得由一位75歲的夜總會情歌歌手來當代表，很顯然是某人心目中所認為的諷刺笑話。」
On the other hand, Humperdinck can perhaps draw on his massive international fan club to boost the U.K.’s voting total in the lighthearted contest that many believe is rigged by regional sympathies.
但在另一方面，漢柏汀克或許可以仰賴他廣大的國際歌迷俱樂部，提高英國在這場氣氛輕鬆的歌唱比賽中的總得票數，許多人相信歐洲歌唱大賽結果是受到區域性同情心所操縱。
Britain has suffered years of disappointment at Eurovision. Since it last won in 1997, a selection of British boy bands, reality television contestants and bubblegum pop singers has failed to impress viewers and juries who vote for the winner.（AP）
英國多年來在歐洲歌唱大賽中表現始終令人失望。自從上一次於1997年贏得冠軍後，連串英國男孩團體、電視實境秀參賽者及泡泡糖流行樂歌手都未能讓投票選出贏家的觀眾與評審留下深刻印象。（美聯社）
新聞辭典
champion：動詞，指擁護、支持，替…而戰，如He has championed constitutional reform for many years.（多年來他一直努力為憲法改革奔走。）
Hail Mary pass/play：名詞，在美式足球中，萬福馬利亞傳球指的是得分希望渺茫的一記長傳，尤指在球賽快結束的關鍵時刻，球員傳球時會在心裡默禱請求聖母保佑讓球隊得分化險為夷，後被引申指背水一戰、或不得已鋌而走險的最後手段等。
stroke of genius：片語，指神來之筆，靈光一閃，如Your idea of painting the rock wall red was a stroke of genius.（你想到把石牆漆成紅色的主意簡直是神來之筆。）
本文引用至http://iservice.libertytimes.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=570845&day=2012-03-25
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