＊閱讀完整新聞請點此連結
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/29/lady-gaga-to-help-drop-new-years-ball/
＊新聞標題
Lady Gaga to help drop New Year's ball
✽標題解說
‧ help：後面接動詞可以省略to
所以標題 help drop the New Year’s ball 没有to （help to drop）
help (to) do something
This should help (to) reduce the pain.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/help
‧ New Year’s ball：新年的球，指的是紐約時報廣場 Times Square （紐約時報的大樓所在），每年的傳統活動，今年的降球儀式，請來了女神卡卡幫忙按鈕。
在 google 打入「New Year’s ball」就可看到許多報導，也有此一說 New Year’s Eve Ball（新年前夕球）（註釋一）
‧ drop：丟下（動詞）drop the New Year’s ball 在此為 「新年降球典禮」
但是 drop the ball 作爲片語有「不小心搞砸了」的意思，球在你手上掉下來了
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/drop+the+ball#drop_1
(North American English, informal) to make a mistake and spoil something that you are
responsible for
Let's not drop the ball on this.
✽內文解析
█ 2011年想要避開Lady Gaga已經不可能，所以在她也將在場幫我們跨年是有道理的。
Lady Gaga has been inescapable for 2011, so it makes sense that she'll also be on hand to help us draw this year to a close.
‧ inescapable：無法避免，不能忽略的（形容詞）
‧ it makes sense that： 此事有道理 （固定用法）that子句説明此事
‧ be on hand：在場幫忙（片語）不是在手上
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/on+hand#hand_1
available, especially to help
The services were on hand with medical advice.
‧ close： 活動或期間的結束 （名詞）在此不是動詞, 因爲看到 to a close 的用法
‧ draw：拉過來（動詞）draw this year to a close： 把今年拉到結束，也就是我們說的跨年
█ 這位「紐約客」將在除夕回到她的居住地擔任彭博市長的特別嘉賓，市長發言人告訴 CNN。
The New Yorker will be back in town on New Year's Eve as Mayor Bloomberg's special guest, a spokesperson for the mayor tells CNN.
‧ be back in town：回到居住的城市（因爲 Lady Gaga 住在紐約）所以 the New Yorker 就是指 Lady Gaga
‧ town：居住地 （名詞）在此為不可數，不說 in a town
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/town
a particular town where somebody lives and works or one that has just been referred to
I'll be in town next week if you want to meet.
‧ spokesperson：發言人（名詞）
█ 雖然他從來沒有見過唱「Born this way」的歌手，彭博週三在記者會上說，他看過Gaga表演，發現她是「一個很棒的藝人」，紐約每日新聞報導。
Although he's never met the "Born This Way" singer, Bloomberg said at a press conference Wednesday that he's seen Gaga in action and found her to be "a great entertainer," the New York Daily News reports.
►簡化看：Although he’s never met her, he said that he’s seen Gaga in action and found her to be a great entertainer, a newspaper reports.
‧ Born This Way：天生完美，這是 Lady Gaga 在 2011年 推出的賣座專輯主打歌
‧ in action：工作行動的狀態（片語）所以Lady Gaga in action 就是她在表演的狀態
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/action
if somebody/something is in action, they are doing the activity or work that is typical for them
Just press the button to see your favourite character in action.
‧ press conference：記者會（固定用法）也說 news conference
‧ entertainer：藝人（名詞）
█ 預期Gaga是要表演，但她還被賦予另一項任務：在晚上美東時間11：59分 按下按鈕，發出時報廣場降球信號。
Gaga is expected to perform, but she's also been tasked with another duty： Pushing the button to signal the ball drop in Times Square at 11：59 p.m. ET.
‧ be tasked with X：被指派 X 工作 （動詞）
She is tasked with another duty 她被指派另一項任務
‧ duty：工作任務（名詞）
‧ signal：發出信號（動詞）
signal the ball drop 發出降球的信號 （drop 在此為名詞）
‧ E.T.：Eastern Time（東部標準時間，美東時間）
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/Eastern+time
the standard time in the eastern US and parts of Canada
CNN 另一篇報導中提到紐約的跨年計劃
█ 在紐約，當局正準備大批群眾聚集在曼哈頓的時報廣場，在美東時間下午11:59除夕Lady Gaga預定和紐約市長彭博一起按下降沃特福德水晶球的按鈕。
In New York, authorities are preparing for large crowds in Manhattan's Times Square, where Lady Gaga is expected to join Mayor Michael Bloomberg to push the button that drops the Waterford Crystal ball at 11:59 p.m. ET on New Year's Eve.
‧ Waterford Crystall ball： Waterford水晶球，就是 New Year’s ball
█ 這位流行音樂明星張貼在Twitter「我非常期待除夕與市長彭博執行降球典禮！作為紐約人多麽榮耀！」
"And I'm so looking forward to performing on NYE+dropping the Ball with Mayor Bloomberg!" the pop star posted on Twitter. "What an honor as a New Yorker."
‧ NYE：New Year’s Eve 新年除夕
註釋一：http://www.timessquarenyc.org/new-years-eve/index.aspx 對紐約傳統跨年盛會的描述
The world holds its breath...and cheers as the clocks strike twelve.
As the famous New Year's Eve Ball descends from the flagpole atop One Times Square, an estimated one million people in Times Square, millions nationwide and over a billion watching throughout the world are united in bidding a collective farewell to the departing year, and expressing our joy and hope for the year ahead.
＊字彙整理
讀跨年新聞，學點輕鬆的新聞用語：
‧ 藝人：entertainer(名詞)
‧ 無法避免，不能忽略的：inescapable（形容詞）
‧ 被指派 X 工作：be tasked with X（動詞）
She is tasked with another duty.
‧ 跨年：draw this year to a close (把今年拉到結束)
‧ 記者會：press conference, news conference（固定用法）
‧ 在場幫忙：be on hand（片語）
She’s be on hand to help drop the New Year’s ball.
‧ 發言人：spokesperson(名詞)
‧ 工作行動的狀態：in action（片語）
I’ve seen Lady Gaga in action
‧ 回到居住的城市：be back in town(常見用法)
‧ 紐約客：New Yorker
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