by the dawn's early light

在晨曦出現時

What so proudly we hailed

是什麼讓我們如此驕傲歡呼？

at the twilight's last gleaming?

在黎明的最後一道曙光之中

Maybe you just fell in love with my singing

也許你剛剛愛上了我的歌聲

I know what you’re thinking

我知道你打什麼主意

But NO!

但是不行！！

You’re not going to hear the part where my voice cracks!

你才不會聽見我唱到破音的那個部分呢

Oh, say does that star-spangled

喔！那星條旗

banner yet wave

仍然飄揚

O'er the land of the free

在這自由的土地上

and the home of the brave?

以及勇士的家鄉

Never mind

當我沒說

I remember the last time

我記得上一次

I sang the national anthem of the U.S.

我唱美國國歌

was in the Lakers’ game at the Staples Center

是在史坦波中心的湖人隊比賽中

It is an American tradition

這是一個美國傳統

to perform the national anthem

在每一場職業運動比賽之前

before every professional sporting event

都要唱國歌

Because I lived in L.A. for many years

因為我在洛杉磯住了很多年

I have been a die-hard fan of the basketball team

我一直是個洛杉磯湖人籃球隊的

L.A. Lakers

狂熱球迷

After hearing the recent news

最近聽到

about the Lakers' player Kobe Bryant

關於湖人隊球員科比．布萊恩的新聞後

I felt sad

我覺得很難過

The 17-time All-Star

入選17次全明星賽

and MVP Kobe Bryant

以及最有價值籃球員科比．布萊恩

mentioned his plan to retire in a poem

在一首詩中提到他的退休計畫

titled “Dear Basketball”

詩名為親愛的籃球

on the Players’ Tribune website on November 29

於11月29日發表在「運動員論壇」網站上

In the poem he said

在詩中他說：

he first fell in love with basketball

他開始愛上籃球

at the age of six

就在他六歲時

and that he has given his all to basketball

然後他為籃球付出了一切

because it makes him feel alive

因為籃球讓他感覺活著

This season is all he has left to give

這個球季是他的最後一季

because his body knows it’s time to say goodbye

因為他的身體知道是該道別的時候了

Oh I couldn’t help but shed tears

我忍不住留下了淚水

as I read through the letter

我在讀信的時候哦，

I can recall the countless days that my friends and I

我想起了無數個日子裡我和我的朋友們

watched the Lakers game at home

在家裡觀賞湖人隊的賽事

Remember that back-to-back championship game

還記得嗎？一場接著一場的2010年

back in 2010?

總冠軍賽

There were Kobe

那時有科比

Fisher

費雪

Gasol

蓋索

Odom

歐登

pizza

披薩

chicken wings

雞翅

and beer...

和啤酒...

Well, you know

好啦，你知道的嘛

how can you watch game without

看球賽時怎麼能夠沒有

chicken wings and pizza?

雞翅膀和披薩呢？

Oh back to Kobe

哦！話題回到科比

Kobe is often considered the best player

科比經常被認為是

after Michael Jordan

繼麥可喬登之後最棒的球員

During his 20-year professional career

他在湖人隊打球的

with the L.A. Lakers

20年職業生涯裡

he has had amazing achievements

他有許多驚人的成就

Bryant turned pro directly out of high school in 1996

1996時，他高中畢業馬上就成為職業球員

He was only 17 at that time!

那時他才只有17歲！

He has won five championships with the L.A. Lakers

他與湖人隊贏得了五座總冠軍

and averaged more than 25 points in his NBA games

他的NBA生涯平均得分數高於25分

So far

目前

he has scored more than 32,822 points

他的生涯總得分數高於32,822分

and is ranked third on the NBA’s all-time scorers list

在NBA的得分排行榜為史上第三高

In 2005

2005年時

he scored 81 points

他在與多倫多暴龍隊的比賽中

against the Toronto Raptors

獨得81分

not even Michael Jordan achieved that feat

連麥可喬登也沒有這樣的成就

According to Kobe commenting on his retirement

根據科比談到他的退休時表示：

It's not as easy as basketball

退休這件事不像籃球這麼簡單

because I was born to play basketball

因為我是天生的籃球員

and had to really work to figure out what comes next

我必須努力找出下一步要怎麼走

In the future

在未來

Bryant will devote more time to nurturing his business interests

布萊恩將投入更多時間來培育他的事業投資

Although the news about Kobe’s retirement

雖然關於科比退休的新聞

is heart-breaking to many of his fans

讓他的許多粉絲心碎

including me

當然也包含我

I understand why and completely respect his decision

我完全能理解並尊重他的決定

I thank him from the bottom of my heart

我打從心底感激他

for all the great emotions he has given me

為了那些他曾給我的美好悸動

and he will always have a special place in my heart

至於他將永遠在我心中佔據一個特別的位置

Let’s talk about some vocabulary words

讓我們來談談一些字彙吧

voice crack is the unintentional voice break

破音是一種非故意發生的聲音破裂

It happens when the singer is trying to make transitions

它發生在歌唱者試著於

between different vocal registers

不同聲部之間作轉換時

Especially when someone sings higher notes

特別是當某人唱高音

and can’t really do it

卻唱不上去時

A multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles

位於洛杉磯市中心的一座綜合體育館

It is home to four sports teams

它是四個運動隊伍的主場

including Los Angeles Lakers

包含洛杉磯湖人隊

Los Angeles Clippers

洛杉磯快艇隊

Los Angeles Sparks

洛杉磯火花隊

and Los Angeles Kings

以及洛杉磯國王隊

The arena also hosts other major indoor events

這體育館也舉辦其它種類的室內活動

like musical performances

像是音樂表演

award shows

頒獎典禮

and even school graduations

甚至還有學校的畢業典禮

NBA stands for

NBA的意思是國家籃球協會

It is the men’s professional basketball league

它是男子職業籃球聯盟

founded in 1946

於1946年創辦

Currently , there are 30 NBA teams

目前共有30個NBA球隊

All-Star refers to the NBA All-Star Game

All-Star指的是NBA的全明星賽

as well as the players for the NBA All-Star game

以及在全明星賽出場的明星球員們

It is an exhibition game

它是表演賽

for which NBA players are selected by fans nationwide

由全國粉絲所選出的NBA球員們來進行

regardless of which team the players are on

不管球員本來屬於哪個隊伍(混合組隊)

MVP stands for the Most Valuable Player award

MVP的意思是最有價值球員獎

It is given to the best performing player

它頒發給表現最棒的球員

That’s it for today

今天就到此為止

If you have any questions

如果你有任何問題

feel free to leave comments below

別客氣於下方留言

See you next time! Bye bye!

下次見囉，拜拜