(THEME)
HOST:
Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC — a program in VOA Special Englishabout music and American life. And we answer your questions.
(THEME)
This is Doug Johnson. Two-Thousand-Four has arrived.
On our show today, we tell about the most popular books, moviesand recordings of the year Two-Thousand-Three.
Top Books
HOST:
The newspaper “U-S-A Today” recently listed the most popularbooks of last year in the United States. It creates the list frominformation about the number of books sold during the year. PhoebeZimmermann tells us about a few of them.
ANNCR:
The top book on the list is “Harry Potter and the Order of thePhoenix” by British writer Joanne Rowling. This book is the fifth inthe best selling series of children’s stories about the boy wizard,Harry Potter.
Each of the books in the series tells about what happens to Harryand his friends during one year at the Hogwarts School forWitchcraft and Wizardry. In “Harry Potter and the Order of thePhoenix,” Harry again defeats the evil Lord Voldemort. But hesuffers a great loss.
Joanne Rowling reportedly is working on the sixth book in theseries, although we do not know when it will be ready for thepublisher. She has said that the series will end with a seventh bookas Harry Potter finishes his education at Hogwarts.
“U-S-A Today” says the second most popular book of the year was”Doctor Atkins’ New Diet Revolution” by Robert Atkins. Doctor Atkinsis famous for helping people lose weight by eating fewercarbohydrates and more protein. This means that people on the Atkinsdiet are free to eat fatty meat products and can still lose weight.This newest book reportedly tells people how to burn even morecalories and lose weight.
The newspaper says the third most popular book in the UnitedStates last year was “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown. The newspapersays that more than five-million copies are in print.
“The Da Vinci Code” is an imaginary story about an art expert whotries to solve a murder mystery. The mystery involves the RomanCatholic Church and questions some of its beliefs. The questionsasked in the book involve clues to the murder believed to have beenleft in artworks by Leonardo da Vinci.
The information provided in the book has led some readers toquestion the teachings of their church. Religious leaders andhistory experts have both praised and criticized “The Da VinciCode.” They say Dan Brown has given a new meaning on an old storythat has not been proved. And they all say that it is important toremember that it is a work of fiction and not to be read as truth.
Top Movies
HOST:
At the end of the year, the American movie industry reports aboutthe most popular movies of the year. The results are based on thenumber of tickets sold in theaters throughout the United States.
The most popular movie oftwo-thousand-three in the United States was released in December oftwo-thousand-two. But it earned most of its money intwo-thousand-three. “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” earned morethan three-hundred-forty-million dollars in the United States lastyear.
The story continues the one begun in the earlier movie “The Lordof the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.” A third and final “Lordof the Rings” movie has just been released. All the “Lord of theRings” movies are from books by British writer J-R-R Tolkein. Theytell about a magic ring that has powers to destroy life in a placecalled Middle Earth. A human-like creature called a Hobbit is thehero of the stories. His name is Frodo Baggins, and he must destroythe ring to save his world.
The second most popular movie in the United States last year was”Finding Nemo.” It is a cartoon made for children, but adultsenjoyed it too. “Finding Nemo” earned more thanthree-hundred-thirty-nine-million dollars in the United States lastyear. It is about a small fish who has lost his son, Nemo, in theocean. The movie follows Nemo and his father as they try to findeach other again.
The third most popular movie in the United States last yearearned more than three-hundred-five-million dollars. It was “Piratesof the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” The idea for themovie came from a popular ride at the Disneyland amusement park inCalifornia.
It is about a pirate named Jack Sparrow who is played by theactor Johnny Depp. Jack Sparrow is looking for his lost ship. Theship has been seized by pirates who have been cursed by a sailorthey betrayed. Jack Sparrow must find the pirates, their ship andtheir hidden gold to defeat them. Officials of the Disney Companysay the movie was so popular that they are planning another JackSparrow pirate adventure. And they say that Johnny Depp will stardin the new movie.
Top Recordings
HOST:
Each December, “Billboard” magazine lists the most popularalbums, records and performers of the year. Steve Ember tells usabout a few of them.
ANNCR:
“Billboard” magazine says two-thousand-three was the first yearsince nineteen-ninety-four that the same artist has the number onesingle and album of the year. The album is Fifty Cent’s, “Get Richor Die Trying.” The single is “In Da Club”:
(MUSIC)
“Billboard” says the second biggest album of the year was NorahJones’ “Come Away With Me.” The album was released intwo-thousand-two, but became extremely popular intwo-thousand-three. Here is the title song from that album. NorahJones also wrote the song.
(MUSIC)
The magazine says third most popular record album in the UnitedStates last year was performed by country music singer Shania Twain.The album is called “Up!” We leave you now with a song from thatalbum, “Forever and For Always.”
(MUSIC)
HOST:
This is Doug Johnson wishing you a very happy new year.
This program was written by Nancy Steinbach. Paul Thompson wasthe producer. And our engineer was Wayne Shorter.
I hope you enjoyed AMERICAN MOSAIC. Join us again next week forVOA’s radio magazine in Special English.