In 1926, Maria Augusta Kutschera was studying to become a nun in Austria. She was assigned to a one-year teaching position in Captain Georg von Trapp's home. In 1927, von Trapp and Maria married. He already had seven children, and the couple had three more of their own.
In 1937, the family began a European singing tour as the Trapp Family Choir. When Germany took over Austria in 1938, George was asked to join Germany's navy. Not wanting to fight for Hitler, he refused. He soon realized that the family would have to leave Austria.
One morning before dawn, the entire von Trapp family fled on a train to Italy, leaving most of their possessions behind.
In 1939, the family moved to America where they later bought a 660-acre estate in Vermont. They continued to tour internationally as the Trapp Family Singers for more than 20 years. Later, four of Georg and Maria's great-grandchildren formed a singing group called the von Trapps, touring for 15 years until 2016.
Though the von Trapps have ceased performing, The Sound of Music forever captures the musical legacy of the family.
Info Cloud
sing a different song/ tune
Hello, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. A lot of people like singing. Today I would like to introduce the expression: to sing a different song or to sing a different tune.
Uh, that means you want to change the song you are singing? What's there to talk about?
Well, that is the literal meaning. But this phrase has a figurative meaning also. It means to change one's opinion or position about a certain topic.
Oh, I see what you're getting at. Let's say it's election time and all of a sudden you change the candidate you are supporting, you can say that you are singing a different song.
That's correct. Singing a song or making music creates an atmosphere or mood. When you sing a different song, you are changing how you feel.
That makes me think of another expression: sing the same tune. It has a slightly different meaning, which refers to a group of people having the same opinion or attitude towards a certain topic.
In order to sing the same tune, sometimes people have to talk with each other to make sure they are saying the same things publicly. We should call a meeting to make sure everyone is singing the same tune.
很多人都喜歡唱歌，sing a different song 或是 sing a different tune，字面上是唱一首不一樣的歌曲，但是 sing a different song 可以用來形容一個人改變了他的想法和立場，例如，在選舉期間，有人突然改變立場，支持其他的候選人，你可以說: He is singing a different song now. 唱歌可以帶動氣氛，如果你改唱其他的歌曲，你的感受和詮釋也會不同，因此，sing a different song 才會用來形容一個人改變立場。另一方面，sing the same tune 字面上也是唱同一首歌，但也可以用來形容一個團體裡面，每個人都口徑一致，對外都表達相同的主張。
Language Lab
assign v. 分配、指派
to give someone a particular job or duty : to require someone to do a particular task
- The teacher assigned cleaning work to Hilary and Earma.
老師把清潔工作指派給Hilary 跟 Earma。
- The intern was assigned to make copies of the report for the meeting.
實習生被指派去影印會議會用到的報告。
assignment n. 被指派或被交代要完成的工作 (像是功課或是任務)
a job or duty that is given to someone : a task someone is required to do
- The professor decided not to give his students too many assignments.
教授決定不給他的學生出太多功課。
- My supervisor gave me an interesting assignment and told me to finish it within three days.
我的主管給我一項有趣的任務，並交代我三天內完成。
navy n. 海軍
the part of a country's military forces that fights at sea using ships, submarines, airplanes, etc.
- After Jeremy graduated from school, he decided to join the navy because he wanted to travel.
Jeremy 畢業後就決定加入海軍，因為他想要遊歷旅行。
- In 480 B.C., the great Persian navy was defeated by a smaller group of ships from Greek City States.
在公元前480年，波斯帝國的龐大海軍，被希臘城邦的船隻打敗。
navy n. 深藍色
navy blue
- Which color do you think I should choose? Turkish blue or navy?
你認為我應該挑選哪一個顏色，土耳其藍還是海軍藍?
naval adj. 跟海軍有關的
of or relating to a country's navy
- Katherine wanted to leave her hometown so she married a naval officer.
Katherine 想離開家鄉，所以嫁給一位海軍軍官。
possession n. 所擁有的東西或財產
the condition of having or owning something
- Lewis suddenly decided to sell all of his possessions and travel around the world.
Lewis 突然決定要把所有的財產賣掉，然後去環遊世界。
- When the old lady passed away, she left all her possessions to her personal assistant.
老婦人過世後，她所有的財產都留給了她的私人助理。
possession n. 擁有
something that is owned or possessed by someone
- Mark’s possessions of two fancy sports cars made his friends curious where he got his money from.
Mark擁有兩輛豪華跑車，因此朋友們都在懷疑他的錢是從哪裡來的。
- It is against the law to be in possession of stolen goods.
佔有被盜物品是違法的。
cease v. 停止
to stop happening : to end
- Without any raw materials coming in, the factory would cease to operate.
如果沒有原料進來，工廠就會停止運作。
- After many hours of counseling, the fighting between Mr. and Mrs. Nilson gradually ceased.
經過好幾個小時的輔導後，Nilson 夫婦之間的爭吵漸漸地停止了。
cease n. 停住
- The neighbors are always having late night parties with loud music that goes on without cease.
隔壁的鄰居老是在深夜裡開趴，而吵鬧的音樂會不停地放。
ceaseless adj. 不停的、一直不斷的
/ˈsiːsləs/
seeming to never stop : continuous or constant
- The girl’s ceaseless energy made her parents decide to send her to a gymnastic school.
小女孩精力充沛、停不下來，讓她父母決定把她送進體操學校。
