BBC Learning English Words in the News Beyonce admits not singing live 1 February 2013

Pop star Beyonce has adm itted she did not sing the Am erican national anthem live during President Obam a's inauguration last m onth. She revealed the truth at a news conference for the forthcom ing Super Bowl. This report is from the BBCs Ben Wright: It was one of the most talked about moments of the inauguration: Beyonce's soaring, flawless rendition of the Star Spangled Banner in front of President Obama and millions more. But doubt was soon cast on the authenticity of the performance. There was speculation it was taped, that the megastar had mimed. Today came her response. She strolled into a news conference for Sunday's Super Bowl, at which she will sing, asked the audience to stand and raised her microphone: Beyonce singing American national anthem: "Oh say, can you see, by the dawn's early light?" After belting out the national anthem she asked, with a laugh, if there were any questions. And then she admitted to singing along to a pre-recorded track last week because she didn't have time to practise. Beyonce said she had not wanted to risk anything going wrong on such a big occasion. But she will be singing live during the half-time show on Sunday - to one of the biggest audiences of her career.

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Vocabulary and definitions

soaring flawless rendition authenticity speculation taped mimed strolled belted out pre-recorded track

rising or flying up into the air perfect, without faults a version of a song or performance reality guessing about a subject without enough evidence recorded (of a sound) moved lips along to a song without making a sound walked slowly and in a relaxed way sang very loudly and with a lot of enthusiasm song which been recorded earlier

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2013/02/130201_witn_beyonce.shtml

Related News story http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment -arts-21290682

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