人物点滴—韩小鹏：从没得世界冠军的冬奥黑马

 　　2002年的盐湖城，短道速滑的女将让中国实现了冬奥会上金牌零的突破。这次在都灵，韩小鹏的夺冠意味着雪上项目中国运动员的巨大跨越。韩小鹏战胜了上届冬奥会的冠军、战胜了世界锦标赛的冠军，这位从前的杂技演员说自己一度差点放弃运动生涯……

Han Xiaopeng said he was the darkest horse after winning the Olympic gold medal Thursday in the men's freestyle skiing aerials final. "I never thought this would happen," said the 22-year-old Han, who burst into ecstasy¹ after the medals were decided². "I feel like I'm in a dream."

Han, who had never won a World Cup event before the Turin Games, produced two almost flawless jumps for the highest combined score to upset a field of big names including current World Cup leader Kyle Nissen of Canada and Belarus'Alexei Girshin, the bronze medalist at the last Games in Salt Lake City.

China ended its winter Olympics gold drought at the Salt Lake City Games in 2002 when Yang Yang (A) took two short track speed skating titles. But Han's gold was the country's first on the snow. "I was so happy to win China its first ever Olympic gold medal in snow sports," said the student at the Shenyang Sports Institutein northeast China's Liaoning province.

Han was formerly³ an acrobat⁴ but switched to aerials in 1995 after Yang Er'qi spotted⁵ his potential in the sport that requires agility⁶ and courage. "I think the men's aerials is designed for China and I'm happy to be the one to make it a reality," he said.

Han, however, almost quit the sport after tearing his knee ligament months before the Salt Lake City Games, where he eventually finished 24th. "I was hopeless at that time, but my family and the coach stoodfirmly behind me, helping⁷ me through the difficult time," he recalled.

Han already made history on Monday when he, along with teammateQiu Sen, became the first Chinese men to qualify for an Olympic freestyle aerials final. He was thus described as a dark horse by the Chinese media. Han seemed to enjoy the title very much. "I am the darkest horse," he said.

重点词汇

ecstasy  n. 入迷	drought  n. 干旱
acrobat  n. 杂技演员	agility  n. 敏捷，活泼
ligament  n. 韧带	quit  v. 离开，放弃

1 ecstasy   

n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷

参考例句：

• He listened to the music with ecstasy.他听音乐听得入了神。
• Speechless with ecstasy,the little boys gazed at the toys.小孩注视着那些玩具，高兴得说不出话来。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

4 acrobat   

n.特技演员，杂技演员

参考例句：

• The acrobat balanced a long pole on his left shoulder.杂技演员让一根长杆在他的左肩上保持平衡。
• The acrobat could bend himself into a hoop.这个杂技演员可以把身体蜷曲成圆形。

5 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

6 agility   

n.敏捷，活泼

参考例句：

• The boy came upstairs with agility.那男孩敏捷地走上楼来。
• His intellect and mental agility have never been in doubt.他的才智和机敏从未受到怀疑。

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。