VOA常速英语2007-South African Rugby Springboks Return to Rapturo

By Delia Robertson
Johannesburg
23 October 2007

South Africa's rugby world-champion, the Springboks, have returned home to a rapturous welcome following their victory over England at the Rugby World Cup in France. VOA's Delia Robertson reports from Johannesburg.

The victorious¹ Springboks were led into the concourse at Johannesburg's OR Tambo airport by their captain, John Smit. The players appeared thunderstruck at the enthusiasm of thousands of supporters who flocked to the airport to greet them.

"Yeah we expected it to be pretty busy, but what we walked into was far beyond anything we had ever even imagined," Smit said. "And having come back together, seeing all the energy, the people going crazy, and how much they appreciate what has been done, it makes everything just so much more special."

Rugby continues to be a white-dominated sport, and the 30-man World Cup squad² has just six players of color. Only two of those were in the starting 15 throughout the tournament. Even so, the team's World Cup campaign ignited support from all sectors³ of the population, and has had a unifying⁴ effect reminiscent of when the trophy⁵ was won on home soil in 1995.

But the clamor for national teams to more closely reflect the country's demographic break-out is growing louder, and this has not been lost on Springbok coach Jake White. He said few countries are granted the opportunity twice to rectify⁶ past wrongs.

"And challenge is, it is up to us now, is whatever mistakes we made from 1995 to 2007, and whatever we feel they are and whatever people around feel they are, we get another opportunity to make sure those mistakes do not happen again. And I think that is the challenge that lies ahead not only for South African rugby, but for South Africa as a country as well," White said.

Some South Africans believe that coach White has not done enough to bring black players onto the national team and have long called for him to be replaced. But, speaking on a national radio program, President Thabo Mbeki said these calls are inappropriate.

"My own view would indeed be that it would be odd at this moment of victory that comes after this long period of preparation," he said, " that we say thank you for your services, goodbye. Why do we do that?"

The celebration continues at least until the end of next week. After a short break with their families, the team tours South Africa beginning on Friday. The players will be celebrated⁷ with ticker-tape parades and lavish⁸ receptions in most major centers.

1 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

2 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

3 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 unifying   

使联合( unify的现在分词 )； 使相同； 使一致； 统一

参考例句：

• In addition, there were certain religious bonds of a unifying kind. 此外，他们还有某种具有一种统一性质的宗教上的结合。
• There is a unifying theme, and that is the theme of information flow within biological systems. 我们可以用一个总的命题，把生物学系统内的信息流来作为这一研究主题。

5 trophy   

n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品

参考例句：

• The cup is a cherished trophy of the company.那只奖杯是该公司很珍惜的奖品。
• He hung the lion's head as a trophy.他把那狮子头挂起来作为狩猎纪念品。

6 rectify   

v.订正，矫正，改正

参考例句：

• The matter will rectify itself in a few days.那件事过几天就会变好。
• You can rectify this fault if you insert a slash.插人一条斜线便可以纠正此错误。

7 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

8 lavish   

adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍

参考例句：

• He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
• The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。