VOA标准英语2008年-Beijing Celebrates Olympic Torch Arrival

The Olympic torch relay has entered its final leg in Beijing amid tight security and to the cheers of thousands of proud Chinese. The worldwide relay was meant to drum up support for the Beijing Games but was marred¹ by protests against China's tough rule in Tibet and human rights policy. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.
　

Chinese NBA basketball icon2 Yao Ming passes 2008 Olympic Games flame to next torchbearer on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, 06 Aug 2008

The torch relay kicked off Wednesday with a lighting³ ceremony at the Forbidden City in the heart of the Chinese capital.

Thousands of flag-waving Chinese cheered the relay shouting "Go China" and "Go Olympics."

China's first man in space, Yang Liwei, was the first to carry the torch. Other famous Chinese torch bearers included NBA basketball star Yao Ming and film director Zhang Yimou, who is also directing the opening and closing ceremonies for the Beijing games.

The Forbidden City is the ancient palace of China's imperial leaders and faces Tiananmen Square where in 1989 government troops killed hundreds of protesters wanting democracy.

But, these days most Chinese are looking optimistically and proudly to the future and to the Olympic Games starting Friday in Beijing.

Chen Xuan was watching the relay from Tiananmen Square.

Chen says the torch relay really inspires people's passion and patriotism⁴. It can show the whole world the history of Chinese tradition and the hospitality of the Chinese people.

Security was tight along the route to prevent protests that marred international legs of the relay.

Police held back crowds hoping to get a glimpse and many of those lining⁵ the route were organized by Olympic sponsors-they flaunted⁶ corporate⁷ logos.

Security jogged alongside the torch bearers wearing blue tracksuits, as they did for the international legs, occasionally pushing back spectators who strayed from the crowd.

Nonetheless, two British and two American "Free Tibet" activists⁸ were detained after demonstrating near
the national stadium, where the relay will end. The group climbed lighting towers and hung two banners reading "Tibet will be free" and the Olympic slogan "One World, One Dream."

Iian Thom was one of the activists later detained. He says Beijing has used the Olympics to white-wash its human rights record in Tibet.

"I'd say that the Chinese government has politicized these games," thom said. "When the torch was run through Tibet the Party Secretary of the Tibetan region, he held the torch and said the red flag of China will forever fly over Tibet."

Activists disrupted the torch relay in London and Paris to bring attention to China's crackdown in Tibet after March anti-government protests turned violent. Others protested China's human rights abuses and cozy⁹ relations with dictators.

The relay covered six continents and Beijing had dubbed¹⁰ it the "Journey of Harmony," so the protests were very embarrassing to Chinese leaders. They also fed a growing nationalism among ordinary Chinese that led to anti-French protests and pro-China demonstrations¹¹.

The three-day relay in Beijing will end Friday when the torch reaches the national stadium and the games officially begin.

1 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

2 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

3 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

4 patriotism   

n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• They obtained money under the false pretenses of patriotism.他们以虚伪的爱国主义为借口获得金钱。

5 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

6 flaunted   

v.炫耀，夸耀( flaunt的过去式和过去分词 )；有什么能耐就施展出来

参考例句：

• She flaunted the school rules by not wearing the proper uniform. 她不穿规定的校服，以示对校规的藐视。 来自互联网
• Ember burning with reeds flaunted to the blue sky. 芦苇燃烧成灰烬，撒向蔚蓝的苍穹。 来自互联网

7 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

8 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 cozy   

adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的

参考例句：

• I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯，因为他们是舒适的。
• We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。

10 dubbed   

v.给…起绰号( dub的过去式和过去分词 )；把…称为；配音；复制

参考例句：

• Mathematics was once dubbed the handmaiden of the sciences. 数学曾一度被视为各门科学的基础。
• Is the movie dubbed or does it have subtitles? 这部电影是配音的还是打字幕的？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。