VOA标准英语2008年-Olympics Fans Excited About Beijing Games

The 2008 Olympics are about to begin in Beijing and excitement is running high among the hundreds of thousands of fans from inside China and around the world. Many visitors are taking advantage of free time between Olympic events to tour some of Beijing's historic sites. VOA's Scott Bobb talked to some of them and has this report.
　
The word "China" in Chinese characters is seen printed on the soccer balls used in the soccer competitions of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, 07 Aug 2008

It is a steamy morning at Beijing's imperial Summer Palace, a sprawling¹ complex of ancient royal residences and gardens. Already visitors are teeming² through its archways and paddling boats on its misty³ lake.

Xie Jing Lian, a retired⁴ calligrapher⁵, stoops over a flagstone walk as he draws Chinese characters with a large wet brush. In elegant brushstrokes, he has written 'The Olympics have arrived' on the flagstones.

Lian says it is hard to get tickets to Olympic events and there are long lines but the games are good for China.

He says the games will help the Chinese economy and will also strengthen relations with other countries. Moreover, he says they will stimulate⁶ Chinese to work harder and help their country.

Wang Tian Xiu is a smartly dressed lady living in London who has come for the games. She says the authorities in preparing for the games made many improvements, such as new parks and public facilities. And she says the city is much cleaner than before. She acknowledges that a lot of money has been spent but says it is worth it.

"It's a good time for Chinese people to show off to the international world and just to show the people our country has grown big. We have the power to hold the event. We have the power to stand in the international industry. And it's so perfect. I'm very proud to be a Chinese," said Xiu.
　
Chinese wave national flag as they pose for picture during Olympic torch relay ceremony in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, 06 Aug 2008

In the heart of Beijing, Chu Xia has brought her daughter, Li zi yan, a ruddy-cheeked seven-year-old, to visit the imperial palace complex called the Forbidden City.

She says her daughter was born the year that China won the bid to host the Olympics. She promised then to bring her to the games and now, she says, my dream has come true.

A tall Lithuanian with a full red beard who calls himself Sekla acknowledges that the Olympics have brought international criticism on issues ranging from the environment to political repression⁷ and human rights. He notes that his country almost boycotted⁸ the games this year because of a crackdown on anti-China protests by independence-minded Tibetans in March.

"I am quite happy that it didn't come out of [like] this. Because our athletes come to show their results, They come here for sport. So I think in this event sport should be number one and then only after through sport put some political pressure or one or other government," said Sekla.

Canadian Dave Summers says it is understandable that political protest often accompanies the Olympics.

"The political side, it's always going to follow because it's such a large event in the world that people look to to get attention. And any large event like this will obviously be a platform for them to get their message across," said Summers. "So it doesn't surprise me there's a lot of different opinions coming out around the world."

Back at the Summer Palace, Xiu, from London, says the international community should understand that China is emerging from centuries of isolation⁹.

"Every country has its problems at the beginning of the development of its economy. It can't be missed [denied], it's true," added Xiu. "But China is still a developing country at the moment. In the future we definitely can tackle this issue."

In an archway, a tall elderly gentleman named Peng Shi Yong is singing a traditional Chinese ballad¹⁰.

He says he was a music teacher who was purged¹¹ during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and sent far away.

He says back then he could not imagine that one day his country would host the Olympics. He says the focus of the Games should on the athletes many of whom have spent their lives preparing for this moment.

 

1 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

2 teeming   

adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注

参考例句：

• The rain was teeming down. 大雨倾盆而下。
• the teeming streets of the city 熙熙攘攘的城市街道

3 misty   

adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的

参考例句：

• He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿，看看是不是还有雾霭。
• The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。

4 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

5 calligrapher   

n.书法家

参考例句：

• People would ask, then, how come a young calligrapher should choose to marry a cold-drink peddler? 以后人家会说——年轻的书法家，怎么找一个卖冷饮的？ 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译
• Wang Xizhi was a great calligrapher in ancient Chiina. 王羲之是中国古代一位伟大的书法家。

6 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

7 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

8 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

9 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

10 ballad   

n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲

参考例句：

• This poem has the distinctive flavour of a ballad.这首诗有民歌风味。
• This is a romantic ballad that is pure corn.这是一首极为伤感的浪漫小曲。

11 purged   

清除（政敌等）( purge的过去式和过去分词 )； 涤除（罪恶等）； 净化（心灵、风气等）； 消除（错事等）的不良影响

参考例句：

• He purged his enemies from the Party. 他把他的敌人从党内清洗出去。
• The iron in the chemical compound must be purged. 化学混合物中的铁必须清除。