VOA标准英语2008年-US Men's Basketball 'Redeems,' Wins Olympic Tit

The U.S. men's basketball team has won the gold medal at the Olympics to regain¹ international prominence² in the American-born sport. VOA's Jim Stevenson has more from Wukesong Arena³ in Beijing, where the United States held off a spirited team from Spain to win, 118-107.

The team filled with U.S. National Basketball Association stars had the lead for virtually the entire game. But reigning⁴ world champion Spain always stayed within reach.
　

USA's Lebron James and Deron Williams celebrate following their win over Spain in their men's gold medal basketball game at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, 24 Aug 2008

American LeBron James says it was a great game for the fans, and exhausting for the players.

"It will probably go down in history as one of the greatest Olympic games ever. We made big plays. We went up nine. Then they come back and hit a three [point shot]. And we hit another three. Then they come back and hit two threes. Now it is a four-point game. Then Kobe [Bryant] hit a four-point play. The intensity⁵ was unbelievable," said James.

The U.S. men's basketball team had not won a major international title since 2000. This squad⁶ did not want to be called a 'Dream Team' like their predecessors⁷, led by the legendary⁸ Michael Jordon. Instead, they called themselves the 'Redeem⁹ Team' as they sought to regain the Olympic title.

Head coach Mike Krzyzewski says player egos¹⁰ were put aside for the Olympics.

"We have not had one second of problem as a coaching staff with our team. It has been the greatest experience of my life and the lives of the other coaches," said Krzyzewski.

Dwayne Wade¹¹ led the United States with 27 points, while Rudy Fernandez was Spain's top scorer with 22.

1 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

2 prominence   

n.突出；显著；杰出；重要

参考例句：

• He came to prominence during the World Cup in Italy.他在意大利的世界杯赛中声名鹊起。
• This young fashion designer is rising to prominence.这位年轻的时装设计师的声望越来越高。

3 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

4 reigning   

adj.统治的，起支配作用的

参考例句：

• The sky was dark, stars were twinkling high above, night was reigning, and everything was sunk in silken silence. 天很黑，星很繁，夜阑人静。
• Led by Huang Chao, they brought down the reigning house after 300 years' rule. 在黄巢的带领下，他们推翻了统治了三百年的王朝。

5 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

6 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。

7 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 legendary   

adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）

参考例句：

• Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
• Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

9 redeem   

v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等）

参考例句：

• He had no way to redeem his furniture out of pawn.他无法赎回典当的家具。
• The eyes redeem the face from ugliness.这双眼睛弥补了他其貌不扬之缺陷。

10 egos   

自我，自尊，自负( ego的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Their egos are so easily bruised. 他们的自尊心很容易受到伤害。
• The belief in it issues from the puerile egos of inferior men. 这种信仰是下等人幼稚的自私意识中产生的。

11 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。