VOA标准英语2009年-Thailand Holds First and Only Asian Martia

Thailand this month hosted the first Asian Martial¹ Arts Games with the aim of raising interest and national pride in the Asian fighting sports. Some of the participating countries, such as war-torn Iraq, have struggled against real and deadly fighting back home to promote the sports. But, the Olympic Council of Asia has decided² these will also be the last martial arts games.
　
Thailand's Sattra Paleenaram, right, trades punches with Birzham Aukenov of Kazakhstan, during their Muay Thai competition in Bangkok, Thailand, 05 Aug 2009

The first Asian Martial Arts Games open in Thailand, bringing together hundreds of athletes from 40 Asian countries to test their fighting skills.

The competitions range from well-known martial arts, such as kung fu and karate³ to the more exotic, such as Uzbekistan's kurash, a form of wrestling.

Iraq's National Olympic Committee managed to send a team of athletes, despite past struggles against funding problems and political interference.

As the bus takes them to Bangkok's National Stadium, the excited Iraqis dance and sing.

Mustafa Alsarai, a muay Thai, or kick, boxer⁴, says Iraqi martial artists have had to overcome security concerns and crumbled⁵ infrastructure⁶ to promote their sports.

"This kind of sport is developing slowly," he said. "God willing, it will develop more in the future. The situation in Iraq right now is stable, so all kinds of sports will develop more. People can go to the clubs and develop sports, especially the martial arts. The Iraqi people like sports, especially martial arts."

Iraqis are starting to see government support for martial arts and other sports after years of neglect from war and political infighting.

Samir Sadiq al-Moussawi heads Iraq's judo⁷ federation⁸ and sits on the National Olympic Committee. He says martial arts are a good way to keep young Iraqis off the streets and out of trouble.

"This started last year when the government started supporting martial arts because they wanted all the youth to be part of this kind of sport," he said.

However, the First Asian Martial Arts Games will also be the last.

Even before the games began, the Olympic Council of Asia decided, for efficiency, to incorporate them into the Asian Indoor Games.

Sasithara Pichaichannarong is permanent secretary to Thailand's Ministry⁹ of Tourism and Sports - the organizer of the games. She says the ministry accepts the council's decision but is disappointed that Asia's martial arts will no longer have their own tournament.

"I feel that it's a little bit upset for us," she said. "I would like to have the second time, third time, the fourth time, only concentrated on martial arts games."

The games have also been plagued by complaints of poor organization and very few spectators.

Organizers brought in students to fill the empty seats, and many, unlike this student, do not stay long.

"I'm here because I love Thailand. The rest, they went home. But, I'm still here because I really love muay Thai boxing," said a student.

Being part of the Asian Indoor Games could good for martial arts. At the very least, they would attract a larger audience to Asia's fighting sports. And, more interest could help turn more young people like Iraq's Mustafa into champions.

1 martial   

adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的

参考例句：

• The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
• The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

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 karate   

n.空手道(日本的一种徒手武术)

参考例句：

• Alice's boyfriend knew a little karate.艾丽斯的男朋友懂一点儿空手道。
• The black belt is the highest level in karate.黑腰带级是空手道的最高级别。

4 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

5 crumbled   

（把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏

参考例句：

• He crumbled the bread in his fingers. 他用手指把面包捻碎。
• Our hopes crumbled when the business went bankrupt. 商行破产了，我们的希望也破灭了。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 judo   

n.柔道

参考例句：

• The judo is a kind of fighting sport.柔道是一种对抗性体育活动。
• Which is more important in judo, strength or techniques?柔道运动中，力量和技术哪个更重要？

8 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。