VOA标准英语2010年-Fans Turn Up The Heat On Cameroon Coac

Supporters of Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions are demanding the ouster of their French trainer Paul Le Guen following the team's loss to Japan on Monday

Divine Ntaryike | Durban, South Africa 16 June 2010

Cameroon’s coach Paul Marie Le Guen of France initially¹ earned widespread respect among restive² fans of the Indomitable Lions when he helped it qualify for the 2010 South Africa World Cup. In due course however, Le Guen, considered a tenacious³ disciplinarian, became a target of critics.

Many criticized his support for Samuel Eto’o whom he eventually named captain, and for his choice of players and their positioning on the pitch. Critics also say under his direction, the team lacked a convincing play-style.

Le Guen’s popularity in Cameroon plunged⁵ last January when he was blamed for the teams lackluster performance in Angola and finally failed to make it beyond the quarterfinals. But the government retained him despite mounting calls for his dismissal.

Le Guen is yet again coming under fire, following Cameroon’s dismal⁶ output and an eventual⁴ 0-1 defeat against Japan in their Group E World Cup icebreaker Monday at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.  It was Cameroon’s first defeat in a World Cup opening game, and the fans say it was predictable.

They don’t understand why Le Guen benched experienced arsenal⁷ midfielder Alexandre Song, why he positioned striker Eto’o deep in midfield, why he debuted⁸ the encounter with panic-stricken greenhorns like Joel Matip who has never played at national level, why he fielded more defenders⁹ than attackers, and much more.

Before the blunder Monday, Le Guen said he was hoping to replicate¹⁰ Cameroon’s 1990 surprise win over Argentina in the opener and its successful climb to the quarterfinals. He says the Lions game plan on Monday against Japan’s Blue Sumarais was wrong, and he accepts responsibility for their performance.

Cameroon, formerly¹¹ rated one Africa’s best chances at the South Africa global football showpiece,  now trails behind Denmark, the Netherlands and Japan.

A small number of optimists¹³, including Samuel Eto’o, are hoping for a victory Saturday against Denmark,  which is also hoping for a come-back after stumbling 0-2 against the Netherlands.

Jules Nyongha, a former coach of the Indomitable Lions, says Cameroon will have to produce more focused and creative to overcome their next opponents. He says the team was completely ineffective and displayed uncharacteristic inexperience Monday, but can turn around their fortunes.

For many however, such hope is farfetched amid reports of mounting tension in the Lions den¹².  Some sidelined players are reportedly venting¹⁴ anger, and questioning why they weren’t called to play in the encounter against Japan.

The media and fans are watching to see if Paul le Guen can pull the team – and his reputation – out of a slump¹⁵.

 

1 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

2 restive   

adj.不安宁的，不安静的

参考例句：

• The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
• The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。

3 tenacious   

adj.顽强的，固执的，记忆力强的，粘的

参考例句：

• We must learn from the tenacious fighting spirit of Lu Xun.我们要学习鲁迅先生韧性的战斗精神。
• We should be tenacious of our rights.我们应坚决维护我们的权利。

4 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

5 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

6 dismal   

adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的

参考例句：

• That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
• My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

7 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

8 debuted   

初次表演，初次登台（debut的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• In late 2003 a full-size SUV, the Pathfinder Armada, debuted. 2003年末，全尺寸SUV的探路者无敌舰队，推出。
• The album debuted at number two and quickly went platinum. 专辑一亮相就荣登排行榜第二名，很快就取得了白金销量。

9 defenders   

n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者

参考例句：

• The defenders were outnumbered and had to give in. 抵抗者寡不敌众，只能投降。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After hard fighting,the defenders were still masters of the city. 守军经过奋战仍然控制着城市。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 replicate   

v.折叠，复制，模写；n.同样的样品；adj.转折的

参考例句：

• The DNA of chromatin must replicate before cell division.染色质DNA在细胞分裂之前必须复制。
• It is also easy to replicate,as the next subsection explains.就像下一个小节详细说明的那样，它还可以被轻易的复制。

11 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

12 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

13 optimists   

n.乐观主义者( optimist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Even optimists admit the outlook to be poor. 甚至乐观的人都认为前景不好。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Optimists reckon house prices will move up with inflation this year. 乐观人士认为今年的房价将会随通货膨胀而上涨。 来自辞典例句

14 venting   

消除； 泄去； 排去； 通风

参考例句：

• But, unexpectedly, he started venting his spleen on her. 哪知道，老头子说着说着绕到她身上来。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• So now he's venting his anger on me. 哦，我这才知道原来还是怄我的气。

15 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。