美国国家公共电台 NPR--Which teams will be left standing, when the women's Final Four is over?

Which teams will be left standing¹, when the women's Final Four is over?

Transcript²

There'll be a showdown in Dallas Friday night as the Final Four teams in the NCAA women's basketball tournament get ready to battle: LSU vs. Virginia Tech and then Iowa vs. South Carolina.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

It's the last day of March, but the March Madness continues. It's the women's college basketball tournament continuing. A hugely successful and exciting NCAA Division I tournament is down to the Final Four in Dallas, Texas. Now, up first, Virginia Tech, first-time semifinalist, plays LSU. And then after that, Iowa plays defending champ, an undefeated South Carolina. NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman joins us. Tom, Iowa-South Carolina is the heavyweight matchup, and it's driven by a couple of star players. What do we need to know about this game?

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE³: It's a great matchup. The nation's top offense⁴, Iowa, against the best defense⁵, South Carolina. And yes, each team boasts a player of the year. South Carolina's great power forward Aliyah Boston won last year's award. And yesterday, Iowa guard Caitlin Clark won this year's. She has been amazing with her long-range shooting. She makes shots from the logo on the court. But she's got a great all-around game. She showed that off with the first 40-point triple-double in NCAA tournament history - double figures in points, assists, rebounds⁶. As good as she and Aliyah Boston are individually, Clark said yesterday the game's obviously going to be about two great teams.

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CAITLIN CLARK: They're going to be all up on us, playing really good defense. You know, that's kind of what they hang their hat on, and they're really good at it. So we're going to need to use one another, and everybody's going to have to contribute.

MART?NEZ: You know, Tom, even though it seems like this game is getting a lot of buzz, a lot of hype, the women's tournament traditionally lags behind the men's tournament when it comes to media attention. Is that changing so far?

GOLDMAN: It seems to be, especially this year. And maybe because while the men's Final Four has a bunch of teams no one really expected, the women have four top teams led by this Goliath, South Carolina. The Gamecocks are trying to become the 10th team to finish the season without losing. They're also trying to become the first repeat champions since UConn nearly a decade ago.

MART?NEZ: Yeah, and then there's that star power that you mentioned with all those names.

GOLDMAN: Well, that's for sure. You know, Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston. There's LSU's Angel Reese, Virginia Tech's Elizabeth Kitley and point guard Georgia Amoore from Australia. She grew up playing Australian rules football. And yesterday she talked about the toughness she developed playing against the boys. She was really speedy, and the only way they could stop her was pulling her down by her ponytail - so great players and fun personalities⁷. Ticket prices are higher for the women's Final Four than the men's. But Clark did point out that might be because there are fewer seats. The women are playing in an NBA arena⁸ in Dallas; the men are playing in a gargantuan⁹ NFL stadium in Houston. Still, the whole tournament has been an important step forward for the women's game. This was LSU senior guard Alexis Morris yesterday.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

ALEXIS MORRIS: I think the most exciting part about it is being a part of history. And we're literally¹⁰ watching the game grow and change right in front of our faces, and we're playing a huge part in it. And it's just - like, it's an honor.

MART?NEZ: Now, Tom, we've mentioned this very unlikely Final Four for the men. What can you tell us about this group of teams playing tomorrow?

GOLDMAN: Well, unlikely indeed. Who would have thought - San Diego State, Florida Atlantic University, Miami, all in their first-ever Final Four. The one outlier in this group, UConn, has won four titles, most recently in 2014, the highest seed left, so probably the team to beat. But nothing has been predictable in this men's tournament. Since the NCAA started seeding every tournament team in 1979, this is the first time no teams in the semifinals are seeded higher than No. 4. All the 1's, 2's and 3's are gone. So it's uncharted territory, but exciting. San Diego State, Florida Atlantic, Miami all have a chance to win their first title.

MART?NEZ: My bracket busted¹¹ after the first few hours of the tournament.

GOLDMAN: (Laughter).

MART?NEZ: That's NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman. Tom, thanks.

GOLDMAN: You're welcome.

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 rebounds   

反弹球( rebound的名词复数 )； 回弹球； 抢断篮板球； 复兴

参考例句：

• V is the velocity after the gas particle rebounds from the wall. V是粒子从壁上弹开后的速度。
• In the former case, the first body rebounds with practically its original velocity. 在前一种情况下，第一个物体实际上以原来的速度弹回。

7 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

8 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。

9 gargantuan   

adj.巨大的，庞大的

参考例句：

• My gargantuan,pristine machine was good for writing papers and playing solitaire,and that was all.我那庞大的、早期的计算机只适合写文章和玩纸牌游戏，就这些。
• Right away,I realized this was a mistake of gargantuan proportions.我立刻意识到这是一个巨大的错误。

10 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

11 busted   

adj. 破产了的，失败了的，被降级的，被逮捕的，被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• You are so busted! 你被当场逮住了！
• It was money troubles that busted up their marriage. 是金钱纠纷使他们的婚姻破裂了。