美国国家公共电台 NPR--Welsh fans are ecstatic over the team's first World Cup match in more than 6 decades

Welsh fans are ecstatic over the team's first World Cup match in more than 6 decades

Transcript¹

The national soccer team of Wales last saw action at the men's World Cup in 1958. The team's opening match against the U.S. on Monday means a lot to Welsh identity and longtime fans.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

The U.S. men's team starts to campaign later today as part of the soccer World Cup that kicked off yesterday in Qatar. Their first opponent in the group stage will be the tiny country of Wales, one of the four nations that together form the United Kingdom. A Welsh team has not made it to the tournament in generations, and as Willem Marx reports, fans are more than a little excited.

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UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Chanting) We're going to Qatar. Tsamina mina way eh, eh, waka waka (ph)...

WILLEM MARX, BYLINE²: When the Welsh men's soccer team qualified³ for the 2022 World Cup, fans across the small nation erupted in sometimes raucous⁴ celebrations. They had good reason to cheer. Their team's not taken part in a World Cup since 1958, when a goal from Brazilian superstar Pele knocked them out in a quarterfinal.

TIM HARTLEY: We've been looking forward as football fans to this for 64 years. We honestly never thought it would happen.

MARX: Author, broadcaster and Welsh mega fan Tim Hartley has supported the national soccer team his entire life.

HARTLEY: Even a year or so ago, I didn't think it was possible. But now all my dreams have come true. All those years I've spent following Wales to strange places, taking the family to Iceland for a friendly match, going to Armenia for a week because there was only one flight out and one flight back home, taking my son out of school to go to Azerbaijan. My friends thought I was mad. My colleagues thought I was mad. Who's laughing now? I'm off to Qatar to the World Cup with my team, Wales.

MARX: Hartley grew up in an era, the 1970s, when there was a world-class Welsh team but in a different sport - rugby. Today, it's soccer's turn in the spotlight⁵. The man now responsible for the sport in Wales is Noel Mooney, and he, too, recognizes the historical significance for his country.

NOEL MOONEY: We are so excited here in Doha, Qatar, as we prepare for our first game against the USA in the World Cup finals. It's our first tournament in 64 years, so we're super excited. And it's great to be playing at the very top level, the top table of world football.

MARX: The World Cup generates⁶ not just excitement but cash, too. Qualification has earned Mooney's organization several million dollars in extra revenue⁷, money it's already pumping into the game back home to build new facilities and strengthen grassroots teams.

MOONEY: We're absolutely delighted that while our elite⁸ players are going out to the world stage, it's inspiring the young people of Wales to take up the game and to enjoy our beautiful sport.

MARX: And beyond the game itself, he says the tournament's arrival has coincided⁹ with a growing recognition¹⁰ of Wales' own unique identity.

MOONEY: There's been a renaissance¹¹ in the Welsh language. There's been a renaissance in the Welsh culture and identity. And getting that message out there has been hugely supported by the Welsh government. We've got this concept called Team Cymru, Team Wales, which is about all of the activations we have both back in Wales, right across the country, but also internationally.

MARX: Wales faces the U.S., then Iran and England in their group. Just a single win and a draw could be enough for them to continue in the contest.

KIERAN JONES: When they're struggling through a game and we get on their back, start cheering them, it makes a difference.

MARX: Kieran Jones helps run the Welsh Football Supporters' Association.

JONES: Lots of countries, when you say Wales, they say, oh, is that part of England? And having England in our group has actually made it even more apparent¹² that Wales isn't a country on its own recognition. It couldn't have been better in a way for identity.

MARX: So watch out, Team USA, for Wales' spirited supporters, especially when they sing the country's national anthem¹³, says mega fan Tim Hartley.

HARTLEY: We've got a spirit behind us. They call it Hoyle. It just means a good feeling in Wales, a great feeling behind us, and that the red dragon's breathing and who knows what we can do?

MARX: For NPR News, I'm Willem Marx.

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UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Singing in Welsh).

1 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。

2 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。

3 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

4 raucous   

adj.(声音)沙哑的，粗糙的

参考例句：

• I heard sounds of raucous laughter upstairs.我听见楼上传来沙哑的笑声。
• They heard a bottle being smashed,then more raucous laughter.他们听见酒瓶摔碎的声音，然后是一阵更喧闹的笑声。

5 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

6 generates   

v.生（儿、女）( generate的第三人称单数 )；（通过物理或化学过程）发生；生成；引起

参考例句：

• This new boiler generates more heat than the old one. 这个新锅炉产生的热量比旧锅炉多。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy. 原子反应堆发出大量的热能。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 revenue   

n.总收入，财政收入，税收；税务局

参考例句：

• The country diminished the revenue by reducing tax.这个国家通过减税而使税收减少了。
• A government's revenue and expenditure should be balanced.政府的财政收入和支出要平衡。

8 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

9 coincided   

vi. 同时发生，符合，一致

参考例句：

• Our opinion of the question coincided. 对于这个问题，我们观点一致。
• The beginning of the solar and lunar years coincided every 13 years. 太阳年和太阴年的起始时间每13年重合一次。

10 recognition   

n.承认，认可，认出，认识

参考例句：

• The place has changed beyond recognition.这地方变得认不出来了。
• A sudden smile of recognition flashed across his face.他脸上掠过一丝笑意，表示认识对方。

11 renaissance   

n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴

参考例句：

• The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。
• The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。

12 apparent   

adj.表面上的，貌似真实的，显然的，明明白白的

参考例句：

• The apparent truth was really a lie.表面上看似实话，实际上是个谎言。
• His guilt is apparent to all.他的罪恶尽人皆知。

13 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。