12-11 现代奥运回顾：2004年雅典奥运会

MARGIN⁶: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align=center>Modern Olympic Games Review:

2004 Olympics, Athens

 

The last heart-pounding race of the Summer Games ended Sunday in a white marble arena¹ in the heart of Athens, bringing the modern Olympics full circle -- back to the precise spot where they were revived¹ 108 years ago.

 

The finish of the men's marathon at Panathinaiko Stadium, followed by the traditional parade of athletes under the sweeping² roof of the new Olympic Stadium, crowned 16 days of competition, which were marked by moments of individual triumph and a record? breaking number of athletes thrown out on doping² charges.

 

These Games broke many records. Athens hosted 11,099 athletes, the largest number ever and also the most women athletes ever. Representatives of 202 countries and areas took part, more than any other sporting event. The Olympic flame traveled for the first time to all continents. Shot Put was held in Olympia and women competed there for the first time. It also broke records as the most expensive and most fortified³ international sporting event ever staged.

 

The runners, jumpers and throwers of the 2004 Athens Games may not have set world records, but at least they outdid⁴ their immediate³ predecessors⁴. For only the second time since 1988, the average gold-medal performance in track and field improved, albeit⁵⁵ slightly. Swimming times were also faster in Athens than in Sydney in 2000, but by an even slimmer margin than track performances. The meager⁷⁶ improvements offer comfort to both sides in a scientific debate over the recent stagnation⁸ of Olympic performances and world records.

 

China finished second in the gold medal count, its best ever show since it started competing in the Olympics in 1984. China's Liu Xiang became the first Asian in history to win the men's 110m hurdles⁷ at the Olympic Games. He also broke the Olympic record of 12.95 seconds set by Allen Johnson of the United States in the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. His gold medal is said to be “ the heaviest,” or most significant, of the 32 that China won in the Athens Olympics.

 

Heat is still coming off the Athens Olympics, but already eyes are turning to Beijing , the host city of the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games.

 

注释：

1. revive [ri5vaiv] vt. 使复兴，振兴

2. dope [dEup] vt. [俚] 给（马等）服兴奋剂

3. fortify¹⁰ [5fC:tifai] vt.  筑防御工事于

4. outdo [aut5du:] vt. 比……做得更多（或更好），胜过，超过

5. albeit [C:l5bi:It] conj. 尽管，即使

6. meager [5mi:^E(r)] a. [美] =meagre 不足的

7. hurdle⁹ [5hdl] n. [～s] [用作单] 跨栏赛跑，障碍赛跑

 

2004年雅典奥运会　

 

星期日，在位于雅典中心的白色大理石运动场（即帕纳辛奈科体育场，是1896年首届现代奥运会的主体育场——译者注），随着夏季奥运会最后一场令人心跳的比赛的结束，现代奥林匹克运动走完了一个完美的圆圈——回到了108年前奥林匹克运动的复兴之地。

　　在帕纳辛奈科体育场举行的男子马拉松比赛的结束，及随后在新建的奥林匹克体育场宽广的屋顶下举行的传统的运动员列队入场仪式，宣告了16天的比赛的圆满结束。这16天的比赛里出现了很多个人胜利的瞬间，而由于服用禁药被取消参赛资格的运动员人数也突破了历史记录。

　　本届奥运会打破了许多记录。雅典接待了11099名运动员，是参赛人数最多，同时也是女运动员人数最多的一届，有来自202个国家和地区的代表参加，超过其他任何体育赛事。奥运圣火第一次游历了所有的大洲。铅球比赛在奥林匹亚举行，女运动员第一次在那里参加比赛。本届奥运会也是有史以来花钱最多、安全措施最强的国际体育盛事。

　　参加2004年雅典运动会的赛跑、跳高、跳远和投掷运动员可能并没有创立世界记录，但他们至少超过了上一届奥运会选手。这是从1988年以来，田径比赛金牌的平均成绩第二次有所提高，虽然只是略有进步。游泳速度也比2000年的悉尼奥运会快，但进步比田径成绩更小。这小小的进步给关于奥运成绩和世界记录近年来停滞不前的科学辩论的双方都带来了安慰。

　　中国最终在金牌榜上名列第二，这是自1984年中国参加奥运会以来成绩最好的一次。中国的刘翔成为历史上第一位问鼎奥运会男子110米栏金牌的亚洲选手，他也打破了由美国选手阿兰•约翰逊在1996年亚特兰大奥运会创立的12.95秒的奥运会记录。他的金牌被认为是中国在雅典奥运会所获得的32枚金牌中分量“最重”，或者是最有意义的一枚。

雅典奥运会余热未消，但人们的目光已经投向了北京——即将来临的2008年奥运会的举办城市。

 

 

1 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。

2 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

3 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

4 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》

5 albeit   

conj.即使；纵使；虽然

参考例句：

• Albeit fictional,she seemed to have resolved the problem.虽然是虚构的，但是在她看来好象是解决了问题。
• Albeit he has failed twice,he is not discouraged.虽然失败了两次，但他并没有气馁。

6 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

7 meager   

adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的

参考例句：

• He could not support his family on his meager salary.他靠微薄的工资无法养家。
• The two men and the woman grouped about the fire and began their meager meal.两个男人同一个女人围着火，开始吃起少得可怜的午饭。

8 stagnation   

n. 停滞

参考例句：

• Poor economic policies led to a long period of stagnation and decline. 糟糕的经济政策道致了长时间的经济萧条和下滑。
• Motion is absolute while stagnation is relative. 运动是绝对的，而静止是相对的。

9 hurdle   

n.跳栏，栏架；障碍，困难；vi.进行跨栏赛

参考例句：

• The weather will be the biggest hurdle so I have to be ready.天气将会是最大的障碍，所以我必须要作好准备。
• She clocked 11.6 seconds for the 80 metre hurdle.八十米跳栏赛跑她跑了十一秒六。

10 fortify   

v.强化防御，为…设防；加强，强化

参考例句：

• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。
• This treaty forbade the United States to fortify the canal.此条约禁止美国对运河设防。