英语听力精选进阶版 15373

Argentina's controversial coach

Summary

7 June 2010

Of the 32 teams competing at the World Cup Argentina might be the most interesting to follow. That's mainly down to the team's coach, Diego Maradona.

Reporter:

Alex Capstick

Report

The media circus which follows Diego Maradona is never far from a juicy story. This is a man whose trickery on the football field devastated¹ opponents. But his playing career was blighted² by doping bans and the infamous³ 'hand of God' goal against England in a World Cup quarter-final.

After he retired⁴ Maradona suffered from drug addiction⁵, ill health and weight gain. He became coach of Argentina with virtually no managerial experience. In his 19 months in charge he's tried out more than a hundred different players. An arduous⁶ qualifying campaign included a 6-1 defeat in Bolivia.

When Argentina beat Uruguay to eventually seal their place in South Africa Maradona let fly a stream of profanities against his critics on live television. He received another ban which meant he couldn't attend the World Cup draw. 

Since then he was admitted to hospital after being bitten in the face by his pet dog. On his way to announce his World Cup squad⁷, the car he was driving ran over a photographer. And he's promised to run naked through the centre of Buenos Aires if Argentina win the World Cup. It might not happen, but following Argentina shouldn't be boring.

Alex Capstick, BBC News

1 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

2 blighted   

adj.枯萎的，摧毁的

参考例句：

• Blighted stems often canker.有病的茎往往溃烂。
• She threw away a blighted rose.她把枯萎的玫瑰花扔掉了。

3 infamous   

adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的

参考例句：

• He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。
• I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。

4 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

5 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

6 arduous   

adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的

参考例句：

• We must have patience in doing arduous work.我们做艰苦的工作要有耐性。
• The task was more arduous than he had calculated.这项任务比他所估计的要艰巨得多。

7 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。