英语听力精选进阶版 13814

No Olympic dream for David Beckham

Summary

2 July 2012

One of the world's most well-known footballers, David Beckham, has been told he won't be representing his country on the pitch during the Olympics. The former England Captain was one of the major names involved in helping¹ Britain to secure this summer's Games - but it seems the ball skills which made him famous just aren't needed.

Reporter:

John McManus

Report

David Beckham said he was disappointed by the decision to leave him out of the Great Britain football squad² for the twenty-twelve Games, but that there would be no bigger supporter of the team's efforts. A few months ago he thought he had a good chance of being picked for the squad, as he'd made the original shortlist.

He revealed on Thursday though, that the team's coach Stuart Pearce had rung him with the bad news on Wednesday evening. The thirty-seven-year-old currently plays for LA Galaxy³, but his other major role was as a sporting ambassador who helped Britain to secure the Games, and has been enthusiastic about its legacy⁴. Sports fans are divided over the decision; John Prescott is an opposition⁵ politician: 

"I think he's done a tremendous contribution for this country. He's still playing football and those skills that everybody talks about in the British football team and top fifty, I'm afraid it hasn't produced it at the finals, and the World Cup and the Europe Cup. We can't get guys that can score. This fella used to 'bend it like Beckham'." 

Others support the coach's decision though, saying sentiment shouldn't play a part in deciding who represents Britain at the world's greatest sporting event. As a child David Beckham played football on pitches close to where the Olympic Stadium now stands, and was hopeful about the regeneration benefits that the Olympics might bring to the area.

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 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。

3 galaxy   

n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物)

参考例句：

• The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
• The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。

4 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。