英语听力精选进阶版 13879

Sporting rivalry¹

Summary

10 August 2012

Sports fans in Great Britain are enjoying their team's successful performance in the Olympics, especially beating their fierce sporting rival, Australia

Reporter:

Beth McLeod

Report

The Australian team has had a disappointing time at the Games so far, achieving far fewer gold medals than expected. Their team officials have conceded that they won't reach their aim of finishing among the top 5 countries, a blow exacerbated² by the fact that their sporting rivals, Great Britain, are way ahead in the medal count. 

The Australian sports minister, Kate Lundy, says her country is unlikely to catch up and that she will honour a bet made with the British sports minister to row a length of the Olympic rowing venue³ in a Great Britain shirt. Her British counterpart, Hugh Robertson, is relieved not to have to carry out his forfeit⁴ in central London. 

The fierce rivalry between the two teams was spawned⁵ by cricket, and the Ashes series between England and Australia that's staged roughly every two years since the 1880s. They also fight for supremacy⁶ in rugby. 

Australia's lacklustre Olympic performance has led to calls for the government to increase funding for sports, but the Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, said today that the country should enjoy the Games now and examine the team's overall performance later.

1 rivalry   

n.竞争，竞赛，对抗

参考例句：

• The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
• He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。

2 exacerbated   

v.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The symptoms may be exacerbated by certain drugs. 这些症状可能会因为某些药物而加重。
• The drugs they gave her only exacerbated the pain. 他们给她吃的药只是加重了她的痛楚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

4 forfeit   

vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物

参考例句：

• If you continue to tell lies,you will forfeit the good opinion of everyone.你如果继续撒谎，就会失掉大家对你的好感。
• Please pay for the forfeit before you borrow book.在你借书之前请先付清罚款。

5 spawned   

（鱼、蛙等）大量产（卵）( spawn的过去式和过去分词 )； 大量生产

参考例句：

• The band's album spawned a string of hit singles. 这支乐队的专辑繁衍出一连串走红的单曲唱片。
• The computer industry has spawned a lot of new companies. 由于电脑工业的发展，许多新公司纷纷成立。

6 supremacy   

n.至上；至高权力

参考例句：

• No one could challenge her supremacy in gymnastics.她是最优秀的体操运动员，无人能胜过她。
• Theoretically,she holds supremacy as the head of the state.从理论上说，她作为国家的最高元首拥有至高无上的权力。