英语听力精选进阶版 14178

Beckham to help Chinese football

Summary

4 March 2013

The former England football captain, David Beckham, has been hired by China's football authorities to do a very special job. They want Beckham to promote their domestic Super League. He will perform his new role while still playing for Paris St. Germain.

Reporter:

Damian Grammaticas

Report

David Beckham says he's 'honoured' and 'excited' by this new role, as part-time global ambassador for Chinese football. It could be one of his toughest yet. 

In the world's most populous¹ country, football has struggled for popularity. Corruption² and match-fixing have tainted³ Chinese football. And recent attempts by Chinese clubs to hire star players from abroad, including Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka have foundered⁴. The big foreign names have left after just a few months, disappointed by their new clubs or the standard of the game in China. 

In the same way he was an ambassador for the London Olympics, David Beckham's role will be to promote China's Super League inside and outside the country. In particular he’ll try to encourage Chinese children to get interested in the game. 

It's not clear how much he'll be paid by China's League to be its ambassador, but he'll continue to play football for his new French club Paris St. Germain.

1 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 foundered   

v.创始人( founder的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Three ships foundered in heavy seas. 三艘船在波涛汹涌的海面上沉没了。 来自辞典例句
• The project foundered as a result of lack of finance. 该项目因缺乏资金而告吹。 来自辞典例句