英语听力精选进阶版 14439

BBC Learning English 

Video Words in the News  

2 April 2014 

Sumo in decline 

Transcript¹:

It might look comic but becoming a top sumo wrestler² is not for the fainthearted.

The sport, which is over 1,000 years old, requires extreme commitment: with gruelling training and an enormous diet.

But sumo is in decline. 

Revenues are falling, audiences are dwindling³ and the sport, which was once an icon⁴ of Japanese pride, is now dominated by foreign wrestlers.

Vocabulary:

comic

funny

faint-hearted

not brave or confident

gruelling

extremely tiring; physically⁵ exhausting

dwindling

becoming smaller in size or number

dominated

controlled

Exercise:

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from news reports. 

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

comic / faint-hearted / gruelling / dwindling / dominated

1. Two Bristol students who tackled a __________ transatlantic rowing race have retired⁶ from the competition after more than three months at sea.

2. With the UK's gas and electricity market __________ by the "big six", the claim often made is that the industry is somehow rigged in favour of these companies. 

3. India is home to around 25,000 elephants. Their numbers are __________ due to poaching and the destruction of their habitats by humans.

4. It is not surprising that we had to go to Britain's biggest aircraft hangar to see the world's longest aircraft. For the best view, we had to climb the world's scariest staircase too (safe of course, but not one for the __________).

5. John Uhler Lemmon III - known to the world as Jack⁷ Lemmon - was one of Hollywood's best-loved actors and a man who distinguished⁸ himself in both serious and __________ roles.

Answers:

1. Two Bristol students who tackled a gruelling transatlantic rowing race have retired from the competition after more than three months at sea.

Source: Bristol rowers adrift in ocean end 96-day Atlantic race

2. With the UK's gas and electricity market dominated by the "big six", the claim often made is that the industry is somehow rigged in favour of these companies.

Source: Energy market: No quick fix to hugely complex issue

3.    India is home to around 25,000 elephants. Their numbers are dwindling due to poaching and the destruction of their habitats by humans.

Source: Elephants killed by speeding train in India

4.    It is not surprising that we had to go to Britain's biggest aircraft hangar to see the world's longest aircraft. For the best view, we had to climb the world's scariest staircase too (safe of course, but not one for the fainthearted).

Source: World's longest aircraft is unveiled in UK

5.    John Uhler Lemmon III - known to the world as Jack Lemmon - was one of Hollywood's best-loved actors and a man who distinguished himself in both serious and comic roles.

Source: Jack Lemmon's complex talent

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 wrestler   

n.摔角选手，扭

参考例句：

• The wrestler tripped up his opponent.那个摔跤运动员把对手绊倒在地。
• The stronger wrestler won the first throw.较壮的那个摔跤手第一跤就赢了。

3 dwindling   

adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

4 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

5 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

6 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。

7 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

8 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。