VOA标准英语2008年-Beijing Olympics Reach Halfway Mark Friday

Including the start of the Olympic football tournament two days before the Opening Ceremonies, the Beijing Olympics have reached the halfway¹ point of scheduled competition. VOA's Jim Stevenson has this preview of the action Friday, which is highlighted with 18 event finals.
　

Volunteers test track in rain at National Stadium, also known as the 'Bird's Nest' in Beijing, 14 Aug 2008

The midway point of the Olympics marks the gradual shift from swimming to track and field, the two marquee series of events of the games. China's National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest because of its intertwined steel exterior², is the venue³ for the first two athletics⁴ finals of the 29th Olympiad.

Gold medals will be awarded for the longest distance in men's shot put and the fastest time in the women's 10,000-meter final.

Swimming continues inside the nearby Water Cube, where four more events will produce Olympic champions. American Ian Crocker has his own explanation for the tidal wave of records set at these Olympics.

"It is unique versus⁵ track and field because there is more resistance in the water. And so you are trying to overcome a little bit more in swimming. And therefore there is more room for improvement. And that is why I think the world records keep improving year after year," says Crocker.

The women go for speed in the 100-meter freestyle and 200-meter breaststroke. The men will swim the 200-meter backstroke, a race that features Americans Ryan Lochte and Aaron Piersol. Both men share the world record in the event (1:54.32).
　

Michael Phelps poses with his gold medal after the men's 200m freestyle swimming final in Beijing, 12 Aug 2008

The men's 200-meter individual medley⁶ will be highlighted by world-record holder⁷ Michael Phelps. The American will be trying to win his sixth gold medal in Beijing.

Badminton awards its first title of the games in women's doubles. Arrows fill the air in the men's individual archery final while the swords slash⁸ and jab in the men's team epee final. The coveted⁹ women's individual all-around gymnastics title will come at the National Indoor Stadium.

Judo¹⁰ culminates¹¹ with its heaviest weight categories as the women compete in the over-78 kilogram division and the men go for gold in the over-100 kilogram class. The most accurate aim will be needed to win the men's 50-meter rifle in the prone¹² position.

Beijing University of Aeronautics¹³ and Astronautics is the location for weightlifting finals in the women's 76-kilogram and men's 85-kilogram weight divisions. The men's team sprint¹⁴ finals open track cycling. Canoe and Kayak finals are also scheduled.
　

USA forward Lebron James (R) shoots over Angola's center Joaqim Gomes during men's preliminary basketball game in Beijing, 12 Aug 2008

Tournament play continues in basketball, baseball and softball.

The U.S. women are 2-0 so far in softball. With the event being dropped after Beijing, U.S. infielder Crystal Bustos says the tournament will hopefully show that softball should remain an Olympic sport.

"Our sport is not necessarily popular in some parts of the world," said Bustos. "It is definitely a worldwide sport, but there are some parts of the world that is not as popular and there is some confusion as to exactly what softball is. And I think if we go over there to Beijing and we put on the best show you have ever seen of Olympic softball, that people are going to understand this needs to stay in the Olympics."

In volleyball, the U.S. women have a 2-1 record in Pool-A. Nicole Davis says her team knows which nations will likely be the most challenging.

"Brazil, Russia, Italy, China, I think we are all at a very, very high level now, pretty even," said Davis.

Other tournament action includes beach volleyball, boxing, field hockey, football, sailing, table tennis, handball, tennis and water polo.

1 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

2 exterior   

adj.外部的，外在的；表面的

参考例句：

• The seed has a hard exterior covering.这种子外壳很硬。
• We are painting the exterior wall of the house.我们正在给房子的外墙涂漆。

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 athletics   

n.运动，体育，田径运动

参考例句：

• When I was at school I was always hopeless at athletics.我上学的时候体育十分糟糕。
• Our team tied with theirs in athletics.在田径比赛中，我们队与他们队旗鼓相当。

5 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

6 medley   

n.混合

参考例句：

• Today's sports meeting doesn't seem to include medley relay swimming.现在的运动会好象还没有混合接力泳这个比赛项目。
• China won the Men's 200 metres Individual Medley.中国赢得了男子200米个人混合泳比赛。

7 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

8 slash   

vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩

参考例句：

• The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
• Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。

9 coveted   

adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图

参考例句：

• He had long coveted the chance to work with a famous musician. 他一直渴望有机会与著名音乐家一起工作。
• Ther other boys coveted his new bat. 其他的男孩都想得到他的新球棒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 judo   

n.柔道

参考例句：

• The judo is a kind of fighting sport.柔道是一种对抗性体育活动。
• Which is more important in judo, strength or techniques?柔道运动中，力量和技术哪个更重要？

11 culminates   

v.达到极点( culminate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Each civilization is born, it culminates, and it decay. 各种文明都要历经诞生，鼎盛和衰落。 来自《用法词典》
• The tower culminates in a 40-foot spire. 这塔的顶端是一个40英尺高的塔尖。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

12 prone   

adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的

参考例句：

• Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
• He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。

13 aeronautics   

n.航空术，航空学

参考例句：

• National Aeronautics and Space undertakings have made great progress.国家的航空航天事业有了很大的发展。
• He devoted every spare moment to aeronautics.他把他所有多余的时间用在航空学上。

14 sprint   

n.短距离赛跑；vi. 奋力而跑，冲刺；vt.全速跑过

参考例句：

• He put on a sprint to catch the bus.他全速奔跑以赶上公共汽车。
• The runner seemed to be rallied for a final sprint.这名赛跑者似乎在振作精神作最后的冲刺。