VOA标准英语2008年-Visitors to Great Wall Give Beijing Olympics Hi

The Beijing Olympics will finish Sunday. But, even before the end, residents and foreign spectators¹ are giving the event high marks for excitement and organization. Mike O'Sullivan spoke² with visitors to one of China's most famous attractions, the Great Wall, and learned that many are also impressed with the host city.
　
Visitors at Great Wall of China

This section of the Great Wall north of Beijing attracts Chinese tourists and foreign visitors, like the Kardel family from California. They once hosted a Chinese exchange student in the United States, and are here with him today. Chinese student Song Weijun is proud to show them his city.

"China and Beijing welcome the friends from all over the world and hope they enjoy the time here," Song said.

They say each side is learning from the other. Peter Kardel says the Chinese that he meets are curious.
　
Peter Kardel

"Just really anxious to know about America and where we're from and what our experience has been here in China, so far," Kardel explained.

Foreign tourists came to see the games, but many are also enjoying China's other attractions. Australians Robert Hardingham and Maureen O'Keefe say they are pleased to see that Beijing is a modern, efficient city.
　
Robert Hardingham and Maureen O'Keefe

"Particularly the transport system. It's so easy to get about. It's working well for us. And lots of restaurants, very clean, so really, really enjoying it," Hardingham said.

"Yes, it's a wonderful city. We've traveled quite a bit, but this is quite an experience," added O'Keefe.
　
Deng Chao

Chinese business student Deng Chao says these Olympic games are important and may be a turning point.

'Especially in the development of China," Deng noted³. "So I think the Olympic games may be the best thing to Beijing, even more China."

Andre Ceulemans of Belgium says he is having a wonderful time.
　
Andre Ceulemans

"But you know, some poor Chinese don't like it," he said. "They can't go to look and maybe they have to move from their small houses and so on."

Some residents have complained about the massive⁴ redevelopment in Beijing before the Olympics. Some lost their homes in the process. And, critics of China say the games are distracting⁵ from human rights concerns.
　
Jason Kurfurst

Australian Jason Kurfurst, a trainer for Indonesian athletes, says his visit gives him a fuller view of China, both its strengths and problems.

"Everything you see on TV, sometimes can be a little bit negative, but when you come over here, you see more of the positive side of things," Kurfurst said. "And, you tend to forget about some of the negative things, which I guess we shouldn't, in retrospect⁶. But you're here at the Olympics, so you're really meant to worry about the political stuff away from the Olympics and just enjoy it for what it is and enjoy the friendship of the people."

He says he is also thrilled to get a chance to visit the one of the world's wonders, the Great Wall of China.

 

1 spectators   

n.观众，旁观者( spectator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The spectators were wilting visibly in the hot sun. 看得出观众在炎热的阳光下快支撑不住了。
• The policemen asked the spectators to stand well back. 警察要求旁观者靠后站。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 massive   

adj.巨大的，大规模的，大量的，大范围的

参考例句：

• A massive sea search has failed to find any survivors.经过大规模的海上搜救仍未找到幸存者。
• He drank a massive amount of alcohol.他喝了大量的烈酒。

5 distracting   

v.使（人）分心，分散（注意力）( distract的现在分词 )；打扰

参考例句：

• You're distracting me from my work. 你使我不能专心工作。
• Nothing is more distracting than a neurotic boss. 没有什么比神经过敏的老板更恼人的了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 retrospect   

n.回顾，追溯；v.回顾，回想，追溯

参考例句：

• One's school life seems happier in retrospect than in reality.学校生活回忆起来显得比实际上要快乐。
• In retrospect,it's easy to see why we were wrong.回顾过去就很容易明白我们的错处了。