VOA标准英语2009年-Chicago Stunned By Olympic Bid Loss

By Kane Farabaugh
Chicago
02 October 2009

Farabaugh TV Report
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Chicagoans show disappointment at city's loss of bid for 2016 Olympics, 2 Oct 2009 
For more than two years, the city of the Chicago has led an unprecedented¹ effort to bring the 2016 Summer Olympic games to the Midwest United States. That effort ended in defeat Friday when the International Olympic Committee voted in favor of Rio De Janeiro. The loss was a bitter end to an expensive campaign that had the support of President Barack Obama.

The day began with excitement at Daley Plaza² in downtown Chicago, where the official 2016 Olympic Bid Watch Party took on the feel of a celebration, even before IOC voting began.

Before noon Chicago time, the celebration turned to stunned³ disbelief as Chicago's Olympic dream came to an abrupt⁴ end. "The city of Chicago, having obtained the least amount of votes, will not participate in the next round," the announcement said.

Chicago native Stephanie Pines says she was shocked when Chicago was eliminated in the first round. "I think the first round, we were really concerned because we don't have strong global alliances⁵ that the other countries or cities have, so I think that might be one of the reasons we got cut," he said.

Arthur Mingo was equally stunned, pinning his hopes on the 2016 games as a way for the United States to raise its profile in the international community. "But when you look at America, you know, we're trying to make a comeback and really show that we are part of a global community. This one of our ways of being a part of that. It's disheartening to see we lost the first round," he saide.

As the initial⁶ shock of the announcement of the loss wore off, the next question was, what next? Stephanie Pines was doubtful another future bid would have the same support from such notable⁷ figures as talk show host Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama. "With President Obama from Chicago, I thought this was our moment. I really did. I mean, sure, maybe we could do it again, but it's tough I mean the amount of money time and effort that goes into these things puts a huge strain on the city and the resources, so I hope we go for it again but I think it's hard," he said.

Mingo pointed⁸ out this would not be the first time the United States lost an Olympic bid and returned to win the support of IOC voters. "When you look at Salt Lake City, they didn't get it the first time. They redid their plan, they came back, and they were able to get their Olympics. I think if we go ahead, re-look at our plan, and we start making changes where we had issues, I think in 2020 we can take a more constructive⁹ way and go ahead then," he said.

London is the site of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. The 2016 games in Rio De Janeiro will be the first in South America. Voting for the site of the 2020 Olympic Games takes place in 2013.

1 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

2 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

3 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

4 abrupt   

adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的

参考例句：

• The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。
• His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。

5 alliances   

（国家、政党等的）结盟( alliance的名词复数 )； 同盟国； 结盟的社会； 联姻

参考例句：

• Our alliances will be sundered if they appear as obstacles to peace. 我们的同盟如果成为和平的障碍，就会瓦解。
• Inevitably this produced a challenge to our previous predominance in our alliances. 这不可避免地形成了对我们从前在联盟中的支配地位的挑战。

6 initial   

adj.最初的，开始的，词首的；n.首字母，姓名的开头字母；vt.标注姓名的首字母于

参考例句：

• After she'd overcome her initial shyness,she became very friendly.她克服了起初的羞怯之后，变得十分友善。
• The experiments have given initial results eventually.那些试验总算初见成效了。

7 notable   

adj.值得注意的，著名的；n.名人，要人

参考例句：

• His achievement is very notable.他的成就是非常显著的。
• He wrote and published the essay under notable's name.他假托名人写文章发表。

8 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。