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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Voice 1
Hello, I’m Rachel Hobson.
Voice 2
And I’m Ruby1 Jones. Welcome to Spotlight2. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
England, 1823. Some boys are playing football. They run around the grass next to some large red stone buildings. This is one of the most famous schools in the country - Rugby School. One of the boys takes up the ball in his arms. He does not kick the ball with his feet as he should. He runs forward towards the goal. The other boys shout at him - they tell him to stop. But he refuses. And so, they throw themselves at him. They try to take the ball from his arms. They forget their usual game of football - and a new sport is born!
Voice 2
Well, that is how some people believe the modern game of rugby started! William Webb Ellis was the name of the boy who ran with the ball. And he was a student at Rugby School. But some history experts believe that William was just demonstrating3 the ancient Irish4 game of “caid”. William’s father had been a soldier in Ireland5. And he would have seen people playing “caid’ there. So, he could have taught the game to his son. No one will ever know if William was responsible6 for inventing a new game. But true lovers7 of rugby do not care how it started. They are just pleased that it did!
Voice 1
In William Webb Ellis’s day, there were no national sports authorities8. People could play a sport in any way that they wanted. Everyone present just had to agree on the rules! But in 1871, this situation changed. Officials representing9 different rugby teams across Britain met together. They formed the Rugby Football Union. They decided10 on a fixed11 set of rules. All teams now had to play the game by these rules. But not everyone was happy with this. And in 1890, some teams from the north of England left the Rugby Football Union. These teams did not like the way the rugby authorities treated some of their players. So these teams formed a separate12 organization - the Rugby Football League. The league changed some of the rules - and it called its kind of rugby, Rugby League.
Voice 2
Both kinds of rugby - rugby union and rugby league, are very popular across the world. This may seem surprising - because rugby is a very hard, physical sport. It requires players to be very fit and strong. They need to be able to run, to catch and to kick an egg-shaped ball - for eighty [80] minutes! They also need to know how to tackle13, to stop players who are carrying the ball. This can be dangerous because of the players’ size and weight. It is important to learn the correct way to tackle - or accidents will happen.
Voice 1
Rugby is hard to play. But many people find it very exciting to watch! And lovers of the game have been waiting for the month of September to arrive. Why? Well, that is when the sixth [6th] Rugby World Cup starts. The World Cup is the leading international event in Rugby Union. A game between France and Argentina will ‘kick off’ the competition. And a total of twenty countries will compete for the prize - the William Webb Ellis cup!
Voice 2
One of the nations playing in this competition is Romania. This European country has been playing rugby since the early nineteen hundreds. Students were responsible for bringing the game to Romania. These students went to France to study. While they were there, they learned14 how to play rugby. And when they returned home, they took some rugby balls with them. Soon, there were many rugby teams in Romania. The national team even won an Olympic prize!
Voice 1
But the Second World War changed the history of rugby in Romania. The ruling party followed a new way of government - communism15. The thinking behind this new way seemed good - everyone working together for the good of the country. Equal rights for everybody. The state encouraged people to bring glory16 to the country. And it especially encouraged sportsmen17 and women. The government gave jobs in the police or army to top rugby players. They had time off work to play. They had the best trainers. And all this resulted in a successful national rugby team.
Voice 2
But in 1989, Romania changed again. Communism was not working. The government was in crisis18. The economy19 was in a weak state. People in Romania no longer trusted the system. And they demanded change. Across the country, people started to revolt20 against the authorities. Many people died in street battles. One of these was the leader of the national rugby team - Florica Murariu. After some time, the revolution21 finished. A new government took control. But the country faced a difficult future. It would take a long time to recover.
Voice 1
The new situation left the national rugby players with a lot of problems. Many of them no longer had jobs. The state could not pay for their training. And they could not compete with other national teams - they were no longer good enough. This proud rugby nation was suffering. Rugby authorities in other countries were sad to see Romanian rugby in such a bad state. So, they helped in different ways - providing equipment and training and financial aid.
Voice 2
The Romanian national rugby team did survive. And they are slowly re-gaining their place as a top rugby nation. They will not win the World Cup this time. But the future holds great hope for them.
Voice 1
So, who will win the World Cup? The current22 world champions are England. But many of their good players have retired23. Other teams who have won the competition are South Africa, Australia and France. But most rugby experts believe that New Zealand will be the hardest team to beat. Everyone in this small island nation seems to love rugby! And only one thing will make them happy. Their team must bring home the William Webb Ellis Cup for the second time!
收听单词发音 |
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ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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spotlight
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| n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目 | |
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demonstrating
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| 举行示威游行（或集会）( demonstrate的现在分词 )； 示范。展示； 显示； 论证 | |
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Irish
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| n.爱尔兰语；爱尔兰人；adj.爱尔兰(人)的 | |
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Ireland
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| n.爱尔兰(西欧国家)；爱尔兰岛(西欧) | |
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responsible
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| adj.有责任的，应负责的；可靠的，可信赖的；责任重大的；vi.休息，睡；静止，停止 | |
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lovers
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| 爱好者( lover的名词复数 )； 情人； 情夫； 情侣 | |
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authorities
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| n.当局，权力，权威；权威( authority的名词复数 )；权力；学术权威；[复数]当权者 | |
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representing
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| v.表现( represent的现在分词 )；代表；体现；作为…的代表 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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12
separate
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| n.分开，抽印本；adj.分开的，各自的，单独的；v.分开，隔开，分居 | |
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tackle
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| n.工具，复滑车，扭倒；v.处理，抓住 | |
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learned
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| adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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communism
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| n.共产主义；Communism:共产主义学说，共产主义制度 | |
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glory
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| n.光荣，荣誉；壮丽，辉煌；v.自豪，得意，狂喜 | |
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sportsmen
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| 运动员( sportsman的名词复数 ) | |
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crisis
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| n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段 | |
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economy
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| n.经济；节俭；秩序；机体 | |
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revolt
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| n.叛乱，反抗，反感；v.叛乱，起反感，使...恶心 | |
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revolution
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| n.革命，大变革；旋转；周期，循环 | |
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current
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| n.涌流，趋势，电流，水流，气流；adj.当前的，通用的，流通的，现在的，草写的，最近的 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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