Former VOA Staffer Serves as Translator for

Broadcast: Apr 09,2003

Colin Pine had planned to go to law school, but reconsidered. He spoke¹ to a friend at the State Department about doing interpretation², and she told him the NBA's Houston Rockets were looking to hire an interpreter for their star ¹⁾rookie player, Yao Ming of China. Knowing he loved basketball, she thought Pine should apply for the position, so he did.

"I thought, why not just try it. So, I sent a resume³ and a cover letter. And a month later, I heard back from his [Yao's] agent, and we started the interview process," he said. "And, I was fortunate. I guess I had the right combinations⁴ of abilities they were looking for."

Colin Pine was selected from about 400 applicants⁵ to be Yao Ming's official translator. He told VOA Sports that he thinks being a big basketball fan was a key reason he got the job.

"I have a passion for both Chinese and basketball," he said. "So, I think, I'm really, really enjoy. I think when you have a passion for something, it comes through in your work. And, I think, that was reflected in the cover letter I wrote; and, I think, it was reflected in my conversation with his agent. So, I think, that they were able to tell I would be really dedicated⁶ to this job."

Yao Ming was playing in the Asia basketball championships last year, when Colin Pine was hired. So, Yao did not get to select his own interpreter. The first time he spoke to Pine was when he arrived at Houston's airport. The two did a news conference on the spot.

"It was a little bit ²⁾awkward. Fortunately, Yao Ming is an exceptional⁷ human being, and he made it easy. We started joking right away and we became fast friends. " Colin said.

Colin Pine says he has built a good working relationship with Yao Ming.

"He is a great person. He is a wonderful person. He has a great sense of humor," he said. "He is 22-years-old, but he is mature beyond his years. And it is funny, at 29, I think I can learn a lot from him."

And Yao is learning⁸ a lot from his translator, Colin Pine, who lives with Yao and his parents in a house in ³⁾suburban Houston.

"His English is getting better and better. We talk in English a lot. Just to practice, we try to have conversations in English," he said. "You know, he will be independent and that is the goal. I do not know at what time [when]. But it is going to happen sooner, rather than later."

Pine says Yao is getting used to life in the United States.

"He has been here several times before, so I do not think it is as much of an adjustment as people think. He does not have a lot of time to go out and see things, so I think it is tough," Colin said. " But I think he adapts well to everything. So, I think, no matter where he is, or would be, he would be able to adapt. "

But Colin Pine says living the schedule of an NBA player, being on the road so much, city-to-city for games is very tiring. But since Yao was the league's number-one draft⁹ choice prior¹⁰ to this season, and given that he is so tall and from China, Pine said, he gets even more attention.

"Just being surrounded by media all the time. It is not just a few questions. There are always constant media demands," he said. "His agents and the team try to control that, but it is a little toiling¹¹ sometimes."

Colin Pine says, if Yao Ming wants him back as his translator next season, he will stay. He added, no matter what, it has been a great experience.

Parke Brewer¹² VOA sport, Washington.

1)    rookie[5rJkI]n.新手

2)    awkward[5C:kwEd]adj. 难使用的, 笨拙的

3)    suburban[sE5bE:bEn]adj. 郊外的, 偏远的

1 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。

2 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

3 resume   

v.（中断后）继续，恢复；n.摘要，简历

参考例句：

• We'll stop now and resume at two o 'clock.我们现在停下来，到两点再干。
• My resume shows that I have the right qualifications for the job.我的简历表明我正符合这项工作的条件。

4 combinations   

n.合作( combination的名词复数 )；密码组合；联合体；排列

参考例句：

• The music students are learning how to score tunes for various combinations. 学音乐的学生把曲调改编为各种器乐组曲。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some antigens, or combinations of antigens, are much more potent than others. 某些抗原或者联合抗原可比其它抗原作用强得多。 来自辞典例句

5 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

6 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

7 exceptional   

adj.优越的，杰出的，例外的，独特的，异常的

参考例句：

• He is a man of exceptional talent.他是位具有非凡才能的人。
• He showed exceptional musical ability.他显示出特殊的音乐才能。

8 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

9 draft   

vt.起草，作...的草稿；n.草稿，草图，草案

参考例句：

• He's now revising the first draft of his essay.他目前正修改他的文章初稿。
• The draft of this article has been done。这篇文章已经定稿。

10 prior   

adj.更重要的，较早的，在先的；adv.居先；n.小修道院院长；大修道院副院长

参考例句：

• The duty to protect my sister is prior to all others.保护我的妹妹是我最重要的责任。
• I took up one-year prior course in German in this college.我在这所大学读了一年的德语预科。

11 toiling   

长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉

参考例句：

• The fiery orator contrasted the idle rich with the toiling working classes. 这位激昂的演说家把无所事事的富人同终日辛劳的工人阶级进行了对比。
• She felt like a beetle toiling in the dust. She was filled with repulsion. 她觉得自己像只甲虫在地里挣扎，心中涌满愤恨。

12 brewer   

n. 啤酒制造者

参考例句：

• Brewer is a very interesting man. 布鲁尔是一个很有趣的人。
• I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. 我决定辞职，做一名酿酒人。