美国国家公共电台 NPR--Serena Williams triumphs against Anett Kontaveit in second U.S. Open match

Serena Williams triumphs against Anett Kontaveit in second U.S. Open match

Transcript¹

Serena Williams isn't ready to stop playing competitive tennis just yet. She sparkled in her second-round U.S. Open match against Kontaveit — defeating the No. 2 seed in three sets to advance.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Serena Williams is not acting² like someone ready to retire. She won another match at the U.S. Open. She has suggested the Open would be her last, as she evolves away from tennis. But NPR's Tom Goldman reports she does not look like she's done.

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE³: This is getting interesting. The tennis-slash-entertainment world keeps saying goodbye to Serena Williams. For a second time last night, tributes and celebrities⁴ filled Arthur Ashe Stadium, and for a second time, Williams essentially⁵ said thanks, but save your goodbyes.

(SOUNDBITE OF GRUNTING⁶, CHEERING)

GOLDMAN: With a final thunderous return-of-serve winner, Williams beat No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit of Estonia and booked a reservation in the next round. It was the end of a dramatic three-set win. The first was a taut⁷ slugfest Williams won in a tie breaker. Kontaveit easily won the second set, 6 -2, after which Williams retreated to the locker⁸ room. Later, she was asked, what'd she do in there? A self-pep talk? Meditation⁹? No, Williams said, nothing that lofty - just a potty break.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

SERENA WILLIAMS: I just got lighter¹⁰ (laughter). Use your imagination. But it wasn't No. 2, so...

(LAUGHTER)

GOLDMAN: Yes, TMI from the world's athlete of the moment. But the break worked, and Williams won 6-2. Kontaveit played well but said Williams was just better, especially in the final set. And Williams' home stadium advantage, with thousands on her side - Kontaveit said it was something she'd never experienced.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

ANETT KONTAVEIT: You can expect something, and I saw it from the previous match, but when you're on the court, it's - it was hard.

GOLDMAN: Williams now has played two good and, she says, satisfying matches after struggling since coming back from a yearlong injury layoff¹¹.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

WILLIAMS: I've been practicing really well, but it hasn't been coming together in matches. Now it's kind of coming together, I guess.

GOLDMAN: Ominous¹² words for Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic, the next opponent up. Hopeful words for all those fans trying to say goodbye to someone who refuses to leave.

Tom Goldman, NPR News, New York.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

5 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

6 grunting   

咕哝的，呼噜的

参考例句：

• He pulled harder on the rope, grunting with the effort. 他边用力边哼声，使出更大的力气拉绳子。
• Pigs were grunting and squealing in the yard. 猪在院子里哼哼地叫个不停。

7 taut   

adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的

参考例句：

• The bowstring is stretched taut.弓弦绷得很紧。
• Scarlett's taut nerves almost cracked as a sudden noise sounded in the underbrush near them. 思嘉紧张的神经几乎一下绷裂了，因为她听见附近灌木丛中突然冒出的一个声音。

8 locker   

n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人

参考例句：

• At the swimming pool I put my clothes in a locker.在游泳池我把衣服锁在小柜里。
• He moved into the locker room and began to slip out of his scrub suit.他走进更衣室把手术服脱下来。

9 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

10 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

11 layoff   

n.临时解雇，操作停止，活动停止期间，失业期

参考例句：

• Finally, prepare an explanation about what led to your layoff.最后，要准备好一套说辞来解释你被解雇的原因。
• Workers were re-employed after the layoff.在暂时解雇不久后工人们又被再度雇用了。

12 ominous   

adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的

参考例句：

• Those black clouds look ominous for our picnic.那些乌云对我们的野餐来说是个不祥之兆。
• There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.电话那头出现了不祥的沉默。