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150 北京在平静中等待奥运会申办结果
Beijing Quietly Awaits Olympic Announcement
Leta Hong Fincher
Beijing
12 Jul 2001 15:01 UTC
As the International Olympic Committee prepares to announce which city will host the 2008 Games, the mood in Beijing - widely seen as the frontrunner candidate - is of quiet 1)anticipation. The government has avoided organizing public 2)festivities, just in case Beijing loses.
After months of waging an intense campaign in support of Beijing's 2008 Olympic 3)bid, the government has reined in its 4)propaganda organs and is letting people await the results quietly.
There are no 5)massive celebration plans if Beijing wins, so many Beijing residents were planning to spend the evening at home, watching the announcement on television.
At a crowded outdoor market for 6)fake designer jeans, purses, and scarves, vendors sit by their stalls, fanning themselves in the summer heat and discussing their hopes for China to win the Olympic bid. "I am inviting a group of friends over to watch TV, drink a lot of alcohol, and cheer loudly," said a 20-something 7)vendor who calls himself Mr. Zhang. "If we win," he said, "I will announce a big 8)discount on my clothes. If we lose, I will throw away the TV."
Most Beijing residents still remember vividly the humiliation of eight years ago, when the city lost its bid for the 2000 Olympics to Sydney by only two votes. And the possibility of a second defeat could be painful for some. One teenage girl 9)sipping a cold soft drink in Beijing's Ritan Park did not wish to disclose her name, but admitted that it would be a great loss of face for China if it loses again. The government has 10)avoided comments on how it might handle public disappointment in the event that Beijing's bid to host the Games fails. At a news conference Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue declined to answer questions about whether the government expected any widespread 11)discontent if the Olympics go to another city. She merely repeated Beijing's demand that human rights issues should not interfere with the Olympic bid, and that an overwhelming 96 percent of Chinese support hosting the games.
Still, Chinese newspapers in the final days leading up to the announcement have 12)played down Beijing's frontrunner status. So many residents say they will not be 13)devastated if their city fails, despite their hopes. Mr. Liu, another middle-aged street vendor, said, "of course we want China to win. But if we do not, we will not be too discouraged." He said the government can always try again for the next Olympic Games.
(1) anticipation[AntIsI5peF(E)n]n.预期, 预料
(2) festivity[fe5stIvItI]n.欢宴, 欢庆
(3) propaganda[prRpE5^AndE]n.宣传, [天主教]传道总会
(4) bid[bId]vt.出价, 投标n.出价, 投标v.支付
(5) massive[5mAsIv]adj.厚重的, 大块的, 魁伟的, 结实的
(6) fake[feIk]n.假货, 欺骗adj.假的vt.伪造, 赝造, 捏造vi.伪装
(7) vendor[5vendE(r), -dC:(r)]n.卖主
(8) discount[5dIskaJnt]n.折扣
(9) sip[sIp]v.吸吮
(10) avoid[E5vCId]vt.避免, 消除
(11) discontent[dIskEn5tent]n.不满
(12) play down v.降低, 贬低, 减少
(13) devastate[5devEsteIt]vt.毁坏
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