环球英语 — 203：Eric Liddell

　　Voice 1
Hello, I’m Ruby¹ Jones.
Voice 2
And I’m Mike Procter. 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
It is a warm sunny day. Many people have gathered in a place that once was Weishsien prison camp, China. They are celebrating something special – the sixtieth anniversary³ of the camp prisoners⁴ being freed. Children wave flags. Colourful fireworks explode noisily. A number of men gather round a stone memorial⁵. Silently⁶, they place a circle of flowers on it. This stone marks the death of an Olympic champion. This man had been in Weihsien prison camp. And he had died there. But this champion was not Chinese. He was from the United⁷ Kingdom. And his name was Eric Liddell.
Voice 2
Eric Liddell was born in China in 1902. His parents were from Scotland⁸. But they had moved to China some years earlier. Eric’s father was a Christian⁹ minister. He felt it was important for as many people as possible to hear the Christian message. This included people in other countries. And Eric’s parents especially loved Chinese people. They wanted to share the message of God’s love with them. Eric grew up with the same values – a love of God and a love of China.
Voice 1
Eric went to school in China until he was five. His parents then decided¹⁰ to send him and his older brother back to the United Kingdom. They thought it would be best for the children to attend school there. Rob¹¹ and Eric found it very hard to be away from their parents. But as time passed, they discovered a new interest – sport. The brothers were especially good at running. In fact, people called Eric ‘the fastest runner in Scotland’, when he was still a schoolboy!
Voice 2
In 1920 Eric joined his brother Rob at Edinburgh University. Eric continued to run. He said:
Voice 3
“God made me fast. And when I run, I feel he is pleased with me.”
Voice 2
Many people said he would represent¹² his country at the Olympic Games. But Eric had another goal in life. He and some other young men travelled to many different places in Scotland. They wanted to speak to people about the Christian message. By then, Eric was becoming famous. People knew him. And they could see that Eric’s life equalled his message. So they were willing¹³ to listen to what he said.
Voice 1
It is every sportsman¹⁴’s dream to go to the Olympic Games. And Eric Liddell was a true sportsman. His dream was about to come true. It was now 1924. The city of Paris was responsible¹⁵ for organizing the Olympic Games that year. The British running authorities¹⁶ had chosen Eric to compete in the one hundred [100] metre race. This was Eric’s best distance. But there was a problem.
Voice 2
The one hundred metre running competition began on a Sunday. Eric was a Christian. In the Bible¹⁷ God had told his people to keep one day special. It was a day for meeting together with other Christians¹⁸. It was a day for praying and reading God’s word. In Eric’s time, most people kept Sunday for this purpose. And Eric felt strongly that he should do the same. So, he would not run.
Voice 1
But the British running authorities knew how good Eric was. They persuaded him to enter the four hundred metres race instead. This competition was not on a Sunday. So Eric agreed. It was not his best distance. But it meant he could still run in the Olympics!
Voice 2
The story of Eric Liddell’s Olympic experience was made into a film. This film is called, “Chariots of Fire”. One part shows the final of the four hundred [400] metres. Everyone thinks that Liddell has no chance. He has a strange way of running. And he is better at shorter distances. Soon, the men line up to start the race. Eric Liddell shakes hands with everyone. Then, he bends over. The starter fires the gun. Each man starts to run as fast as he can. Liddell powers round the running track¹⁹. One hundred metres ... two hundred metres ... he is feeling strong. He can not see the other runners. Three hundred metres ... his head falls back. His mouth opens. His elbows push out to the sides and back. He crosses the line ... he wins!
Voice 1
Not only did Liddell win the four hundred metres, he was six metres in front of the next runner. And, he had broken the world record. It was a wonderful victory²⁰. When someone asked him how he had won, Liddell said:
Voice 3
‘I ran the first two hundred metres as fast as I could. Then, for the second two hundred metres, with God’s help I ran faster.”
Voice 1
The film, “Chariots of Fire”, won many awards. The story showed how much Eric Liddell honoured God above himself or his country. This touched many people. But few people know what happened to Eric Liddell after the Olympics.
Voice 2
Eric had not forgotten the country of his birth – China. In 1925, he decided to return there. He wanted to serve God and the Chinese people. So, Eric became a teacher. He worked in an English–Chinese College. This school was near his parents’ home. He made time for training local boys in different sports. And he also shared the Christian message with the local children. These were the two things that he loved best to do.
Voice 1
The following years brought many changes to China – and to Eric’s life. He became a Christian minister, like his father. He also got married. Florence’s family were from Canada. But they had been working in China for some years. Over the years, Eric and Florence had three daughters. They were a very happy family. But life in China was getting more difficult. There had been problems between China and nearby Japan for many years. Finally, in 1937 Japan invaded²¹ China. The area where the Liddell family lived came under Japanese control. The British government told all of its citizens to leave China. Eric Liddell sent his wife and daughters to Canada. But he decided to stay. He went to help some Christian doctors who had also stayed. They wanted to continue helping²² their Chinese friends.
Voice 2
But soon, the Japanese army put all foreign people into prison camps. Eric was sent to Weihsien camp. He tried to make life as normal as possible for the prisoners there. He began teaching²³ science to the children. He organized sports and games. He shared out supplies of medicine and food. He showed God’s love to people whenever he could. One ex–prisoner, Stephen Metcalf remembers:
Voice 4
“Eric gave me his old running shoes. My own shoes had worn²⁴ out and it was winter.”
Voice 1
But Eric’s health was failing. He developed a growth²⁵ on his brain. There was no medicine to treat this sickness. In February 1945, Eric Liddell died in the camp hospital. He was forty–three [43] years old.
Voice 2
Eric Liddell was an Olympic champion. But people remember him more as God’s champion – a man who knew how to love and serve others.
 

1 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

2 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

3 anniversary   

n.周年(纪念日)

参考例句：

• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。
• Today is my parents'30th wedding anniversary.今天是我父母结婚30周年纪念日。

4 prisoners   

n.囚徒( prisoner的名词复数 )；俘虏；被夺去自由的人[动物]等

参考例句：

• The president granted a general amnesty for all political prisoners. 总统大赦了所有的政治犯。
• The prisoners were living in appalling conditions. 囚犯的居住条件极为恶劣。

5 memorial   

adj.记忆的；纪念的；n.纪念碑，纪念堂

参考例句：

• We visited the Lincoln Memorial.我们参观了林肯纪念堂。
• He wrote a memorial of the late author.他写了一篇纪念这位已故作家的文章。

6 silently   

adv.沉默地，无声地

参考例句：

• She sat in the car,silently fuming at the traffic jam.她坐在汽车里，心中对交通堵塞感到十分恼火。
• He didn't shout,he just glared at me silently.他没有喊叫，只是默默地怒视着我。

7 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

8 Scotland   

n.苏格兰

参考例句：

• He has been hiking round Scotland for a month.他围着苏格兰徒步旅行了一个月。
• Scotland is to the north of England.苏格兰在英格兰之北。

9 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

11 rob   

v.抢劫；vi.抢劫，盗窃；vt.非法剥夺，使丧失，抢劫

参考例句：

• Two men formed a plot to rob the bank.两人制定了抢劫那家银行的秘密计划。
• They were scheming to rob the bank.他们在密谋抢劫银行。

12 represent   

vt.表现，表示；描绘，讲述；代表，象征；回忆；再赠送，再上演；vi.提出异议

参考例句：

• I'll represent to him the risk he is running.我要向他指出他所面临的险境。
• We selected her to represent us.我们选她作为我们的代表。

13 willing   

adj.愿意的，自愿的，乐意的，心甘情愿的

参考例句：

• We never lack food and clothing if we're willing to work.如果我们愿意工作,就不会缺吃少穿。
• He's quite willing to pay the price I ask.他很愿意照我的要价付钱。

14 sportsman   

n.运动员

参考例句：

• His brother is a sportsman of our school.他弟弟是我校的运动员。
• Everybody thinks he is an all-round sportsman.大家认为他是一个全能运动员。

15 responsible   

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

参考例句：

• He must be responsible to me for this matter.这件事他必须对我负责。
• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。

16 authorities   

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

参考例句：

• They interceded with the authorities on behalf of the detainees. 他们为被拘留者向当局求情。
• At his instigation we conceal the fact from the authorities. 我们受他的怂恿向当局隐瞒了事实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 bible   

n.《圣经》；得到权威支持的典籍

参考例句：

• According to the Bible we are all the seed of Adam.根据《圣经》所说的，我们都是亚当的后裔。
• This dictionary should be your Bible when studying English.学习英语时，这本字典应是你的主要参考书。

18 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

19 track   

n.轨道；足迹；痕迹；磁轨；途径；vt.循路而行；追踪；通过；用纤拉；vi.追踪

参考例句：

• The new race track is nearly six miles in extent.这条新跑道将近六英里长。
• The police are on his track.警察在跟踪他。

20 victory   

n.胜利，成功

参考例句：

• Victory will never come if we only wait for it.如果我们光是等待，胜利永远不会到来。
• It can't be questioned that we will win the final victory.我们将最终取得胜利，这是确定无疑的。

21 invaded   

v.侵入，侵略( invade的过去式和过去分词 )；涌入；侵袭；侵犯

参考例句：

• Troops invaded on August 9th that year. 军队是在那年的8月9日入侵的。
• The diseased tissue can be easily invaded by these microorganisms. 有病的组织容易被微生物侵袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

23 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

24 worn   

adj.用旧的，疲倦的；vbl.wear的过去分词

参考例句：

• The child's trousers have worn through at the knees.孩子裤子的膝盖处磨破了。
• My shoes are worn out.我的鞋子穿坏了。

25 growth   

n.生长，栽培

参考例句：

• All living things depend on the sun for their growth.万物靠太阳生长。
• Youth is the time of physical growth.青年时期是长身体的时期。