英语听力—环球英语 1194 Running Strong

 　　Voice 1

 

　　Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Adam Navis.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　And I'm Robin² Basselin. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Emil Zatopek was not a beautiful runner. His head turned up, his face locked in struggle. He breathed loud and heavy. His chest would move from side to side. But he was fast. Famous running teacher Larry Synder said, "Zatopek does everything wrong, but win."

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Today's Spotlight in on Emil Zatopek. Emil Zatopek was a runner whose life was filled with both Olympic glory and personal suffering. But it was these difficult conditions that shaped him the most, as a runner and as a human being.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Zatopek lived in the former Czechoslovakia. His childhood was nothing special. He was an average child. But when he was nineteen years old, he was working in a shoe factory. The shoe factory decided³ to hold a fifteen kilometre race. Zatopek had never trained for any kind of sport. But later in his life he described the time this way to Radio Free Europe writer, Frank⁴ T. Csongos:

 

　　Voice 3

 

　　"One day, the factory sports leader pointed⁵ at four boys and ordered us to run in a race. I protested⁶ that I was weak and not fit to run. But the coach sent me for a physical test. The doctor said that I was perfectly⁷ well. So I had to run. When I got started, I felt I wanted to win. But I only came in second. That was the way it started."

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　But the conditions in the former Czechoslovakia were not good for becoming a runner. The year was 1939. Germany had taken control of the country. Tanks and soldiers marched through the streets. But Zatopek accepted the situation. Later in life, he described the time to Leigh Montville, a writer for Sports Illustrated⁸:

 

　　Voice 3

 

　　"There were no dances. Social events were not permitted. Every night there we had to be home at sunset. I did not have a car. There was no meat to eat most of the time, only vegetables."

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　With nothing else to do, Zatopek ran everywhere. He ran to work. He ran home. When he had to stay inside he would run in place. He would put his dirty clothes in a washing container and run on them. This way he got exercise and clean clothes at the same time.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　There were no experts to tell him how to run better. So Zatopek tried different things. He would run in military boots: tall, heavy shoes. He ran wearing a gas-mask, a device⁹ to protect against breathing gases. He thought this would force him to breathe better. After he got married, he would run with his wife riding on his back. All through World War Two, Zatopek did the best with what he had.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　In 1948, the war was over. Zatopek could travel to the Olympic Games. That year, the Olympics was in London, England. He finally had a chance to run against the best in the world. Zatopek ran two events: the five kilometre and ten kilometre race. The rough training had made Zatopek strong. He won the ten kilometre race and came in second in the five kilometre.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Over the next six years, Zatopek won thirty eight [38] ten kilometre races without losing. He set world records at distances from the five kilometres to thirty kilometres. But the highlight¹⁰ of his running career came at the 1952 Olympics.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　The 1952 Olympic Games were in Helsinki, Finland. The former Czechoslovakia did not have many good distance runners. Zatopek could choose any events he wanted. So he chose all of them. He ran the five kilometres and won a gold medal. He ran the ten kilometres and won another gold medal. But then came the marathon. He had never run 26.2 miles before. He did not know how fast to run. He had no idea what to do.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Zatopek decided to run near Jim Peters. Jim Peters was from England and held the world record in the marathon. The two men ran together for the first fifteen kilometres. Peters tried to lose Zatopek by running very fast. Zatopek was known for talking a lot during runs. He asked Peters what he thought of the race so far. Peters tried to fool Zatopek by saying that they were going too slow. Zatopek was surprised. But he decided that Peters must know what he was talking about. Zatopek increased his speed and left Peters behind him. Peters was so crushed¹¹ that he could not even finish the race. Zatopek finished with a new world record. He described running the marathon this way:

 

　　Voice 3

 

　　"I was unable to walk for a whole week after that. The race took that much from me. But it was the most pleasant exhaustion¹² I have ever known."

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Zatopek continued to run until the 1956 Olympics. He finished sixth in the marathon. Then he retired¹³ from running. He and his wife enjoyed several years of public life. They were famous in Czechoslovakia. During this time the country was controlled by the former Soviet¹⁴ Union. In 1968, the people of Czechoslovakia tried to create government reforms. These included easing¹⁵ government control on travel, newspapers, and speech. Zatopek publicly supported these reforms.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　In response, the Soviet Union sent soldiers and tanks into Czechoslovakia. Many people stopped protesting¹⁶, but Zatopek continued to speak. As a result, he was given a choice. He could stop protesting and become an international ambassador¹⁷ for the Communist Party. This would prove to the world that he supported the new Soviet government. Or he could go to work in the uranium mines. He chose the dangerous mines. For six years, Zatopek worked in the mines before he was released¹⁸. For the next 22 years, Zatopek did any job he could find. He dug water holes. He carried building materials. He cut down trees. He did this until 1989 and the second Czechoslovakian revolution.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Zatopek died on November 22, 2000. Eight days later his country chose him as the "Czech Sporting Legend of the Century." Before he died the government apologized for the way they treated him. To this day he is celebrated¹⁹ by the Czech people. Zatopek's life was difficult, but it made him strong. He was a strong runner. He had a strong will. And he was strong in spirit.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　The writer and producer of this program was Adam Navis. The voices you heard were from the United States. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. Computer users²⁰ can hear our programs, read our scripts²¹, and see our word list on our website at http://www.Radio.English.net This .program is called "Running Strong."

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　If you have a comment or question for Spotlight you can email us. Our email address is Radio @ English . net. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Thank you for listening. Goodbye!

1 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。

2 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

3 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。

4 frank   

adj.坦白的，直率的，真诚的

参考例句：

• A frank discussion can help to clear the air.坦率的谈论有助于消除隔阂。
• She is frank and outgoing.她很爽朗。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 protested   

v.声明( protest的过去式和过去分词 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• He protested he was being cheated of his rightful share. 他提出抗议说他被人骗取了他依法应得的份额。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Amy protested she was being cheated of her rightful share. 艾米提出抗议，说有人骗取了她依法应得的份额。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

8 illustrated   

adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。
• The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。

9 device   

n.器械，装置；计划，策略，诡计

参考例句：

• The device will be in production by the end of the year.该装置将于年底投入生产。
• The device will save much time and effort for us.这种装置会使我们节省大量时间和气力。

10 highlight   

n.加亮区；v.加亮，强调；[计算机]醒目

参考例句：

• Her performance was the highlight of the show.她的表演是那场演出中最精彩的部分。
• The highlight of this term is the school trip to Austria.这学期最重要的活动就是去奥地利的校外旅行。

11 crushed   

a.压碎的，倒碎的

参考例句：

• The car was completely crushed under the truck. 小轿车被卡车压得完全变形了。
• The box was crushed when the car ran over it. 汽车辗过箱子时把它给压碎了。

12 exhaustion   

n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述

参考例句：

• She slept the sleep of exhaustion.她因疲劳而酣睡。
• His exhaustion was obvious when he fell asleep standing.他站着睡着了，显然是太累了。

13 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

14 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

15 easing   

松开，放松

参考例句：

• Eucalyptus oil is good for easing muscular aches and pains. 桉树油可以很好地缓解肌肉的疼痛。
• Everywhere at about the same time the work was easing off. 几乎在同一时候，到处工作都搞完了。 来自英汉文学

16 protesting   

v.声明( protest的现在分词 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• They were formally protesting. 他们正式提出抗议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were protesting soaring prices. 他们抗议物价暴涨。 来自辞典例句

17 ambassador   

n.大使，特使，（派驻国际组织的）代表

参考例句：

• He took up office as an ambassador for ten years continuously.他连任十年大使。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

18 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

19 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

20 users   

用户，使用者( user的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new software will prove a boon to Internet users. 这种新软件将会对互联网用户大有益处。
• Ramps should be provided for wheelchair users. 应该给轮椅使用者提供坡道。

21 scripts   

剧本( script的名词复数 )； 文字； 笔迹； （一种语言的）字母系统

参考例句：

• Many felt he was prostituting his talents by writing Hollywood scripts. 许多人觉得他给好莱坞写剧本是滥用自己的才华。
• The scripts had a rather tired plot. 这部陈旧的剧本的情节是非常俗套的。