英语听力精选进阶版 6125

The Paralympic Games 残疾人奥运会

While many of the world’s most famous athletes are gearing¹ up for the Beijing Olympics in August, there are other athletes training every bit as hard for a second Olympic games in September.

The 14th Paralympic Games will see disabled athletes from around the world compete in 20 events ranging from wheelchair fencing to powerlifting.

The Paralympic movement began at a British hospital in the aftermath of the Second World War, when sport was introduced as a therapeutic² treatment for returning servicemen with spinal³ injuries.

The first games took place in 1948 in London with two British teams competing in an archery competition. By 1960 the games had grown to include international athletes and were held in the same city as the Olympic Games.

It is unclear where the name Paralympics came from but it was probably first coined as a pun or ‘portmanteau’ word combining the words paraplegic and Olympic. These days, however, the term ‘para’ is seen to signify⁴ a parallel competition that sits side by side with the main Olympic Games.

As well as athletes who have suffered spinal injuries, the modern Paralympics invites competitors with visual impairment, athletes with cerebral⁵ palsy, and amputees to participate in the games.

Although most of the Paralympic sports are also included in the Olympic Games, there are some sports that are unique to the Paralympics.

Boccia is a game similar to bowls in which the competitor attempts to throw a number of leather balls as closely as possible to a target ball; the wheelchair dance event sees athletes perform dance routines with each other or with able-bodied partners.

So if you are a sports fan, remember that when the Olympic Games have finished, the Paralympics are just about to begin.

GLOSSARY 词汇表

gearing up 做好准备

disabled athletes 残疾运动员

wheelchair fencing 轮椅击剑

powerlifting 力量举重

aftermath 后果

therapeutic treatment 治疗处理

servicemen 军人

spinal injuries 脊髓损伤

archery 射箭

coined 被发明

pun 妙语双关

portmanteau 合成词

paraplegic 半身麻痹的

parallel 平行的，同时进行的

visual impairment 视觉缺陷

cerebral palsy 大脑性麻痹症

amputees 截肢患者

bowls 滚球运动

dance routines 舞蹈动作

able-bodied 体格健全的

1 gearing   

n.传动装置

参考例句：

• The Department is gearing up for increased intake of students. 这个系正在为扩大招生做好准备。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• However perhaps the biggest change is to gearing. 当然最大的改动也许是生产效率模式(gearing)。 来自互联网

2 therapeutic   

adj.治疗的，起治疗作用的；对身心健康有益的

参考例句：

• Therapeutic measures were selected to fit the patient.选择治疗措施以适应病人的需要。
• When I was sad,music had a therapeutic effect.我悲伤的时候，音乐有治疗效力。

3 spinal   

adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的

参考例句：

• After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天，就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
• Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。

4 signify   

vt.表示...的意思，意味，预示

参考例句：

• State ownership in itself does not signify collective control.国家所有本身并不意味集体控制。
• The striped band round a policeman's sleeve is to signify that he is on duty.警察袖子上的袖标标明他正在执勤。

5 cerebral   

adj.脑的，大脑的；有智力的，理智型的

参考例句：

• Your left cerebral hemisphere controls the right-hand side of your body.你的左半脑控制身体的右半身。
• He is a precise,methodical,cerebral man who carefully chooses his words.他是一个一丝不苟、有条理和理智的人，措辞谨慎。