英语听力精选进阶版 6354

The Olympic medal ceremonies have already begun. But some athletes hardly disguise¹ their disappointment when silver and not gold is hung around their necks. The British judo² silver medallist Neil Adams calls his two from the 1980s 'loser's medals'.

Until four years ago, they were in a box at the back of a cupboard. His wife then had them framed³ for his 50th birthday and they are now up on the wall.

Adams feels proud when he looks at them, but his thoughts quickly turn to 'what ifs'. "I wouldn't change much", he adds. And he wouldn't need to. Gold was within his grasp twice, but slipped away by a narrow margin⁴ on the judo mat.

"The losses at the Olympic Games were the most difficult thing for me to accept," he said. "I didn't win the silver medal. I lost the gold. In my mind they were losses. It has taken more than 30 years to get over it."

Mark Cavendish, Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah have never won Olympic gold, but they came into London 2012 as three of Team GB's biggest medal hopes. Unfortunately, Cavendish has already suffered disappointment in the cycling road race. Neil Adams was in that same position in both the 1980 and 1984 games. However, in a career in which he collected every other judo accolade⁵, things simply went wrong at the Olympics.

In Moscow 1980, Adams was just 21 years old and found the media focus and pressure of expectation too much.

Asked about being a favourite, Adams said: "It is hell⁶, and about how you cope⁷ with it in the mind. It can make you afraid to win or lose and there is a difference. I was afraid to lose. Sometimes you freeze. Sometimes it takes you over."

Adams says that he was very cautious⁸ and that when something was tactical and technical he approached it too tactically. Perhaps it's better to go in with a 'nothing to lose' attitude. That might be the reason why the Olympic Games has often created surprise results. Sometimes it's the ones who keep their cool and work the hardest who get the results.

Quiz 测验

1. According to the article, where are Neil Adams' two silver medals?

He had kept them in a box at the back of a cupboard then his wife had them framed and put on the wall.

2. How does the athlete feel about the gold medals?

That during the competition he lost them - meaning he didn't win the gold medals.

3. What advice is he giving to other athletes?

To keep their cool, meaning to keep calm.

4. What expression is used to describe when you are not feeling in control of your own actions?

It takes you over.

5. What word means 'award'?

Accolade.

Glossary 词汇表

disguise 掩饰

disappointment 失望

proud 自豪

to be within (his) grasp 就在他掌心里/近在咫尺

to slip away 溜走了

to get over it 克服它，忘却它

an accolade 一项荣誉

pressure 压力

expectation 期望

a favourite 热门选手

to be afraid 害怕

to freeze 一下子僵呆了，动不了了

to take over 控制

cautious 小心谨慎

tactical 策略上的

with nothing to lose 什么都不怕失去

to keep (their) cool 保持冷静

1 disguise   

vt.把...假扮起来；n.伪装物，假装，伪装

参考例句：

• He went about in the disguise of a sailor.他伪装成海员到处流窜。
• It is impossible to disguise the fact that business is bad.生意不好这件事无法隐瞒。

2 judo   

n.柔道

参考例句：

• The judo is a kind of fighting sport.柔道是一种对抗性体育活动。
• Which is more important in judo, strength or techniques?柔道运动中，力量和技术哪个更重要？

3 framed   

框架坝，框架建筑，榫构合

参考例句：

• The prisoner claimed that he had been framed up by his enemies. 囚犯声称他受到了仇人的诬陷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He framed his life according to a noble pattern. 他以高尚的模式构筑自己生活的框架。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

5 accolade   

n.推崇备至，赞扬

参考例句：

• Four restaurants have been awarded the highest accolade of a three-star rating.四家餐馆获授予三星级餐馆的最高荣誉称号。
• The Nobel prize has become the ultimate accolade in the sciences.诺贝尔奖已成为科学界的最高荣誉。

6 hell   

n.地狱，阴间；用以咒骂或表示愤怒，不满

参考例句：

• It's a hell of a hike from Sydney to Perth.从悉尼到珀斯的徒步旅行简直苦死了。
• The boss really gave me hell today.老板今天着实数落了我一通。

7 cope   

v.(with)竞争，对抗；对付，妥善处理

参考例句：

• He had a lot of work,but he was able to cope.他的活虽多，但还能应付得来。
• They have to cope with a mountain of problems.他们得应付成堆的问题。

8 cautious   

adj.十分小心的，谨慎的

参考例句：

• We should not only be bold,but also be cautious.我们不仅要大胆，而且要谨慎。
• He was cautious about his work.他对工作非常谨慎。