VOA标准英语2008年-Olympic Games Showcase Amateur Athletes

By Brian Padden
Washington
16 June 2008

The upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing will feature over 300 sporting events. While many events like swimming and basketball are dominated¹ by professional athletes, the games still showcase amateur² athletes. These competitors will probably never become rich or famous. They must balance work and training, and they struggle to pay for travel and other expenses. Still they persist³ for the chance to pursue⁴ the Olympic dream. As VOA's Brian Padden reports, the public identifies with these scrappy idealists. (Part 4 of 5)

South Africa's Marlon August is close to achieving his life-long dream to compete in the Olympics. "The best would be to get a medal at the Olympics," said August.

He recently qualified⁵ for his country's Olympic Judo⁶ team. To achieve that, he trained, every day, before and after work as an office assistant. He says his employer⁷ has supported his dream. "I work for my mother, who is very understanding," said August. "She has known my dreams since I was very young, so she supports me. She pays me enough just to pay my bills. The rest I do by myself."
　

Steve Roush, 15 Apr 2008

Steve Roush is chief of sports performance with the U.S. Olympic Committee. He has been involved with the Olympics for over 20 years. He says he sees ordinary people, time and again, dedicating⁸ their lives to winning a place on an Olympic team.

"I think it's the purity⁹ of the Olympics that changes people's mindset," he said. "I also think there is a thing that I refer to as Olympic fever. And when you catch that, it's very hard to do anything but pursue it."

But Olympic fever is not always enough. Cambodian marathon runner Hem¹⁰ Bun Ping receives some government support, approximately $30 a month. But he says he cannot afford the diet he needs to compete against professional athletes.

"I think that I cannot beat the athletes from the other countries," he said. "It's like comparing the sky and the earth, because we lack everything we need. But I will try my best. I don't think I will beat everybody else, but at least I hope to beat my personal best time."

American Olympic hopeful Sarah Trowbridge is more optimistic. In the early mornings, she and other top American rowers can be found rowing on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. They train there with U.S. national team coach Matt Madigan. "[The] Potomac Boat Club is one of the best, kind of [a] feeder program onto the national team," said Trowbridge. "They have really strong programs, coaches, a lot of good girls, so it's a really a good place to be if you are trying to make the national team."

Many boat club members support themselves by working for a high-tech¹¹ mapping company. The head of the company, Sean Gorman, is a one-time national rowing champion. He offers the rowers flexible hours so they can train. Gorman says employing these Olympic hopefuls is a good business decision. "We found the same characteristics that make people successful in rowing at a high level also make them great employees," he said.

Roush says while the inclusion of professional athletes has not hurt the Olympic games, the general public still favors those who are sacrificing so much - over the professionals.

"They don't embrace¹² them as they do the canoe¹³ kayaker who is making $12,000 a year, and that's all they are making, yet they are able to pay for their training expenses, be able to travel world-wide, raise a family," said Roush. "People just identify with them and feel for them and I think get behind and support them."

Win or lose, Roush says these amateur athletes, when they compete in Beijing, will inspire a new generation of Olympic hopefuls, going for the gold.

1 dominated   

受控的 -tive

参考例句：

• As a child he was dominated by his father. 他小时候由父亲主宰一切。
• His personality dominated over the other members of the committee. 他的人格影响委员会的其他成员。

2 amateur   

adj.业余的，非专业的；n.业余爱好者

参考例句：

• He made an amateur attempt to build a cupboard.他很外行地试做了一个碗柜。
• Although Tom's only an amateur he's a first-class player.虽然汤姆只是个业余爱好者，但却是一流的高手。

3 persist   

v.持续，存留；坚持不懈，执意

参考例句：

• The bad weather will persist all over the country.这种坏天气将在全国各地持续下去。
• His strength of will enabled him to persist.他的意志力使他能坚持下去。

4 pursue   

vt.继续，从事；追赶，追踪；追求

参考例句：

• He began to pursue an easy and comfortable life.他开始追求安逸舒适的生活。
• This is the path that we shall continue to pursue.这是我们要继续走的道路。

5 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

6 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？

7 employer   

n.雇用方，雇主

参考例句：

• My employer deducted ten pounds from my wages this week.我的雇主从我本周的工钱中扣除了十英镑。
• His monthly salary is paid into the bank by his employer.他的月薪由雇主替他存入银行。

8 dedicating   

v.奉献( dedicate的现在分词 )；（为表示感情或敬意将著作、乐曲、艺术作品等）题献给（某人、某事业等）(to)；（在书、音乐或作品的前部）题献辞；以…供奉

参考例句：

• With confidence, you will find pleasure in serious dedicating life. 有了信心，你就会在严肃的献身生活中找到乐趣。 来自互联网
• The Beauty Queen spends her time dedicating parks and bursing homes. 她为自己的事业贡献了毕生的精力。 来自互联网

9 purity   

n.纯净，纯洁，纯度

参考例句：

• She was a woman of purity and goodness.她是一位纯洁善良的妇女。
• The white colour is a symbol of purity.白色是纯洁的象征。

10 hem   

n.贴边，镶边；vt.缝贴边；(in)包围，限制

参考例句：

• The hem on her skirt needs sewing.她裙子上的褶边需要缝一缝。
• The hem of your dress needs to be let down an inch.你衣服的折边有必要放长1英寸。

11 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

12 embrace   

vt.拥抱；包括；包围，环绕；n.拥抱，怀抱

参考例句：

• He held her to him in a warm embrace.他热列地拥抱她。
• The hills embrace the village.山丘环绕着村庄。

13 canoe   

n.独木舟；vi.乘独木舟，划独木舟

参考例句：

• They slid the canoe down to the water.他们使小舟滑到水中。
• It is only the second time he has been in a canoe.这仅是他第二次乘小游艇。