dialogue 1
Naja: Ping-pong must be the top-ranking popular sport in China. It seems to me in everyschool, factory, army unit, or residential area, men and women. young and old, are
swingins paddlcs.
乓球一定是中國人最愛玩的運動。貌似在每一所掣校、軍隊機關(guān)、和居民區(qū),男男女女、老老少少都在揮拍擊球.
Uu: You got it! In a sense, it has become a byword for Chinesc sport.
這你可說對啦。乒乓球簡直就是中國體育的代名詞
N: What do you tbink might be the source of its popularity?
你覺得它為什么會這么流行昵?
L: I think its critical advantage lies in its low cost. A1l you nced is a racket, a table and a light. celluloid ball.Tablcs are usually available in public recrcation ares, like mncss rooms. and outdoor playgrounds...
我猜-它的最大優(yōu)點是便宜。你只需要一塊球拍、一張球臺,加上—只輕飄飄的賽璐璐做的小球。在公共體閑蝸所,如健身房和戶外操場,總能找到一兩張球臺的.
N: And somctimes a substitute tablc can be madc out of a fh desks.
有時候,幾張桌子一拼,就是-張簡易球臺?
L Put it there! In senior high schools, wc used to play on desks in tbc classroom,who no vacant tables wereaVailablc. Likewise. the ticket may take a varicty of forms, too.
Anything that resemblcs a racket, from a plank to cardboard or cvcn a hardcover book, may be used as a racket.
太對了I讀高中的時候,球臺被別人占用了,我們就經(jīng)常在教室里拼起課桌來打,同樣,我們用的球拍也是五花八門.只要看著像塊球拍,管它是木板還是紙板,或者是一本硬皮的書,都可以拿來做球拍.
N: Haha thcese are very good innovations. All tll these bespeak the public's fondness for the sport
哈哈,多好的創(chuàng)意啊.這都說明人們愛好這項運動。
L: Yeah, the sport is affordable and accessible to every Tom, Dick and Jane in this dcvcloping country. No wonder cven the statc leaders arc known to be keen on it.
是的.中國還是個發(fā)展中國家,乒乓球是大伙兒都玩得起昀運動,國家領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人也都愛玩.
N: I sec. There was also the famous ping pong diplomacy", wasn't there?
我明白了.歷史上還有著名的“乒乓外交一,對吧?
dialogue 2
N: At the Bcijing Olympics, all four table tennis cVcnts were all-Chinese finals. A clean sweep againl
北京奧運會土,乒乓球所有四個單項比賽的冠亞軍都是中國選手,中固隊又來了一次包攬!
L YeS. All international ping-pon8 tournamcnts have become a demonstration of Chinese supremacy in the sport.
是的,任何一項國際乒乓球比賽項目都是中國隊展現(xiàn)實力的舞臺.
N: Do you know of any secrets to China's success?
你看中國隊成功的秘訣在哪兒呢?
L: In the first place, I think the whole nation is just fond of the game. It is wcll grounded with the mass. With huge numbers of people playing ping-pong, we can always spot a handful of potential world champions.
我想,這首先是因為全固上下都熱愛這項運動,在老百姓當(dāng)中有著雄厚的基礎(chǔ).只要有大量的人在打乒乓球,我們總是能發(fā)掘一批潛在的世界冠軍的。
N: So, the national ping-pong team must bc a highly competitiVc membership.
阻家乒乓球隊一定是個競爭非常激烈的地方吧.
L: Sure.There is a careful mechanism for selecting players from provincial tf:ams, and those lucky dogs have to observc strict rules.
那當(dāng)然.從省隊選拔運動員到國家隊時,我們有著一套極為嚴(yán)密的機制。而且即使有幸被吸收進(jìn)了圍家隊,運動員們也必須遵守一些非常嚴(yán)格的紀(jì)律。
N: Forcxample?
比如說?
L They are subject to hard training. And you know what, for a pIaycr on the national team,pcrsonal affairs are supposed to take a back seat to training and competition8.I hcy are noteven allowed to talk rclationships with each other.
他們必須接受高強度訓(xùn)練。而且,你知道嗎,對于一名國家隊的隊員,個人私事必須讓位于訓(xùn)練和比賽,他們之間甚至不允許談戀愛.
N: Oh, dear! It's an cncroachmcnt on individual rights!
天哪!這可是侵犯個人權(quán)利啊。
L Well, ping-pong is our national sport, and we just have to kcep winning one honor after another. That's why many people think such rulcs acccptable. Afler all, tbcy are fundcdout of taxpayers'money.
嗯,可以這么說,不過,乒乓球是我們的國球,我們不得不不停地奪取榮譽,所以對這些規(guī)定,許多人還是覺得理所應(yīng)當(dāng).畢竟,國家隊是用納稅人的餞養(yǎng)著的.