2015-10-19 A gold medal for … partying 获得“派对狂欢比赛”金牌

巴西里约热内卢准备迎接成千上万前来参加奥林匹克运动会这一世界上最大体育盛事的游客们。这座巴西现代城市会给我们带来怎样的惊喜？巴西是否从举办2014年世界杯比赛过程中吸取了经验教训以便更成功地举办2016年奥运会？《随身英语》带你走进里约热内卢。

课文内容

Vocabulary: partying 词汇: 派对狂欢

Brazilians certainly know how to throw a party – but will Rio be ready to welcome over 10,000 athletes and all the international visitors to the 2016 Olympics? At the moment, some natives of Rio (known locally as ‘Cariocas’) aren’t too enthusiastic about the Games. They know they’ll be putting up with a lot more roadworks and infrastructure building before the Olympic torch is lit in the Maracanã Stadium next August.

Delays in venue construction gave the International Olympic Committee a fright in 2014. The government has since cleaned up its act and was praised recently for being ”on the right track”, although the challenge of cleaning up the highly polluted waters of the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon and Guanabara Bay – venues for the sailing and rowing competitions – remains.

Fortunately, Brazil has learnt a lot from hosting the World Cup in 2014. Some businesses realised they were missing a trick by not communicating well with their international customers. Restaurants now know that using the internet to translate the menu isn’t always a good idea: ‘bife a cavalo’ isn’t really ‘horse steak’ – it’s beef with a fried egg on top!

Security was a key challenge in 2014 – and during the Olympics, the police will be working hard to prevent street crime. As with other developing countries, crime rates are high, and visitors will be encouraged to keep their wits about them so as to avoid falling victim to pickpockets or muggers.

So while the Cariocas are already becoming athletes – by jumping and running across construction sites on their daily commute – they know that the Games have the potential to be a great spectacle, they will be able to let their hair down, and international visitors will have a good time in their company.

Even those Brazilians who have their reservations, know deep down something that others don’t. An old local saying goes: ‘Deus é Brasileiro’ (‘God is Brazilian’). They hope he will give them a hand to make the games a success. And you can be sure that whatever happens – or doesn’t happen – Brazilians will show the world why they have such a reputation as party people!

词汇表

to throw a party 举行派对、聚会
infrastructure 基础设施
venue 场所
fright (noun) 惊吓
to clean up one’s act 改进作风，改善行为
on the right track 步入正轨，（做法、想法）正确
to host 做东道主
to miss a trick 错过时机
to keep one’s wits about one 保持头脑清醒，保持警觉
pickpocket 小偷，扒手
mugger 拦路抢劫犯
to let one’s hair down 放松一下，尽情享受
to have a good time 过得愉快，玩得开心
reservations 疑义，顾虑
to give someone a hand 祝某人一臂之力

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. Why are some people from Rio unhappy about hosting the Olympics?
2. True or false? The government has cleaned the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon at the request of the IOC.
3. How did some Rio restaurants confuse international customers during the World Cup?
4. Which word in the article means ‘regular travel between home and workplace’?
5. Who do Brazilians say will help guarantee success at Rio 2016?

2. 请你在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。从每个表格中选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。

1. __________ are a cause for concern in developing countries.

Quick hands              Crime rates          Belongings          Missing a trick

2. The British Olympic swimming team did well in the last Olympic Games and _________ to win some medals in Rio. They have been training a lot.

are on the right track           missed a trick          are having a ball          let their hair down

3. Hurry up! We’re late for the swimming competition and we still have to find the __________.

venue          on the right track          building site          infrastructure

4. Be careful when going home at night. This area is not very safe and you have to __________.

let your hair down          keep your wits about you          have a good time          give them a hand

5. This is my dream job! I’m __________ doing what I love the most.

missing a trick           having a ball          cleaning up your act           throwing a party

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. Why are some people from Rio unhappy about hosting the Olympics?
They have to deal with a lot of construction work in their city.

2. True or false? The government has cleaned the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon at the request of the IOC.
False. Cleaning the Lagoon will be a challenge, but the article doesn’t say that they have done it already.

3. How did some Rio restaurants confuse international customers during the World Cup?
They used the internet to translate their menus, but some of the resulting names were confusing.

4. Which word in the article means ‘regular travel between home and workplace’?
‘Commute’. It’s used as a noun in the article but can also be a verb.

5. Who do Brazilians say will help guarantee success at Rio 2016?
There is a saying that ‘God is Brazilian’, and many people believe he will help them.

2. 请你在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。从每个表格中选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。

1. Crime rates are a cause for concern in developing countries.

2. The British Olympic swimming team did well in the last Olympic Games and are on the right track to win some medals in Rio. they have been training a lot.

3. Hurry up! We are late for the swimming competition and we still have to find the venue.

4. Be careful when going home at night. This area is not very safe and you have to keep your wits about you.

5. This is my dream job! I’m having a ball doing what I love the most.