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Deaflympics: Power in Me 听障奥运在台北：无声的力量

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

You’ve probably noticed lots of billboards popping up everywhere featuring deaf Taiwanese sports stars promoting the Deaflympics. It’s because Taipei will be the host city for the 2009 games, which are a celebration of the athletic abilities of the world’s top deaf athletes. Thousands of these athletes will compete in 20 exciting sports in venues around Taipei this month, but before the games get underway, let’s take a closer look at how far the Deaflympics have come.

你大概已经注意到四处林立的广告广告牌上，台湾听障运动明星们在为听障奥运做宣传。台北是2009年听障奥运的主办城市，此一赛事的目的是为颂扬全球顶尖听障选手的运动能力。本月将有数千名选手在台北各地的体育场进行20项刺激的体育竞赛，但在比赛开始前，让我们更进一步认识听障奥运的演进发展。

The first Deaflympics were held in the summer of 1924 in Paris, but, back then, the games were known as the International Silent Games. The winter version of the Deaflympics began a quarter of a century later. A competition solely for deaf athletes was the brainchild of Eugene Rubens-Alcais, the president of the French Deaf Sports Federation. In his day, deaf people faced many prejudices and were often viewed as being inferior. Rubens-Alcais sought to change that with a sporting event that could showcase the amazing athletic talents of the hearing-impaired. Deaf athletes face unique challenges, such as not being able to hear the starting gun at the beginning of a race, but the games have been tailored to suit their special needs.

第一届听障奥运于1924年夏天在巴黎举行，但当时比赛名为「国际无声运动会」，而冬季听奥则在25年后才开始举办。此一专为聋人选手举办的比赛是法国听障运动联盟主席尤金．鲁宾艾凯的创意。在他那个年代，听障人士备受歧视，且常被认为低人一等。为改变世人对听障者的观感，鲁宾艾凯试图藉由体育赛事来展现听力受损者惊人的运动天赋。听障运动员会面临独特的挑战，像是无法听到比赛开始的枪响等，但这比赛已经过修改以符合他们的特殊需求。

Although the name “Deaflympics” probably makes you think of the Olympics, the Deaflympics aren’t officially affiliated with the Olympic Games. However, the International Olympic Committee agrees with the spirit of the Deaflympics and, therefore, has allowed them to use the Olympic flag in the opening and closing ceremonies since 2001.

虽然「听障奥运」这个名称可能让你联想到奥林匹克运动会，但它并非奥林匹克家族正式的一员。然而，国际奥运委员会因认同听奥的精神，故从2001年起，允许他们在开幕及闭幕典礼上使用奥运会旗。

Vocabulary

单词发音

billboard [ˋbɪl͵bord] n. 广告; 广告牌

athletic [æθˋlɛtɪk] adj. 运动的，体育的

get underway 开始，启动 to begin

solely [ˋsollɪ] adv. 仅仅；完全

federation [͵fɛdəˋreʃən] n. 联盟

prejudice [ˋprɛdʒədɪs] n. 偏见

inferior [ɪnˋfɪrɪɚ] adj.（地位等）低等的；下级的

seek [sik] v. 寻找；追求

showcase [ˋʃo͵kes] v. 使展现；使亮相; 陈列

amazing [əˋmezɪŋ] adj. 惊人的，令人吃惊的

impaired [ɪmˋpɛrd] adj. 受损的；（能力）减弱的

tailor [ˋtelɚ] v. 修改；使合适

affiliate [əˋfɪlɪ͵etɪd] v. 使隶属于[H][（+to/with）]

committee [kəˋmɪtɪ] n. 委员会

More Information

单词发音

deaflympics [dɛfˋlɪmpɪks] n. 听障奥林匹克运动会，简称听障奥运或听奥

pop up【口】出现, 发生(尤指出乎意料) to arise suddenly; to appear without warning

venue [ˋvɛnju] n. 举办地点﹐举行场所﹐会场

brainchild [ˋbren͵tʃaɪld] n.（某人的）创作，独创的观念

ceremony [ˋsɛrə͵monɪ] n. 仪式，典礼

课文朗读

课文讲解 

The logo for the Taipei Deaflympics was inspired by the Chinese character for “north.” Graphic artists manipulated the character to make it look like an athlete in motion, and when viewed in a certain way, it also resembles an ear.

台北听奥的标志设计灵感来自中国字「北」。平面设计师（美编人员）巧妙地处理字体，使它看起来像一个运动中的选手，且从某个角度看，也像一只耳朵。

The mascots for the Deaflympics are a male and a female green tree frog, which are awesome athletes of the animal kingdom in their own right. Although tiny, green tree frogs are known for their ability to leap great distances. In a way, these frogs are a metaphor for Taiwan, a relatively small country that has grown by leaps and bounds in terms of economic progress over the past few decades. The banyan leaf worn by the male frog and the azalea worn by the female represent Taipei’s City’s official tree and flower.

听奥吉祥物是两只树蛙，雌雄各一，牠们本身在动物王国中就是很厉害的运动好手。体型虽小，但牠们以跳远能力见长。就某方面来说，牠们也象征着台湾，虽然是相当小的国家，但过去几十年来，经济成长可谓一日千里。雄树蛙头上的榕树叶及雌树蛙戴的杜鹃花代表了台北市的市树及市花。

Taiwan will be well-represented at the games, with high expectations placed on many exceptional Taiwanese athletes. Bowler Chang Li-hsiao, known as the “Medal Snatcher,” already has four gold medals and two silvers under his belt. Table tennis doubles partners Wen Chih-hsuan and Yang Jung-tsung will be looking to repeat their gold medal performance from the 2005 Melbourne Deaflympics.

许多优秀的台湾选手背负着国人高度期望，将在此次赛事中全力表现，为国争光。人称「夺牌机器」的保龄球选手张立孝已得过四面金牌及两面银牌。桌球双打搭档温智璇及杨荣宗则希望能重演2005年墨尔本听奥夺金时的精采表现。

All the athletes at the 2009 Deaflympics will have the slogan of the games, “Power in Me,” in mind when they compete in their respective events. Not only are the games an opportunity for these athletes to show the world what they’ve got, but they’re also a chance for Taipei to showcase itself as an ideal venue for international sporting events. So, come show your support for Taiwan and all the Deaflympics athletes when the games take place in Taipei from September 5th to 15th.

所有2009年听障奥运的参赛选手在各自比赛时，都会将竞赛标语「无声的力量」谨记心中。这次比赛不仅是这些选手向世人展现实力的机会，也是台北展其足为国际体育赛事合适场地的良机。所以，9月5日至15日比赛期间，请到台北支持台湾及所有听奥选手吧。

−by Joe Henley

Vocabulary

单词发音

logo [ˋlogo] n.〔公司或组织的〕标识; 标志

graphic [ˋgræfɪk] adj. 绘画的

in motion 在运动中

awesome [ˋɔsəm] adj.【美﹐非正式】很好的; 了不起的

in one’s own right 根据自己的权利, 凭自己的能力或资格, 独自地 by reason of one's own ability or ownership etc

in a way 在某种程度上

by leaps and bounds 非常迅速地

economic [͵ikəˋnɑmɪk] adj. 经济上的

expectation [͵ɛkspɛkˋteʃən] n. 期待；预期

exceptional [ɪkˋsɛpʃən!] adj. 优秀的；卓越的

medal [ˋmɛd!] n. 奖章

performance [pɚˋfɔrməns] n. 表演; （人的）技能

slogan [ˋslogən] n. 口号，标语

respective [rɪˋspɛktɪv] adj. 分别的；各自的

ideal [aɪˋdiəl] adj. 理想的，完美的

More Information

单词发音

manipulate [məˋnɪpjə͵let] v. 巧妙地处理; 运用

resemble [rɪˋzɛmb!] v. 像，类似

mascot [ˋmæskət] n. 吉祥物

metaphor [ˋmɛtəfɚ] n. 隐喻; 暗喻〔将一物比喻为具有相似质量的另一物﹐而不用“像”﹑“如”等字眼〕

banyan [ˋbænjən] n.【植】榕树

azalea [əˋzeljə] n.【植】杜鹃花

bowler [ˋbolɚ] n. 玩保龄球戏的人

snatcher [ˋsnætʃɚ] n. 抢夺者

under one’s belt【口】达到的; 获得的 achieved; counted or scored

doubles [ˋdʌb!z] n. 双打

Reading Questions 

1. Which is true about the history of the Deaflympics?

A. In 1924, the winter games were held for the first time.

B. The first games were held in Taipei.

C. The Deaflympics became affiliated with the Olympic Games in 2001.

D. They were originally known by another name.

2. What is NOT true about the Taipei Deaflympics from the article?

A. The official mascots are a banyan tree and an azalea flower.

B. It will last for 11 days in September, 2009.

C. Taiwanese athletes are promoting the games on large advertisements.

D. Its logo is based on a Chinese character.

3. What do we know about deaf Taiwanese athletes?

A. They have won more gold medals than silver medals.

B. People expect them to do well.

C. They will compete in more than 20 sports.

D. Some of them wear their medals on their belts.

4. What is the purpose of the Deaflympics?

A. To put the athletic abilities of deaf people on display.

B. To spread prejudice against hearing-impaired people.

C. To promote the Olympic spirit.

D. To encourage economic development in small countries.

Best of 2009 Summer Deaflympics

听奥预估12金张立孝何秋美夺金浓

听奥桌球目标三金温智璇杨荣宗状况佳

Answer