美語情景對話 第569期:The Olympics 奧運會

Todd: Hey, Simon, we're talking about the Olympics. Do you think the olympics still have their core meaning, or do you think the Olympics now are too commericalized and too much big money?

託德：嗨，西蒙，我們來談談奧運會吧。你認爲現在奧運會依然具有核心內涵，還是說奧運會過於商業化，動用了大量資金？

Simon: Well, I, you know, I would hate to sit on the fence on this one cause I am sitting on the fence but I think both. Yeah, it's far too corporate. It's way too corporate, too much media attention, too many sponsors, too much corruption, but I mean, I think you know, when you look at the athletes during the opening ceremony and you see the actual sports, that they're doing the same thing that they were many years ago and you can see the joy on their faces and even people who are not famous, you know having their time in the sun or in the snow in this case, you know, really enjoying it and being the best at what they do, so yeah. The answer is both.

西蒙：雖然在這個問題上我不想保持中立，不過我確實認爲兩者都有。奧運會現在有太多的商業因素，太多商業參與，過多的媒體關注，過多的贊助，還有大量的腐敗問題，不過我認爲，看到開幕式上的運動員和比賽後，你知道他們做的事情同許多年前一樣，你能看到他們臉上的喜悅，那些不出名的運動員也在享受着參加夏季奧運會和冬季奧運會的時間，他們真的非常享受這個時刻，努力在比賽中做到最好。所以我的答案是兩個觀點我都同意。

Todd: OK, if you could change one thing to improve the olympics, what would you change?

託德：好，如果你能改變一件事來改善奧運會，你會選擇改變什麼？

Simon: What would I change if I could improve the olympics? Well, I think, yeah, I would just change the influence that governments and sponsorship have on the Olympics, and I'd probably give the olympics a more organic feel, rather than, cause you know, the United States would get it every second or third time just because of all the corporate sponsorship and all the TV money.

西蒙：如果我能改善奧運會我會選擇改變什麼？嗯，我想我可能會改變政府和贊助商對奧運會的影響，我可能會使奧運會更自然，而不是……你知道，美國奧運會能得到企業贊助和電視轉播費。

Todd: Right, right. Yeah, actually if I could change one thing, I think I would move some of the summer sports to the winter sports, like for example basketball. Like why can't they play basketball in the winter, or a lot of these indoor sports, the fact that their indoor, you don't have to do it because it's on ice or snow, and like you said earlier, then maybe you can get more countries involved.

託德：對，沒錯。實際上如果我能改變一件事，那我會把一些夏季奧運會的項目移到冬季奧運會舉行，比如籃球。爲什麼像籃球這樣的室內運動不能在冬季比賽？這些運動之所以在室內舉行，是因爲它們不需要冰雪，就像你之前說的，這樣可以讓更多的國家參與進來。

Simon: Right. That's a good point actually.

西蒙：對。這真是個不錯的想法。

Todd: Right, because it doesn't have to be on snow or ice, but yeah.

託德：嗯，因爲這些運動不需要冰雪也可以進行。

Simon: Well, a lot of sports, I can think of basketball, soccer, American football, they're all played in the winter time in most countries.

西蒙：我認爲在許多國家，許多運動都是在冬天進行的，比如籃球、足球、美式橄欖球等等。

Todd: Sure. Right. Right. So actually, the opympics are here. How much time do you think you'll spend watching the Olymics on TV?

託德：對，沒錯，是的。實際上，現在冬奧會比賽即將舉行。你認爲你會花多長時間收看奧運會轉播？

Simon: Oh, probably about a couple of hours a week. Maybe three or four hours a week at most.

西蒙：哦，可能一週幾個小時吧。最多一週三四個小時。

Todd: Right. Yeah, I'm going to try to catch the skiing. I like to watch the skiing and the hockey of course.

託德：好。我儘量觀看全部的滑冰比賽。我喜歡看滑冰比賽和冰球。

Simon: Yeah, I don't know what I'll watch but I'll just turn the TV on and find out how my country is, the players are doing.

西蒙：我不清楚我是否會看比賽，不過我會把電視打開，關注我祖國運動員的表現的。

Todd: Well, let's get the hockey schedule and go and watch some hockey down at the club.

託德：我們查一下冰球比賽的時間安排，一起去俱樂部看冰球比賽吧。

Simon: OK, let's do it.

西蒙：好，說定了。

Todd: Cool.

託德：太好了。

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重點講解：
1. sit on the fence 保持中立；騎牆；
例句：They are sitting on the fence and refusing to commit themselves.
他們保持中立，拒絕表態。
2. rather than 而非；勝於；而不是；
例句：When I'm going out in the evening I use the bike if I can rather than the car.
我晚上要外出的時候，我寧願騎自行車而不是開車。
3. at most 至多；最多；
例句：Poach the pears in apple juice for perhaps ten minutes at most.
把梨放入蘋果汁中，最多煮10分鐘左右。
4. a couple of 兩個；幾個；
例句：I can run up a dress in a couple of hours.
我能在幾個小時內趕做出一件衣服。
5. turn on 打開（設備）；接通（…的供應）；
例句：When you walk into the room, the lights turn on by themselves.
每當你走入這房間，電燈自己就打開。
6. find out （尤指特意通過努力）發現，找出，查明；
例句：Jill will find out your secret she never misses a trick!
吉爾會發現你的祕密的——她很警覺！