和老外聊天的地道口语第147期:你去看比赛了吗?
H: did you go and watch any games?
N: do, I didn't. I failed to obtain any ticket. I tried to book one online, but without success. Then, I put up notices on the campus bulletin board in the hope of burying a second-hand---again, to no avail.
H: what a pity you missed such a golden opportunity! It's rare to have an Olympiad on home soil.
N: certaily. I could only watch them on TV. It was a poor substitute for actually being there. But I still enjoyed it. It was superb! The opening ceremony was really wicked.
H: what do you like best in the opening ceremony?
N: oh, the whole show was dazzling! Director Zhang Yimou did good work. The keynote was the Chinese cultural elements. And the huge scroll carried over throughout all the chapters. What a waonderful innovation! What do you think?
H: yeah, I'm of the same opinion. Well, I like the ignition ceremony best! It wasn't as flashy as I had imagined. It was simple style, but poetic. We only saw a man being dragged around in the sky. But that left a deep impression on me. Li Ning was running, holding the torch, as if he were chasing the moon.
N: ha ha, just like Chang'er, the Chinese goddess of moon! And the act was accompanied by the tranquil, warm melody of you and me.
H: eactly! Even now, the music still constantly vibrates in my mind.
你去现场看过比赛吗?
没呢,我没搞到票.我试过在网上订,但是没订到.然后我又在校园里的公告栏里张贴广告,希望弄到一张二手票---结果还是没有成功.
这么好的机会你错过了,真可惜.在自家门口举办奥运,可不是那么容易的事儿.
是啊.结果我只好看电视---当然这比去现场看要差多了.可是我还是乐在其中.我只能说,办得太好了!
对于开幕式,你觉得哪些地方做得最好?
整个演出都很精彩!老谋子干得真不错.全场演出充满了中国文化元素,特别是那张巨大的画卷,贯穿始终,太有创意了!你说呢?
恩,我也这么想.我最喜欢的是点火仪式!并不像我想象的那么花哨,有些简朴,却富有诗意.我们只看见一个人用绳子吊着在半空中跑,这给我的印象特别深:李宁举着火炬跑,像是在追月亮.
哈哈,就像中国的月亮女神嫦娥.点火仪式的背景音乐是宁静,温暖的我和你的旋律.
对!知道现在,它还回荡在我脑海里呢.
Bulletin board: a place in a computer system where any user can write or read messages 公告牌;布告栏
Substitute: a person or thing that you use or have instead of the one you normally use or have 代替者;代替物;代用品 ~ (for sb/sth)
a meat/milk substitute 代肉╱代乳品
Paul's father only saw him as a substitute for his dead brother. 保罗的父亲只是把他当作他死去的哥哥来看待。
a substitute family 收养家庭
The course teaches you the theory but there's no substitute for practical experience. 这门课教的是理论，但没有任何东西能代替实践经验。
The local bus service was a poor substitute for their car. 他们坐当地的公交车，这比坐自己的汽车可差远了。
Superb: excellent; of very good quality 极佳的；卓越的；质量极高的 adjective
a superb player/meal/goal 一名杰出的运动员；一顿丰盛的饭；一个精彩的入球
The car's in superb condition. 这辆车车况极好。
His performance was absolutely superb. 他的表演精彩绝伦。
You look superb. 你看上去棒极了。
Wicked: very good 极好的；很棒的 slang
This song's wicked. 这支歌太棒了。
Dazzling:令人眼花缭乱的,令人陶醉的
a dazzling display of oriental dance and music 使人陶醉的东方音乐舞蹈表演
keynote: the central idea of a book, a speech, etc. （书、演说等的）要旨,主题,基调
Choice is the keynote of the new education policy. 新教育政策的主导原则是容许选择。
a keynote speech/speaker(= a very important one, introducing a meeting or its subject) 主题发言；主要发言人
innovation
introduction of new things, ideas or ways of doing something （新事物、思想或方法的）创造；创新；改革 uncountable ~ (in sth)
an age of technological innovation 技术革新的时代
1. 2.a new idea, way of doing something, etc. that has been introduced or discovered 新思想；新方法countable ~ (in sth)
recent innovations in steel-making technology 新近的炼钢技术革新
flashy: of things 物品 attracting attention by being bright, expensive, large, etc. 俗艳的;（因昂贵、巨大等）显眼的
a flashy hotel 奢华的旅馆
I just want a good reliable car, nothing flashy. 我只要一辆性能可靠的轿车,不要华而不实.
Poetic: like or suggesting poetry, especially because it is imaginative and shows deep feeling 像诗一般的;富有诗意的 There is a poetic quality to her playing. 她的演奏富有诗意。
Tranquil: quiet and peaceful 安静的;平静的;安宁的
a tranquil scene/place 安谧的景象╱地方
the tranquil waters of the lake 平静无波的湖水
She leads a tranquil life in the country. 她过着恬静的乡村生活.
Vibrate: to move or make something move from side to side very quickly and with small movements （使）振动,颤动,摆动
Every time a train went past the walls vibrated. 每当火车驶过,这些墙都会震动.
The atmosphere seemed to vibrate with tension. 气氛似乎紧张得发颤.
in the hope of something; in the hope that…because you want something to happen 抱着…的希望
I called early in the hope of catching her before she went to work. 我很早就打了个电话，希望在她上班之前找到她。
He asked her again in the vain hope that he could persuade her to come(= it was impossible). 他又问了她一次，徒然指望着能说服她来。
to little/no avail: with little or no success 没有什么效果;不成功
The doctors tried everything to keep him alive but to no avail. 医生千方百计想使他活下来,但无济于事.
