书城外语课外英语——奥运实用英语(双语版)
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第8章 奥运短文阅读(2)

The discus was made of stone,iron,bronze,or lead,and was shaped like a flying saucer.Sizes varied,since the boys’division was not expected to throw the same weight as the mens’.

掷铁饼

古希腊人把运动员投掷铁饼的节奏和准确度和他的力量视为同等重要。

铁饼通常由石头、铁、青铜或铅制成,形状如同一个飞起来的碟子。大小不一样,因为少年组的运动员不可能投与成年男子组一样重的铁饼。

Javelin

The javelin was a man high length of wood,with either a sharpened end or an attached metal point.It had a thong for a hurler’s fingers attached to its center of gravity,which increased the precision and distance of a javelin’s flight.

标枪

标枪是一个长度和人的高度相当的木棍,其顶端要么是尖的,要么是包着一个金属片。它缠有一个皮条以便于投掷者能把握住标枪的重心,这样可以提高投掷的准确度和距离。

Jump

Athletes used lead or stone jump weights (halteres)shaped like telephone receivers to increase the length of their jump.The halteres were held in front of the athlete during his ascent,and forcibly thrust behind his back and dropped during his descent to help propel his body further.Jump weights also doubled as weight lifting equipment during training.

运动员用铅或石制的形状像电话听筒一样的跳远绳来增加其远度。在运动员起跳时摆在他的前面,然后在落地时用力推向其背后,这样能把他的身体向前推进一步。在训练中跳远负重也像举重一样增加。

Running

There were 4types of races at Olympia.The stadion was the oldest event of the Games.Runners sprinted for 1stade (192m.),or the length of the stadium.The other races were a 2stade race (384m.),and a long distance run which ranged from 7to 24stades (1,344m.to 4,608m.).

And if these races weren’t enough,the Greeks had one particularly grueling event which we lack.There was also a 2to 4stade (384m.to 768m.)race by athletes in armor.This race was especially useful in building the speed and stamina that Greek men needed during their military service.If we remember that the standard hoplite armor (helmet,shield,and greaves)weighed about 5060lbs,it is easy to imagine what such an event must have been like.

The Phaiacian nobles entertain the hero Odysseus by competing in athletic games:“A course was marked out for them from the turning point,and they all sped swiftly,raising the dust of the plain,but among them noble Clytoneus was far the best at running...he shot to the front and the others were left behind.”

在古代奥林匹亚市有四种跑。192米跑是最老式的一个项目。运动员以全速跑完192米或一个体育馆的长度。其它的项目有384米跑和距离为1344米至4608米的长跑。

如果说这些赛跑算不了什么的话,古希腊人有我们所不具备的严格项目。有一种比赛要求运动员身穿铠甲跑384米到768米。在炼就古希腊男人在军旅生涯中的速度和耐力方面,这种比赛显得特别有用。如果我们能想到重达50至60磅的全副铠甲(头盔、护胫、盾牌),那么我们就很容易想像出这种比赛像什么样子。

菲尼基贵族为取悦英雄奥德修而进行了一场运动会:“从出发点为他们标出了跑步路线,他们飞快地冲出去,激起平原上的滚滚灰尘,在他们中克莱特尼斯比其他所有人都快得多……他一直冲向终点而把其他人远远地抛到了后面。”

Wrestling

Like the modern sport,an athlete needed to throw his opponent on the ground,landing on a hip,shoulder,or back for a fair fall.3throws were necessary to win a match.Biting was not allowed,and genital holds were also illegal.Attacks such as breaking your opponent’s fingers were permitted.

In one of Aristophanes’s comedies,one character recommends that another rub his neck with lard in preparation for a heated argument with an adversary.The debater replies,“Spoken like a finished wrestling coach.”

摔跤

像现代运动一样,一个运动员必须把对手摔倒在地,竞技者只要肩、背或臀触及地面即为摔倒。一场比赛分三轮进行。不允许咬人,也不许抓对方的生殖器部位。而打断对方手指或类似的进攻则是允许的。

在阿里斯托芬的一部喜剧中,一个角色提醒另一个用猪油搽他的脖子来准备与反方进行一场激烈的辩论。而辩手回应道:“说的像一个完美的摔跤教练一样。”

Honouring the Heroes of Ancient Times 向古代英雄致敬The long journey of the Olympics began more than 2,700years ago.Historical records show that the ancient Olympic Games were held in Greece as early as 776BC.

源远流长的奥林匹克运动会开始于2700年前。据史料记载,古代奥运会早在公元前776年就在希腊举行了。

They were part of a religious festival to honour the god—and the Greeks always announced an end to all wars for the duration of the Games,making it safe for people travelling to and from the event.

古代奥运会其实是古希腊人敬神宗教活动的一个组成部分。每当奥运会来临,古希腊人往往宣布终止所有战争,保证奥运会的正常进行,使人们能够安全地出入赛场。

The Games were held every four years at Olympia.Each four year period was called an Olympiad,as this was how time was calculated in ancient Greek history.

古代奥运会每四年在奥林匹亚举行一次。每四年叫做一个奥林匹亚德周期,古代希腊就是用奥林匹亚德纪年的。

The ancient Olympics were rather different from the modern Games.Instead of moving around to many different sites,everything was held at Olympia.There were fewer events,too.At first,only one race—the sprint—was run.Discus and javelin throwing,long jumping and wrestling were added later.

古代奥运会与现代奥运会有很大差别。在古代,人们不必辗转于不同的比赛地点,因为所有的赛事都在奥林匹亚举行,比赛项目也比较少。起初,只有短跑,后来又增加了掷铁饼、投标枪、跳远和摔跤等项目。

Only free men who spoke Greek could compete,instead of athletes from any country.Each athlete competed on his own as there were no team events.No records were kept of the length of the winning jump or the finishing time of the winning runner.

并非来自所有国家的运动员都能够参加比赛,只有讲希腊语的自由人才可以。没有以团队为单位的赛事,每个运动员都独立参赛,也没有跳远或跑步冠军的高度或时间的纪录。

Women were forbidden from taking part in or even watching the Games.If a woman was discovered sneaking a quick look,she could be thrown off a cliff!

古代奥运会禁止妇女参加甚至观看比赛。如果一个妇女被发现偷看比赛,她就有可能被扔下山崖。

Just like today,though,the Olympics was an event at which heroes were made.But the prizes awarded to the winners were not medals,but wild olive wreaths.They could also put their home towns on the map.

古代奥运会和今天一样,英雄辈出。不过,授予获奖选手的不是奖牌,而是橄榄枝编成的花环。此外,他们还可以把自己的家乡标在希腊地图上。

To the Greeks it was important to win well,and any competitor found guilty of an unfair practice had to pay a fine.The money collected was used to build a statue of Zeus at the entrance to the stadium.Only 13of these statues were ever built during the history of the ancient Olympics.

对古希腊人来说,赢得冠军是很重要的,但是,在比赛过程中,如发现选手舞弊,则予以罚款。在体育馆入口处,人们用这些罚款建造一尊宙斯像,在古代奥运会历史上,这样的雕像只建造了13尊。

But people still made the most of the Games as a stage on which to show off.One young Athenian nobleman defended his political reputation by saying he entered seven chariots in the Olympic chariot race.This high number of entries made both himself and Athens look very wealthy and powerful.

人们把古代奥运会当成一个炫耀财富和能力的舞台。为维护其政治声誉,一个年轻的雅典贵族声称在赛战车比赛中他曾驾驭7辆战车。他辉煌的“战绩”显示了他和雅典人的富有与霸气。

The ancient Olympic Games were held for more than 1,000years,reaching its all time high by about 400BC.In AD 393,the Games were ended at the order of the Roman Emperor Theodosius.

古代奥运会举办了一千多年,在公元前400年左右达到全盛。然而,公元393年,罗马皇帝狄奥多西一世下令废止了古代奥运会。