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1月10日 Weightlifting superhero in DohaWeightlifting superhero in Doha
WEIGHTLIFTING competitors aim to lift a weighted bar above the head, holding it under control until a referee signals they may replace it on the platform.
Weightlifting is split into two separate lifts -- the snatch, and the clean and jerk. Competitors have a maximum of three attemtps at each lift. With only three attempts allowed, tactics, such as deciding which weight to start with, are crucial. Alice: Dear Olly, I've got a new superhero!
Olly: Really? Who's that?
Alice: A mighty woman! Chen Yanqing!
Olly: So you watched her winning performance at the Asian Games?
Alice: Yeah, she won the 58kg women's event and clinched China's fourth consecutive weightlifting gold medal.
Olly: How much did Chen lift?
Alice: She opened the snatch portion of the competition with a lift of 103kg. She then lifted 108kg on her second attempt and 111kg on her third attempt to beat the previous snatch world record of 110kg. She set two more world records with her clean and jerk lifts.
Olly: Three world records -- that's not bad for a superhero. But can she fly or see through walls?
Alice: Don't joke around, or I'll give her a call and tell her to beat you up. Her nearest competitors, one from Thailand and the other from North Korea, both lifted a total of 224kg.
Olly: Haha, OK, I'll shut up. I don't want a black eye. But did the event need an extra round to decide who'd take the silver and bronze medals?
Alice: No, the referees decided that the athlete from Thailand got the silver.
Olly: Why?
Alice: Because she weights 0.33kg less than the one from North Korea. 12月21日 Let's take a close look at tennisLet's take a close look at tennis
SWITZERLAN'S Roger Federer beat American James Blake to win the Tennis Master's Cup final in Shanghai on Sunday. Gabe, a tennis lover himself, volunteered to answer questions from his friend Rob when they watched the match together.
Rob: Well, I don't know anything about tennis. Could you first explain service to me?
Gabe: Sure. You see, the server stands behind his own baseline and to one side of the centre mark. The ball is then served over the net and into the service court, which is diagonally opposite the player serving.
Rob: I see. Hey, whay did the referee say just now? "Let"?
Gabe: Yes, "let". If the service ball touches the net but still goes into the correct servive court, it's called a "let". This means the player will have to serve again.
Rob: Oh, look! Federer's serve scored him 15 points!
Gabe: It's called an ace. In 1995, Sampras finished a game with four aces.
Rob: Unbelievable! What did the referee jsut say?
Gabe: He announced "fifteen love". In each game, players begin with no score, called "love". A player's first score earns 15 points. The second score brings the total to 30, the third to 40. Then the next score wins the player the game, unless the opponent also reaches 40. In that case, a player would need to win by two scores.
Rob: Federer has won 6 games.
Gabe: Yes, and that means he wins the first set. But a player has to win a set by at least two games. So if a player leads 6 games to 5, the set would have to continue until a player led by two games, such as 7-5 or 9-7.
Rob: I see. And there're all-together five sets in a match?
Gabe: Yes -- the best of five sets for male matches in the four Opens. But for females, it's the best of three sets.
Rob: Wow, Federer won the first three sets!
Gabe: That's correct. He's won a straight-set victory. 12月14日 The opening volleyball matchThe opening volleyball match
THE 2006 women's World Volleyball Championship started last week in Sapporo, Japan. Olly and her roommate Julie watched China's first match in their dorm room. To their delight, the Chinese team eventually beat Azerbaijan 3-1.
Olly: Julie, come here! You missed the opening set of China's first match.
Julie: I'm coming! What's the score now?
Olly: China beat Azerbaijan in the first set. Now, in the second set, Azerbaijan's ahead 3-1.
Julie: Do you see No 9? Her name's Natalya Mammadova. She's a world-class star. Throughout a game she'll have some amazing spikes, blocks and serves.
Olly: After losing the first set, Azerbaijan seems to be more determined.
Julie: Yeah, but our girls are still in the game. The score's now tied, 5-5.
Olly: Wang Yimei and Yang Hao seem to be playing well from the front. Now they're on a 4-0 run.
Julie: But Azerbaijan isn't conceding. They're battling back. And -- look they just won the set, 26-24.
(China wins the third set 25-16. Now, in the fourth set, China leads 23-21.)
Olly: 23-21. Azerbaijan's service is over! Yang Hao's got a chance to finish the game with two serves.
Julie: There's one! Wow, what a serve! Now it's match point.
Olly: But it looks like Mammadova isn't ready to concede yet.
Julie: Maybe not, but we're still holding the match point. Yang Hao is about to serve again ... Yes!
Olly: She did it! 25-22 -- China wins!
Julie: And look at head coach Chen Zhonghe's smile!
12月6日 Congratulations on China's gymnasticsCongratulations on China's gymnastics
THE 2006 gymnastics world championships finished in Aarhus, Denmark on Sunday. Gabe notices that media reports have approached the competition mainly from two angles: either a general report on winning, or a detailed description of the winning process. Here are two exampels, one of each.
Approach I: Reuters' (an international news agency) report on China's win in the men's all-round competition:
China's Yang Wei shrugged off years of frustration to win the men's all-round title at the world gymnastics championships on Thursday. The silver medallist from the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2003 worlds in Anaheim finally scooped the top individual prize with a total of 94.400. He edged last year's champion Hiroyuki Tomita by 1.225 points. Yang's victory ensured that China maintained their 100 per cent success rate in Aarhus after their gold medal run in the men's and women's team competitions. Approach II: Reuters' description of Yang Wei's performance: Yang began solidly on the floor and then went on to produce an amazing display of muscle power on the rings to score 16.450. He did even better on the vault. No one came close to equalling his score of 16.625 and from then on, Yang knew that all he had to do was to make sure that he did not fall off either the parallel or horizontal bars and the gold would be his. It proved to be his night. 11月18日 Join the rowing teamJoin the rowing team
CHINA Central Television (CCTV) is launching a reality show to find a common man and woman to join the 2008 Olympic team. The news excited Olly and her classmates. Encouraged by them, Olly came to Liu for more information.
Olly: Hi Liu, I heard about the China Olympic Coxswain Competition. They're looking for someone who can handle the role of coxswain for the 2008 rowing team, right? Liu: That's right. Are you interested? You're within the required age range. Olly: I'd like to, but I know nothing about this sport. Liu: Rowing crews have two, four or eight members. But only our eight-rower rowing team needs a coxswain. Olly: What does the cox do? Liu: With the eight rowers facing backward, the cox sits in the stern and faces the direction of travel. The cox monitors the teams progress and technique. Although the cox doesn't row, he or she shouts instructions to help steer the boat and motivate the rowers. Olly: So the cox is both a tactical leader and a cheerleader. Liu: Exactly? Olly: How's the eight-rower Chinese rowing team? Liu: They have performed well in international competition. Olly: Then it's quite possible I'll win an Olympic medal in 2008? Liu: Yeah, this will probably be your only chance! I doubt whether you can run or play basketball. The coxswain position does not require great physical strength or years of training. Olly: Great! I can't wait to sign up! 11月5日 Basketball crazeBasketball craze
EXCITED by the results of the FIBA World Basketball Championship in Japan on September 3, Gabe, himself a basketball fan, arranged to play a game with his colleagues.
Gabe: What a game! I like playing man-to-man defence. I can keep you guys from scoring.
Colleague: Yes. I bet if you had been playing zone defence, you wouldn't have beaten us by so much.
Gabe: Maybe we would have tied and then gone into overtime.
Colleague: Well, our play was too loose. We should have played a tighter game. If we had run a full-court press, the result might have been different.
Gabe: That's true. But as a good left forward, you can shoot the short jump-shots.
Colleague: I'm flattered. Do you want to practice more next Sunday?
Gabe: Next Sunday? Okay. You can teach me how to hit the shots from inside the key.
Colleague: You can help me improve my dribbling skills, too.
Gabe: That sounds good. See you.
Colleague: Be there, or be square. 10月21日 Athletes' declarationAthletes' declaration
As a diligent student, Olly hates all kinds of cheating. When she heard about the alleged doping by the Tour de France champion Floyd Landis, she wondered if the Olympics set any guidelines for competitors. Then she found the following declaration included in the athletes' entry form. Only those who've signed this declaration can take part in the Olympics.
Declaration
"Understanding that, as a participant in the Olympic Games, I am participation in an exceptional event which has ongoing international and historical significance, and in consideration of the acceptance of my participation therein, I agree to be filmed, televised, photographed, identified and otherwise recorded during the Olympic Games under the conditions and for the purposes now or hereafter authorized by the international Olympic Committee in relation to the promotion of the Olmpic Games and Olympic Movement.
I also agree to comply with the Olmpic Charter currently in force, in particular, with the provisions of the Olympic Charter regarding eligibility for the Olympic Games, the mass media, and the allowable trademark identification on clothing and equipment worn or used at the Olympic Games ... I also agree to comply with the World Anti-Doping Code and with the IOC Code of Ethics. All relevant and applicable provisions and rules have been brought to my attention by my National Olympic Committee and/or my National Sports Federation or International Sports Federation." Then at the Opening Ceremony a competition of the host country, on behalf of all competitors, takes a solemn oath:
Olympic Oath
"In the name of all the competitors I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sports and the honour of our teams." 8月6日 Tour by bikeTour by bike
GABE always rode the bus to work. But a few days ago, he suddenly hopped on his dust-covered bike and decided to ride it to work. His colleague, Jason, wanted to know why.
Jason: Gabe, no offence, but what's wrong with you? Gabe: What do you mean? Jason: You're working awfully hard to ride a bike across Beijing! Why not just keep taking the bus to work? Gabe: I've been inspired by the energetic riders of the Tour of Qinghai Lake. Riders were dashing and sweating, making their best efforts to overtake others and win the yellow jersey. Jason: A yellow jersey? Isn't that a cheap prize? Gabe: Haven't you ever seen the Tour de France? A yellow jersey is not the final prize, but an honour for a rider who tops the Individual General Classification at the end of each stage. Jersey winners are granted extra points and special privileges. Jason: Was a Chinese at the top of the overall standings? Gabe: Unfortunately not. Jason: Why not? China is a country dubbed "the kingdom of bicycles". And almost everyone rides a bike. Gabe: But our riders lack professional training and competitive experience. Jason: Anyway, I think it's a fantastic opportunity for all the riders. Racing around the scenic Qinghai Lake is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Gabe: It's also good preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. I really hope the Chinese can perform well in the Olympic cycling events. 7月10日 Tennis matchTennis match
THE 2006 Wimbledon Championship, one of the four Grand Slam Tennis Tournament, opened last week. Olly's favourite player, Roger Federer from Switzerland, played in the opening match and won the game. The next day, she checked the newspaper to see what the media had to say.
Top seed Roger Federer broke up world record yesterday for straight wins when he beat Richard Gasquet of France 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in a grass-court match.
Previously Federer shared the record with Bjorn Borg, the five-time Wimbledon champion who won 41 straight matches on grass from 1976 to 1981. This was Federer's 42nd win. In the match, Federer hit 35 winners and made just 13 unforced errors. He closed out his match with an overhead smash. The win is a good start as Federer vies for a fourth consecutive Wimbledon championship. Federer will now face Tim Henman, a four-time Wimbledon semifinalist. The British player is unseeded for the first time in 10 years because of a drop in his ranking. Henman leads Federer 6-4 in career matches, including a four-set win in the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2001. 6月7日 Hurdle raceHurdle race
Gabe used to run track in high school, and still loves to follow the sport. His favourite athlete is Liu Xiang. Gabe just checked the news report to see what the media are saying about him.
World record holder and China's Athens Olympic champion Liu Xiang pulled away from Ladji Doucoure and Allen Johnson to win the men's 110-metre hurdles in the Prefontaine Classic on May 28. Liu, a high hurdler, clocked winning time of 13.21 seconds, the fastest time for the event in this young season. Doucour, Liu's rival from France, was a distant second at 13.33. Johnson, the four-time world champion, was third at 13.39. It's Liu's second win in May. On May 6, he took the 110-metre hurdles title at the Osaka Grand Prix in Japan. His performance at these meets should set a good tone for this year. Liu said he believed he will go sub-13 again soon. 5月30日 Ping-pong reignsPing-pong reigns
Last week, China retained both the men and women's top prizes at the 2006 World Team Table Tennis Championships (the 48th) in Bremen, Germany. Olly spend May Day vacation in her dorm watching the matches. She recored the great performance of her favorite player Zhang Yinin.
IT's the first game between the women's finalists from the Chinese and Hong Kong teams. Zhang Yinnin, the NO 1 female player on the ITTF ranking list, is the reigning Olympic and World champion. Her opponent, Lin Ling from Hong Kong, is no stranger to her. The beginning of the game was cruelly one-sided. Without making any errors, Zhang went ahead 10-1. As a shake-hand gripper, she was rock solid from the backhand. She is no attacking player, but moved the ball around the table to places Lin could not do much with. Finally Zhang won the set 11-4. After a short break and hurried advice from the coach, Lin Ling played much better. She used her forehand topspin to attack whenever possible. But she could not compete when it came to other shots. The second set ended 11-9. Zhang was two games to nil ahead. Lin was under enormous pressure, while Zhang attacked with greater determination in the third set. The longer the rally, the more Zhang Yinnin is the favorite. She went ahead 6-2, pressing the Hong Kong coach to call "Time out". But that didn't spur Lin to make a come-back. At 11-6, Zhang won the game. Now one match to nil, China is ahead. 5月27日 Diving for successDiving for success
During the weekend, Gabe watched the 2006 World Diving Grand Prix on TV. Chinese competitors bagged all the eight gold medals. Here is a wonderful scene Gabe recommends:
Men's 10m Platform
Round six The newbie Lin Yue is preparing for his sixth dive. He's the favourite in this competition. He's going to do a backward two-and-a-half somersault and two-and-a-half twist pike, with a degree of difficulty valued at 3.8. That's a challenging task. Lin steps up and pauses at the top of the platform. He tenses, lifts up on his toes and takes off from the tower. He keeps his body tight, goes into the somersaults and opens fully before entering the water. Small splash. Beautiful. That's a perfect rip entry. The judges give him 108.30 points. He's the sure winner. 5月13日 Badminton seasonBadminton season
One Saturday morning, Gabe meets his colleague Mike for a game of badminton.
Gabe: Did you catch the China Masters Badminton Championship last night?
Mike: I wouldn't miss it. The best part was the men's singles semi-final -- with Lin Dan against that Danish guy Peter Gade.
Gabe: Exactly. My heart was pounding when Lin served out of bounds. I mean, what was he thinking?
Mike: Long high serve.
Gabe: What the hell does that mean?
Mike: That's Lin's strategy. Gade is famous for returning serves. Maybe, Lin wanted to gain time to prepare for Gade's attack.
Gabe: I suppose that makes sense. Remember, how Lin tricked Gade and then killed him with an overhead short?
Mike: Impressive. For such an old player, Gade's really something. His backhand is amazing.
Gabe: Yeah. I wish I could play like that. 4月19日 Upcoming examUpcoming exam
At the beginning of the new semester, Olly and her friend Alice are talking about the upcoming exams...
Olly: Are you ready for the math test tomorrow?
Alice: Not yet, Do you know what it's going to cover? Olly: The professor said it will be a comprehensive test. Alice: Oh no. I bombed the final test last semester. How am I going to pass this new exam! Olly: Don't start worrying yet. Alice: That's easy for you to say. You're a math genius. Olly: Didn't you hear that we are allowed to bring a cheat sheet? The professor said that everyone can have a sheet of paper with the formulas listed on it. That way you don't have to memorize them all. Alice: Really? That's a big relief. Olly: Who did you have for math last semester anyway? Alice: Mr Wang. Tall, thin, going bald. Olly: I heard he'd give these impossible tests and then never even go over the answers. Olly: Yes, that's him. I did poorly on all his exams. Alice: Well, it's a new semester. I think you'll be fine. Olly: I hope so. 3月18日 Skiing tripSkiing trip
Olly is on her winter vacation.One day,she meets her classmate Alice.
Olly:How's your vacation going?
AliceL:It's been fun so far.Yesterday,my family went skiing together.
Olly:Sounds fun.You own your own skis?
Alice:No,we rented everything.
Olly:Do you think i could learn?Is it tough?Sometimes,i go cross-country skiing with my friends,but i hear downhill skiing is dangerous.
Alice:You've got to be kidding me. It's not dangerous.This was my frist time.You'll be fine if you stick to the bunny hills with me.
Olly:Can you take ski lessons?
Alice:Of course.Otherwise,i wouldn't even be able to get on the chair lift! But you know what the hardest part is ?
Olly:What?
Alice:Stopping.Near the end of the day.I finally got to the point where i could go down the hill without falling.But when i got to the bottom i had no idea how to stop!
Olly:Oh no.What did you do ?
Alice:Simple.I just fell down.
3月15日 Expecting a partyExpecting a party
Gabe's working in his office , when the telephone rings ...
Gabe:Hello.Gabe speaking.
Lucy:Hello,Gabe, this is Lucy from HR. Gabe:Hi, lucy. What's up? Lucy:I'm throwing a New Year's party at my house on Friday night. It starts at 8 o'clock . Would you like to join us ? Gabe:Cool . Did you invite anyone else from work? Lucy:My whole department is coming. Gabe:You can invite some girls from my staff. They were just talking about how they had no plans for the New Year. Lucy:No problem . The more, the merrier. Gabe:Is there a theme? Lucy:Not this time.I'm just going to keep it simple and have a potluck. Everyone brings a dish and we share. Gabe:Maybe i'll bring something to drink. I'm a terrible cook. Lucy:If you really don't want to cook ,you could bring a bottle of champagne. Gabe:Good idea. I'll see you Friday. Lucy:See you then. |
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