| Mài kè: | Chūn jié dào le. Zhè shì wǒ zài zhōng guó guò de dì yī gè chūn jié. |
| 麦克： | 春节到了。这是我在中国过的第一个春节。 |
| Mike: | Spring Festival’s here. It will be the first time I’m celebrating it in China. |
| Lì li: | Huān yíng nǐ dào wǒ jiā lái hé wǒ men yì qǐ chī nián yè fàn. |
| 丽丽： | 欢迎你到我家来和我们一起吃年夜饭。 |
| Lili: | You are welcome to have New Year’s Eve dinner with us. |
| Mài kè: | Zhè qī jiān zài wài dì de rén men tōng cháng huí jiā yǔ jiā rén tuán jù, shì ma? |
| 麦克： | 这期间在外地的人们通常回家与家人团聚，是吗？ |
| Mike: | People who live away from home usually return during this time, don’t they? |
| Lì li: | Shì de. Rén men máng zhe dà cǎo chú, zhǔn bèi nián huò, tiē duì liárn, fàng biān pào. |
| 丽丽： | 是的。人们忙着大扫除、准备年货、贴对联、放鞭炮。 |
| Lili: | Yes. And people will be busy with their spring cleaning, shopping, decorating their homes with Spring Festival couplets, and lighting firecrackers. |
| Mai ke: | Chū yī nèi tiān nǐ men yào zǒu qīn fǎng yǒu ma? |
| 麦克： | 初一那天你们要走亲访友吗？ |
| Mike: | Do you visit relatives and friends on the first day of the New Year? |
| Li li: | Shì de. Chū èr nèi tiān xīn xí fur hái yào huí niáng jia. |
| 丽丽： | 是的。初二那天新媳妇儿还要回娘家。 |
| Lili: | Yes. And for a newly wed woman, she typically visits her parents on the second day. |
| Mài kè: | Tīng shuō běi jīng de miào huì hěn rè nào. Wǒ xiǎng qù guàng miào huì. |
| 麦克： | 听说北京的庙会很热闹，我想去逛庙会。 |
| Mike: | I was told that Beijing’s temple fairs will be bustling. I’d like to visit some of these fairs. |
| Li li: | Hǎo a. wǒ péi nǐ yì qǐ qù. Wǒ qǐng nǐ chī zuì hǎo de táng hú lu. |
| 丽丽： | 好啊，我陪你一起去。我请你吃最好的糖葫芦。 |
| Lili: | Of course. I’ll go with you, and I’ll buy you the best sugar-coated haws (candy) on a stick. |
| Mài kè: | Xiè xie. Wǒ kě yǐ pǐn cháng dào běi jīng de xǔ duō chuán tǒng xiǎo chī. |
| 麦克： | 谢谢。我可以品尝到北京许多的传统小吃。 |
| Mike: | Thanks. I’ll get to taste lots of traditional Beijing local delicacies, I’m sure. |
| Lì li: | Nǐ hái kě yǐ xīn shǎng dào zhōng guó de xǔ duō mín jiān yì shù. |
| 丽丽： | 你还可以欣赏到中国的许多民间艺术。 |
| Lili: | You will also enjoy many Chinese folk arts.
(Source: china.org.cn) |
Archive for October 12th, 2009
Cir – Lesson 474
Monday, October 12th, 2009Beijing Olympic – Usain Bolt the world’s fastest man ever
Monday, October 12th, 2009
Usain Bolt celebrates. (Photo credit: Xinhua)
(BEIJING, August 16) — Usain Bolt of Jamaica has won the Men’s 100m gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in a world record time of 9.69 seconds.
Silver medalist Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago ran a time of 9.89 seconds, leaving American Walter Dix to take the bronze in a time of 9.91 seconds.
The 21-year-old broke his own world record of 9.72 seconds, which he set in June this year. The Olympic record stood at 9.84 seconds, set by Donovan Bailey at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
Bolt came from relative obscurity to worldwide attention in the 100m at a Grand Prix event on Long Island, New York, in late May, after demolishing the field and breaking the world record in a time of 9.72 seconds, a stunning result for anyone, let alone a runner who had been seen as a 200m specialist.
Pre-race favorite Powell, favorite in Athens 2004 and at last year’s world championships, failed to live up to expectation both times, and again seems to have cracked under the pressure, finishing fifth and 0.26 seconds behind his arch-rival Bolt.
Reigning world champion Tyson Gay failed to qualify after running a time of 10.05 seconds in the semifinals. Gay was the United States best chance for gold.
Gay got a decent jump from the blocks and was in contention early in the semifinal race, but Powell and Richard Thompson overtook him. He was outleaned at the line by American Darvis Patton, who finished in 10.03 seconds.
“I did my best,” Gay said. “I don’t have any excuses.”
As a result, Gay’s only chance at an Olympic medal will come in the relays. He also failed to qualify for the 200m, after pulling up lame in the preliminary round with a strained left hamstring at the Olympic trials six weeks ago.
“[I feel] a little bit bitter, but I did my best, and I don’t have any excuse because I tried hard,” he said.
Gay’s remaining chance for a medal at Beijing 2008 is the Men’s 4 x 100m Relay, which begins Thursday at the National Stadium, while Bolt can finally relax with the gold around his neck.
The gold medalist explained his early celebration, raising his arms before the finish line, “As soon as I saw I had covered the field and I knew I would win, I was very happy and I started to celebrate.”
Final results of the Olympic Men’s 100m:
1. Usain Bolt – Jamaica 9.69 WR
2. Richard Thompson – Trinidad/Tobago 9.89 PB
3. Walter Dix – United States 9.91 PB
4. Churandy Martina – Netherlands Antilles 9.93 NR
5. Asafa Powell – Jamaica 9.95
6. Michael Frater – Jamaica 9.97 PB
7. Marc Burns – Trinidad/Tobago 10.01
8. Darvis Patton – United States 10.03
(Source: en.beijing2008.cn)
