【英语多益通】yellow jersey和环法赛有什么关系?
文/周强
历经21天、近3,400公里的环法自行车赛(Tour de France),周日在英国Sky车队的Chris Froome车手,奔驰通过巴黎香榭丽舍大道终点线之后结束,而他则是披上象征总冠军荣耀的黄衫(yellow jersey)。这场堪称夏日盛宴的环法赛,是世界第三大运动赛事,身在国际职场的我们,要能轻松地与外国客户聊棒球、篮球、高尔夫,乃至环法赛这些运动赛事。生意常常是在聊天之中谈成的!
要如何与外国客户聊「环法赛(Tour de France)」,以下这些词汇要先熟悉:
* yellow jersey(黄衫)环法赛的总冠军享有穿上「黄衫(yellow jersey)」的殊荣。虽然绿衫、圆点衫、白衫都各具意义,但是世人普遍皆知「黄衫」是最后的总冠军。
例句:The yellow jersey was added to the race in 1919, and it has since become a symbol of the Tour de France.(黄衫是在1919年时放入比赛,从此成为环法赛的象征。)
* lucrative(有利可图的)环法赛结合了自行车骑士的「力」与沿途风景的「美」,电视转播权加上比赛沿途带动的观光与商业利益,非常惊人,共21赛段的赛程中,有三段更是在英国。
例句:The Tour de France has been lucrative for the organizer because television companies paid millions of euros for broadcast rights.(环法赛对主办单位是有利可图的,因为电视公司为转播权支付数百万欧元。)
* favorite(最有希望的获胜者)自开赛以来,领先的车手们就一直是瞩目的焦点。今年更有「四大天王」之称,夺冠的猜测声不绝于途。favorite常指「最喜爱的」,但是运动赛事中,它是名词的「最有希望的获胜者」。
例句:The leading contenders, known as “Big Four”, were the favorites all the way.(那些领先的参赛者,被称为「四大天王」,一直是最有希望的获胜者。)
环法赛(Tour de France)要这么聊:
(1)A: It’s always a dream of every cyclist's to win a stage on Tour de France.(每一个自行车手的梦想都是在环法赛赢得一个赛段。)
B: What a huge privilege to be in the yellow jersey!(穿上黄衫是个多么大的殊荣呀!)
* privilege [ˋprɪv!ɪdʒ] (n.) 殊荣;特权
(2)A: Despite some doping suspicions, a large number of spectators still watched the broadcasts.(虽然有禁药疑云,但是大量的观众仍然看转播。)
B: I heard that sports channels paid millions of euros for the television rights.(我听说体育台花费数百万欧元买电视播放权。)
* doping [ˈdopɪŋ] (n.) 服用禁药
(3)A: Some stages in England and French showcased the scenery to the world.(一些在英国与法国的赛段向世人展示了它们的风景。)
B: These places are so beautiful that they’re really worth a visit!(这些地方是如此美丽,以致于它们真值得一游。)
* showcase [ˋʃo͵kes] (v.) 展示
JKY Public Relations firm has replied ______ to our suggestions for its election campaign.(A) favorable(B) favorably(C) favorite (D) favoring
解析:本题的正确答案是(B)。「favorable」是「有利的、赞同的」,在此句中要修饰一般动词replied,所以选项(B)的「副词」型式为正解。全句句意为「JKY公关公司已回应同意我们对选战活动的建议。」。
在国际职场上,favorable与favorite是相似易混淆的字。favorable是「有好感的、赞同的、有利的」,在选项(A)中出现;但是favorite则是「最喜欢的(人事物)」,可当名词或形容词。或是「最有希望获胜者」,在选项(C)中出现。在前文关于环法赛的对话中曾提到:The leading contenders, known as “Big Four”, were the favorites all the way. (那些领先的参赛者,所谓的「四大天王」,一直是最有希望的获胜者。)选项(D)favoring是favor的现在分词,favor可当名词与动词,有「赞同」之意。
充满「力」与「美」的2015环法赛结束了,想要看一场三周、3,400公里的自行车鏖战要等明年了!