The Winter Games Come to Canada(b)|温哥华与 2010 年冬季奥运

温哥华与 2010 年冬季奥运

by Matthew Brown

Vancouver, the site of the 2010 Winter Games, is simply one of the world's best cities.

2010 年冬季奥运的主办城市温哥华是全世界最棒的城市之一。

Most Vancouverites are proud and excited that the 2010 Winter Olympics are going to be held in their city, and they're working steadily to make sure everything is ready. Vancouver's Olympic bid won out over Pyeongchang, South Korea, and Salzburg, Austria, although Pyeongchang came in a very close second. Hosting the Olympics is no small task. It has been estimated that the operating cost for the 2010 Games will be US$1.65 billion, with nearly an additional $1 billion to be spent on security. Still, many believe it's worth it for Vancouver because hosting the Winter Games will boost the city's profile internationally and attract foreign visitors and businesses.

Vancouver is the most populous city to have been chosen to host the Winter Games. It is also the warmest. In February, temperatures are expected to be around five degrees Celsius. This won't pose any problems for the cold-weather sports, though. Parts of the Winter Games will be held at nearby Whistler, a mountain town that is legendary for its skiing facilities.

Image has always been a big part of the Winter Games, and Vancouver unveiled its Olympic logo in 2005. It's based on a structure called an Inukshuk, which is a group of stones piled together, often in the shape of a human figure. The logo was chosen to honor the Inuits, a group of indigenous people found in parts of Canada. The Winter Games begin in February, so tune in to see the excitement and the beauty of Vancouver.

1.  What is the main focus of the Day 1 article?

(A) Vancouver's attractions.

(B) The history of Vancouver.

(C) The 2010 Olympic Games.

(D) Immigration to Vancouver.

2.  How are Taiwan and Vancouver connected?

(A) Many Taiwanese people visit Vancouver when they go on vacation.

(B) People from Vancouver teach English in Taiwan.

(C) A lot of Taiwanese people have immigrated to Vancouver.

(D) Taiwan also hopes to host the Olympic Games one day.

3.  What is NOT true of Vancouver?

(A) Total cost for the Olympic Games will be more than US$2 billion.

(B) Out of all the cities chosen to host the Olympic Games, it has the most people.

(C) It was a close contest for the Olympic Games between Vancouver and Pyeongchang.

(D) Every event will be held in the city.

4.  According to the Day 2 article, how might a city benefit from hosting the Olympics?

(A) It will make the city more beautiful.

(B) It will help the world learn more about the city.

(C) It will increase the population immediately.

(D) It will improve its athletic programs.

　　大多数温哥华人对于 2010 年冬季奥运会即将在家乡举行都感到荣耀而兴奋，而他们也不断地准备，确保一切顺利进行。温哥华打败南韩平昌和奥地利的萨兹堡，一举夺下举办权的殊荣，虽然平昌只以些微票数落居第二。举办奥运可不是芝麻小事。据估计，2010年的冬季奥运将会花掉 16 亿 5 千万美元的费用，另外还要再加上 10 亿美元作为维安支出。但还是有很多人相信这么做对温哥华是值得的，因为主办城市可以借机提升国际形象，并且吸引外国游客和商机。

　　在史上所有冬季奥运的主办城市中，温哥华是人口最稠密，同时也是气候最温暖的城市。在二月，当地气温预计会在摄氏 5 度左右，然而这对低温运动项目来说，并不构成任何问题。不过其中有些活动会在邻近以滑雪设施闻名的山城惠斯勒举行。

　　提升城市形象一直是冬季奥运的重点之一，而温哥华早在 2005年就公布它的奥运标志。这个标志源自于 Inukshuk（石头人），是用石头堆栈成的人形标志。选择用这个标志是要向加拿大的伊努特原住民致敬。冬季奥运将在二月展开，不妨把握机会，欣赏这场精彩盛事和温哥华之美吧。

标准答案: 1. (A)　2. (C)　3. (D)　4. (B)

For Your Information

2010 年冬季奥运标志

北美原住民伊努特族（the Inuits）在北极圈茫茫广大的平原内，用石头堆砌起 Inukshuk 的标志，用来为路人指引方向，也是告诉来者，你并非单独一人走在这里，而张开的双臂更代表原住民的热情与好客。因此，Inukshuk被遴选为 2010 年冬季奥运的 logo 意义非凡。

2010 年冬季奥运吉祥物

2010 年冬季奥运的吉祥物于 2009 年 2 月 12 日正式公布，这三只吉祥物分别是魁特奇（Quatchi）、米加（Miga）和苏米（Sumi），这 3 只均为加拿大传说中中的动物：魁特奇是北美大脚野人，而米加是原住民神话中的北极熊，苏米则为戴虎鲸帽子的动物保护神。另外，本届冬季奥运还有一只非官方的吉祥物，名为 Mukmuk，牠是一种稀有的温哥华土拨鼠，将于比赛会场以外的地方出现。

（数据源：维基百科）