Seventy years after Jesse Owens sprinted to victory in the l936 0lympic Games，the Berlin Olympic stadium is once again at the centre of the sporting world．Fortunately，the political overtones that made the Berlin Olympics such a sinister event are completely absent．①This is not just because Germany is Now a democratic country．It is also because the World Cup，unlike the Olympics，is wonderfully difficult to manipulate for political purposes．Over its long history，success at the Olympics has usually been a fairly accurate measure of global political power．Although the world now remembers the snub that Jesse 0wens dellvered to Nazi theories of racial superiority，the Germans came top of the Olympic medal table in l936．reflecting the Nazi regime’s growing power．。During the cold war，the United States and the Soviet Union repeatedly struggled to gain a symbolic victory，by winning the most medals at the Olympics．
By contrast，the World Cup has its own hierarchy，which is pleasingly divorced from the global pecking order．There is a sole superpower--Brazil．The Italians and French，apparently doomed to gentle decline in the real world，remain formidable competitors on the football field．And then there are the rising powers—which are more likely to hail from Africa than Asia．America will field a serious team at the World Cup，but nobody expects it to win．
Football’s power structure reflects a satisfying characteristic of the global game．Despite the undoubted prestige to be had by becoming champions of the world．it is extremely hard—if not impossible—for a determined and well-resourced government to create a World Cup—winning team． Arguably，the Italians managed it in the l930s；and Argentina’s World Cup winners in l978 received plenty of backing from the·ruling military j unta。But a modern-day dictator who ordered his minions to create a team that could beat Brazil——0r even play in their style--would be swiftly disappointed．④A winning football team needs not just athleticism but also a spark of creativity and style that cannot be manufactured by sport’s central planners．Even taking drugs does not appear to be much help for footballers．
As a result。every World Cup seems to throw up a team that suddenly clicks at the right time and beats a much-fancied opponent．Think of North Korea vanquishing Italy in l966 0r Senegal turning over France，the reigning champions，in 2002．It is this capacity to surprise that helps make the World Cup such a gripping event．And it is why in the endless competition between the Olympics and the World Cup for the title of“the world’s greatest sporting event’we vote for the World Cup．
1．The Berlin Olympic stadium is once again at the centre of the sporting world because______．
A．Jesse Owens won the champion at the Olympics
B．Germany has won the most medals at the Olympics
C．no political purposes are involved in the World Cup
D．a spectacular event，the World Cup，is taking place there
2．The author maintains that the Success at the Olympics______．
A．depends on how democratic a nation is
B．depends on whether a nation has the supreme power
C．reflects the real power a nation has in the world politics
D．can be accurately measured by how many medals a nation wins
3．The example of the Italians and French is used to prove that______．
A．the World Cup is not governed by the global political power
B．Brazil is the sole superpower，which can never be defeated
C．both Italy and France are in gentle decline in the real world
D．they are the most formidable competitors on the football field
4．The author argues that a winning football team______．
A．cannot be created except by Italy and Argentina
B．needs much backing from a modern-day dictator
C．needs more creativity and style than athleticism
D．needs the support of a well—resourced government
5．The author asserts that______．
A．the World Cup is better than the Olympics
B．the Olympics is better than the World Cup
C．the World Cup is as gripping as the Olympics
D．the world’s greatest sporting event is to be voted [NextPage]
超纲词汇
Senegal 塞内加尔(西非国家)
pecking order[生]任何团体中之长幼强弱次序
overtone n．暗示，言外之意
sinister adj．不吉的，不祥的，凶恶的
hierarchy n．等级制度，阶层
dictator n．独裁者，专制君主
sprint 短跑
junta 军政府
formidable adj．可怕的，令人生畏的
snub n．冷落，怠慢
stadium n．体育场，运动场
reigning 统治的，在位的，本届的，起支配作用的
gripping 引起人注意的，吸引人的
athleticism n．运动竞赛，崇尚运动，竞技热
vanquish vt．征服，战胜
minion n．走狗，奴才
参考答案：1．D 2．C 3．A 4．C 5．A
难句透析
①Fortunately，the political overtones[that made the Berlin Olympics such a sinister event are completely absent．
【结构】方括号所标示的“that made…sinister event”是“overtones”的后置定语从句。注意，从句中的谓语动词“made，，是过去式；主句中的谓语动词“are”是现在式，从句说的是70年前的情况，主句说的是现在的情况。
【释义】值得庆幸的是，给柏林奥运会抹黑的政治丑闻如今已经烟消云散。
②[AhhOUgh the World nOW remembers the snub(that Jesse Owens delivered tO Nazi theories of racial superioriS ty)]，the Germans came top of the Olympic medal table in l 936，[reflecting the Nazi regime’S growing power]．
【结构】方括号所标示的“Although the world…superiority”是让步状语从句，其中圆括号所标示的“that Jesse Owens…superiority”是“snub”的后置定语从句。方括号所标示的现在分词短语“reflectin9…growing power”是补充说明状语。
【释义】尽管现今世界对杰西·欧文斯抨击纳粹的种族优越论的演说还记忆犹新，但德国确实在1936年奥运会登上了金牌榜首位，反映出当时纳粹政权日益强大的力量。
③Despite the undoubted prestige[to be had by becoming champions of the world]，it is extremely har if not im Dossible [for a determined and well—resourced government tO create a World Cup-winning team]．
【结构】方括号所标示的动词不定式短语“tO be had…world”是“prestige”的后置定语。代词“it”是主句的形式主语；方括号所标示的动词不定式短语“for…tO create…team”是主句的真正主语。破折号之间的部分起补充说明作用。
【释义】尽管赢得世界冠军必然赢得威望，但是，要让一个信念坚定、实力雄厚的政府创建一支球队去赢得世界杯冠军，即使并非完全不可能，也是极其困难的。
④But a modern-dav dictator rwho ordered his minions tO create a team(that could beat Brazil--or even play in their style)]一would be swiftly disappointed．
【结构】方括号所标示的“who ordered…style”是“dictator”的后置定语从句，其中圆括号所标示的“that could…style”是“team”的后置定语从句；破折号之间的部分起补充说明作用。本句中过去式的"ordered”，“could beat”，“would be”表示虚拟口气。
【释义】但是，倘若当代的独裁者命令他的手下创建一支球队去击败巴西队，甚至只是打出巴西队的风格来，他很快就会大失所望。
⑤And it is[why(in the endless competition between the Olympics and the World Cup for the title of“the world’ s greatest sporting event’’)we vote for the World Cup]．
【结构】方括号所标示的“why…we vote for the World Cup”是表语从句，圆括号所标示的介词短语“in the endless competition…”把“why”和从句的主体“we vote for the World Cup”分割。
【释义】这也是为什么每次奥运会和世界杯角逐“世界最伟大的体育盛会”称号时，我们支持世界杯的原因。
全文翻译
1936年，杰西·欧文斯在柏林奥运会上获得短跑冠军，70年之后，柏林奥林匹克体育场再次成为体育界关注的焦点。值得庆幸的是，给柏林奥运会抹黑的政治丑闻如今已经烟消云散。这并不仅仅是因为德国如今已是一个民主国家，更因为世界杯不像奥运会那样容易被操纵以达成某些政治目的。纵观奥运历史，胜利往往是全球各国政治实力较为准确的衡量标准。尽管现今世界对杰西·欧文斯抨击纳粹的种族优越论的演说还记忆犹新，但德国确实在1936年奥运会登上了金牌榜首位，反映出当时纳粹政权日益强大的力量。冷战期间，美国和苏联也不断地通过夺得最多数量的金牌来获取象征性的胜利。
与奥运会不同的是，世界杯拥有自己的实力层级，而且与当今世界各国实力强弱顺序没有丝毫关系。世界杯中惟一的超级大国就是巴西。在现实世界里，尽管意大利和法国国力有所下降，但两国在足球世界仍然是令人敬畏的对手。另外众多国家的足球水平不断提高，但这些国家往往出自非洲而非亚洲。美洲球队在世界杯中也是强队，但没有人指望他们取得胜利。
足球的实力结构反映了这项全球运动令人满意的特点。尽管赢得世界冠军必然赢得威望，但是，要让一个信念坚定、实力雄厚的政府创建一支球队去赢得世界杯冠军，即使并非完全不可能，也是极其困难的。可以考证的有：意大利在1930年世界杯中成功了；1978年阿根廷世界杯的胜利者也从当时当权的军团中获得了巨大的支持。但是，倘若当代的独裁者命令他的手下创建一支球队去击败巴西队，甚至只是打出巴西队的风格来，他很快就会大失所望。一支胜利的球队不仅需要竞技精神，还需要创造力以及风格，而这些都不是最高管理层所能附加制造出来的。甚至服用药物似乎对于球员也起不了太大作用。
因此，每届世界杯中都会有一支在恰当的时间突然灵光一闪并击败强大对手的球队诞生。回想1966年韩国击败意大利以及塞内加尔扳倒2002年冠军球队法国队的精彩胜利吧。正是惊喜的力量使得世界杯成为一项如此有趣的运动。这也是为什么每次奥运会和世界杯角逐“世界最伟大的体育盛会”称号时，我们支持世界杯的原因。
