On October 4, the Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, came to a close. When the last medal was handed out, the Chinese team had won 169 gold medals, 89 silver medals and 83 bronze medals. That total of 341 medals put China at the top of both the gold table and the overall medal table. More importantly, the number of gold medals set a new record for a Chinese team competing outside the country.
The team did not win with one or two sports alone. Diving took every gold medal in its events, while swimming produced its best Asian Games result ever. Shooting added sixteen golds, and track and field brought home seventeen. Sports that China used to be weaker in also made progress. The triathlon team had its best result, and the men’s football team reached the podium for the first time in twenty-eight years.
What makes the result more interesting is how young the team was. Of the 815 athletes who travelled to Japan, 548 were taking part in their first Asian Games. Chen Yujie, only seventeen, became the youngest woman ever to win the 100 metres at the Games. A thirteen-year-old swimmer won three golds, and a nineteen-year-old won seven. Older athletes said the young ones pushed everyone to work harder.
This was not a lucky day. China has finished first in the Asian Games for twelve games in a row, since 1982. But a strong team still has to prove itself when it plays away from home, in a different country and often in front of a home crowd that supports the other side. Winning 169 golds far from home shows that the strength of Chinese sport does not depend on the venue.
The Asian Games are also a test for the next Olympic Games. Coaches use them to see which young athletes can handle a big stage, and which events still need work. This is why the story matters beyond the medal count. A record is only a number; the young faces behind it are the real promise for the years ahead.
Words to know:
- medal (n. 奖牌，勋章)
- podium (n. 领奖台)
- athlete (n. 运动员)
- venue (n. 比赛场地，场馆)
- record (n. 纪录；v. 记录)
- professional (adj. 职业的，专业的)
- podium finish (n. 登上领奖台，获得前三名)
- in a row (phr. 连续地，一连串地)
长难句拆解 · it 形式主语 + 不定式后置 + when 时间状语从句
原文：But a strong team still has to prove itself when it plays away from home, in a different country and often in front of a home crowd that supports the other side.
拆解：主干是 a strong team still has to prove itself（一支强队仍然必须证明自己）。when 引导时间状语从句，说明「在什么时候需要证明自己」。away from home 是固定说法，意思是「在客场、离开本土」，不是字面的「离开家」。逗号后面的 in a different country and in front of a home crowd 是并列的介词短语，用来补充说明「客场」具体是什么样子；句末 that supports the other side 是定语从句，修饰 crowd，意思是「给对手加油的那群观众」。
直译：但一支强队仍然需要在客场证明自己——在别的国家比赛，面对的往往还是为主队助威的观众。
同义替换 · 雅思阅读利器
雅思阅读最爱把原文的词换成另一个说法来出题，认出这些替换，定位就能快一半。
- came to a close → came to an end（close 在此作名词，＝ end）
- set a new record → broke the old record（创纪录可换成破纪录）
- did not win with one or two sports alone → the success was spread across many events（not … alone ＝ 不只靠某几项）
- reached the podium → finished in the top three（登领奖台 ＝ 进入前三）
- made progress → moved forward / got better（progress 可换成 get better）
- far from home → away from home / on foreign soil（far from home 与 away from home 同义）
- the strength of Chinese sport does not depend on the venue → the team is strong wherever it plays（not depend on the venue ＝ 与场地无关）
阅读自测 · 3 题
- T / F / NG：本届亚运会中国队共获得 341 枚奖牌，其中金牌 169 枚。（判断正误并说明依据）
- 简答：中国代表团参加本届亚运会的 815 名运动员中，有多少人是首次参加亚运会？
- 选词填空：China has finished first in the Asian Games for twelve games ____ a row.（供选：in / on / at）
参考答案与解析
- TRUE。原文明确给出 169 金 89 银 83 铜，总数 341 枚，题目只是把顺序倒过来说，信息一致。做这类题时要注意：数字顺序调换不算错，只有数字本身对不上才判 FALSE。
- 548 人。原文说 815 名运动员中有 548 人是首次参加亚运会，约占三分之二。题目问的是首次参赛人数，不要答成总人数 815。
- in。in a row 是固定搭配，表示「连续地」，in twelve games in a row 即「连续十二届」。on 和 at 都不能构成这个短语。
中文译文
10 月 4 日，在日本爱知·名古屋举行的亚运会落下帷幕。当最后一枚奖牌颁出时，中国队已经拿下 169 枚金牌、89 枚银牌和 83 枚铜牌。341 枚奖牌的总数，让中国同时位居金牌榜和奖牌榜首位。更重要的是，这个金牌数刷新了中国代表团在境外参加亚运会的历史纪录。
这支队伍不是靠一两个项目取胜的。跳水包揽了本项目的全部金牌，游泳则取得了历届亚运会最好成绩。射击贡献了 16 金，田径带回 17 金。一些中国过去相对偏弱的项目也有进步：铁人三项队取得历史最好成绩，男足更是时隔 28 年重返领奖台。
让这个成绩更有意思的，是队伍的年轻程度。前往日本的 815 名运动员中，有 548 人是第一次参加亚运会。年仅 17 岁的陈妤颉，成为亚运会女子百米历史上最年轻的冠军。一名 13 岁的游泳小将夺得三金，一名 19 岁的选手则拿下七金。老队员说，年轻人让所有人都更加努力。
这不是运气好的一天。自 1982 年以来，中国已经连续十二届亚运会位居金牌榜首。但一支强队仍然需要在客场证明自己——在别的国家比赛，面对的往往还是为主队助威的观众。在远离家乡的地方拿下 169 金，说明中国体育的实力并不取决于比赛场地。
亚运会同时也是下一届奥运会的练兵场。教练们借此观察哪些年轻运动员能扛住大场面，哪些项目还需要补课。这正是这个故事的分量超出奖牌数量的原因。纪录只是一个数字，数字背后的那些年轻面孔，才是未来几年真正的希望。