4. (e) means it is possible that someone might win something? 5. (d) means someone did win something?

3.a a b b b a a a

Read the explanations of the words. Answer the questions.

1. strain When you feel strain, you feel pressure caused by a difficult situation or physical effort. So when are you likely to: (a) take the strain?

Suggested answer:

When things are difficult and you have to deal with the pressure, eg before taking exams or when you start your first job.

(b) feel eye strain?

Suggested answer:

Try not to look at the computer screen for too many hours or you'll feel eye strain. Every now and then you really need to rest your eyes.

(c) be under strain?

Suggested answer:

I'm sorry I was a bit impatient just now. Actually, I've been under strain with my work recently and I need to relax more.

(d) find it is a strain to hear something?

Suggested answer:

Do you mind turning the music down just a little bit? I've got a splitting headache and I find it's a strain to hear heavy rock music just at the moment ... That's better, thanks!

2. stretch When you stretch something you make it as long or as straight as possible. (a) What does it look like when you stretch out your arms?

Suggested answer:

It could look like a large cross or perhaps as if you're trying to give someone a warm welcome, with a hug.

(b) What do you do when you stretch your legs?

Suggested answer:

It normally means that you go out for a short walk, but occasionally it means that you stretch your legs out straight from a sitting position, eg when you are sitting on a plane.

(c) What is the traffic like if it stretches as far as the eye can see?

Suggested answer:

It's bad! It means that there is a long line of vehicles, like a traffic jam, going right into the far distance.

(d) How do you feel when someone stretches your patience?

Suggested answer:

You feel a bit frustrated or annoyed or even angry, but you do your best to stay in control and stay patient.

3. clue A clue is an object or fact which helps you solve a crime or mystery. (a) What is a crossword clue?

Suggested answer:

It's a word or phrase that helps you to find the answer in a crossword — a word game in which the answers are written in words in rows of squares that cross each other. Generally, some letters in one word appear in another word. The clues can be easy or difficult: Difficult ones often have tricks with words, double meanings or references to wide general knowledge.

(b) How much do you know or understand if you don't have a clue?

Suggested answer:

If you haven't got a clue, then you don't know or understand much at all!

4. punch A punch is an act of hitting someone or something as hard as you can. (a) Which part of a joke is the punch line?

Suggested answer:

The punch line is usually the last few words of a joke that make the joke funny.

(b) What happens in a punch-up?

Suggested answer:

People fight in a rough or violent way (punching each other).

(c) What do you do if you pull your punches?

Suggested answer:

You express something negative a lot less strongly because, say, you do not want to upset or shock people, so you are gentler with your words (pull means pull back, to limit or stop a punch). \opinions or criticism very clearly, without considering other people's feelings at all.

Translate the sentences into Chinese.

1. The rain had started to fall gently through the evening air as darkness descended over Sydney. Hundreds of lights illuminated Stadium Australia, and the noise was deafening. As I walked towards the track I glanced around me at the sea of faces in the stands, but my mind was focused. The Olympic gold medal was just minutes away, hanging tantalisingly in the distance. Suggested answer:

当夜幕降临悉尼时，雨也开始悄悄地从夜空中飘落。几百盏灯把澳大利亚体育场照得灯火通明，场内的声音震耳欲聋。走向跑道时我看了一眼四周看台上无数的脸，但我的注意力还是很集中。再过几分钟奥运金牌的归属就要见分晓了，它悬挂在远处，很诱人。

2. I knew I would do my best, that I would run my heart out and finish the race. I felt the performer in me move in and take over. I had just two laps to run, that was all. Just two laps until the emotional and physical strain of the past two days and the last 28 years would be eclipsed by victory or failure. This race was all about survival. Suggested answer:

我知道自己会全力以赴，拼尽全力跑完全程。我感觉自己已经进入最佳状态。我只要跑两圈就行了，就两圈。跑完这两圈，过去两天以及28年来所有情感和身体上的辛苦付出就将被胜利或者失败所淹没。这一跑真是生死攸关。

3. I understand—it's hard to get excited about a foreign sport if you didn't grow up with it. Now I'm colliding with this same cultural barrier. The World Cup soccer tournament begins on June 9 and I will have no clue what's going on out there on the \seems a good time to blow the whistle on the so-called beautiful game. Suggested answer:

我知道，如果一个人不是从小就接触某项外来的运动，他就很难对它感兴趣。现在我正遭遇同样的文化壁垒。6月9号世界杯足球赛就要开始了，而我对球员在\球场\上干些什么却一无所知。看起来这是给这个所谓的精彩赛事揭短的一次大好机会。

4. Periodically a player gets an elbow in the face and goes down writhing. The clock stops while little men with black bags rush over and massage his phonybaloney injury, after which he jumps up good as new. The player who elbowed him gets something called a \Suggested answer:

时不时地会有球员脸上挨了一肘，躺在草地上痛苦地翻腾。这时会暂停计时，几个提着黑包的小个子男人会跑过来按摩他那假装、胡说的受伤部位，然后他又活蹦乱跳地站起来。那位肘击他的球员会得到一张叫\黄牌\的东西：一种温和的惩戒。

Translate the sentences into English.

1. 当他知道自己未能入选校队时，他哭得很伤心，毕竟他经历了几个月的艰苦训练和激烈竞争，也学会了如何熟练地准确投篮。(cry one's heart out; go through) Suggested answer:

He cried his heart out when he heard that he was not in the list of the school team. After all, he had gone through months of hard training and gruelling competition, and had learned how to shoot with great skill and accuracy.

2. 那位以严格闻名的教练从一开始就要求队员抛弃一切杂念，超越他们的极限，以确保他们能在第29届北京奥林匹克运动会上摘得一枚奖牌。(mean for sb to do sth; from the start; push ... beyond limits) Suggested answer:

The coach, who was known for his strictness, had meant from the very start for all the players to shut out all the distracting thoughts and push themselves beyond their limits to ensure that they win a medal at the 29th Olympic Games held in Beijing.

3. 新教练接管了球队后，时时牢记自己的使命，并最终带领球队取得了联赛冠军。在接受采访时，教练激动得说不出话来。(take over; bear in mind; make it; at a loss for words) Suggested answer:

Since after he took over the team, the new coach has always borne in mind his mission and finally made it to the championship of the league matches. When interviewed, the coach was at a loss for words because of excitement.

4. 足球是一项很奇妙的运动。虽然最后的比赛结果往 往是 0—0, 1—0, 2—1, 但是这丝毫不影响人们去观看比赛。对我来说，足球的魅力到底在哪里一直是个谜。(flock; remain) Suggested answer:

Football is an amazing sport. Despite the fact that most finals are 0—0, 1—0 or 2—1, people keep flocking to see football games. For me, it remains a mystery what is so