Doha hosts Asian Games and thinks of Olympics_体育新闻

Doha hosts Asian Games and thinks of Olympics

文章来源：文章作者：发布时间：2006-11-30 05:33 字体： [大中小]　进入论坛

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Photo taken on Nov. 28, 2006 shows an ornamental¹ billboard² with the logo of the 15th Asian Games in Doha, capital of Qatar. The 15th Asian Games will officially open on Dec. 1, 2006.

Nov. 29 - One glance at the skyline, dominated by cranes and gleaming new skyscrapers³, leaves little doubt this oil-rich nation has big plans. It's even thinking of an Olympics.

Doha was once a British administrative⁴ outpost that became Qatar's capital in the 19th century, when the country was home primarily to Bedouin tribes and coastal⁵ fishermen.

That was before oil was discovered.

In the past few years, Qatar has held a host of major sports events, including the $2 million Doha Masters golf tournament, tennis' ATP Doha Open, the superbike world championship and track and field meets.

The Asian Games that open here Friday - featuring more than 10,500 athletes and officials from 45 nations competing in 39 sports - easily are Doha's biggest undertaking⁶. But sports officials in Qatar consider them just the beginning. The Qatar Olympic Committee has revealed plans to bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics when the IOC opens the application process next year.

Qatar will face stiff competition, including Madrid, New Delhi, Prague, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, and Tokyo. The United States might enter Chicago or Los Angeles.

"The world is beginning to grow weary of seeing the major sporting tournaments being organized by the big countries," QOC secretary general Sheikh Saoud Al Thani said earlier this month.

"The rest of the world thought that Qatar, with only 200,000 nationals, could not organize the Asian Games, but we have proved them wrong," Al Thani said. Qatar, with a population of less than 800,000 made up mostly of expatriate foreign workers, clearly is a long shot to host an Olympics. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in resources.

Qatar spent $2.8 billion on preparing venues⁸ for the Asian Games, including a major upgrade to the 50,000-seat Khalifa Stadium and the construction of an indoor sports complex, the world's largest indoor multisports dome⁹.

"When we started planning, we knew we had to organize the games to a very high standard," said Ahmed Abdulla Al Khulaifi, deputy director general of the Doha Asian Games organizing committee. "We had to do it to an Olympic standard. We know there are a lot of challenges, but we also know we can very easily accept those challenges and we can fulfill¹⁰ them."

Doubts were cast about Doha's ability to hold a major event after a U.S. State Department fact sheet warned travelers of possible shortages of beds, flights, food and strained medical facilities during the Asian Games.

"It's not a logical statement," Al Khulaifi said yesterday. "They talked about the accommodation, but we don't have any problems, we don't have any pressures. We are receiving every day more than 1,000 athletes, team officials or media people. We don't have any issues."

Al Khulaifi said that in many ways, it is more difficult to organize the Asian Games than an Olympics. "We actually have bigger numbers of sports to cater¹¹ for - we have 39 and they have 28," he said. "In terms of the athletes, we have more, because at the Asian Games there is no qualification, so any NOC (National Olympic Committee) can send any athletes they wish to compete.

"I think with the infrastructure¹² we have put in place, and the infrastructure here in Doha, we think it would be very easy to host (the Olympics)."

The Asian Games will leave a valuable sports legacy¹³ for Qatar. Perhaps the most impressive of the venues constructed for the event is the ASPIRE¹⁴ complex, featuring seven indoor halls. The venue⁷ also houses a 6,000-seat soccer stadium and Olympic-size swimming and diving pools.

After the Asian Games, the facility will be used primarily by a sports academy that began in 2004 to identify young athletes in the region.

"It's very easy to build a venue," Al Khulaifi said. "But we have to plan for maintenance for not just 10 years, but 20 or 30 years."

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收听单词发音

1 ornamental
adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物
参考例句：
The stream was dammed up to form ornamental lakes.溪流用水坝拦挡起来,形成了装饰性的湖泊。 The ornamental ironwork lends a touch of elegance to the house.铁艺饰件为房子略添雅致。

2 billboard
n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌
参考例句：
He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。 Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

3 skyscrapers
n.摩天大楼
参考例句：
A lot of skyscrapers in Manhattan are rising up to the skies. 曼哈顿有许多摩天大楼耸入云霄。 On all sides, skyscrapers rose like jagged teeth. 四周耸起的摩天大楼参差不齐。

4 administrative
adj.行政的，管理的
参考例句：
The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。 He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

5 coastal
adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的
参考例句：
The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。 This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

6 undertaking
n.保证，许诺，事业
参考例句：
He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。 He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

7 venue
n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点
参考例句：
The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。 The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

8 venues
n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点
参考例句：
The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。 Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。来自互联网

9 dome
n.圆屋顶，拱顶
参考例句：
The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。 They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

10 fulfill
vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意
参考例句：
If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。 This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

11 cater
vi.(for/to)满足，迎合；(for)提供饮食及服务
参考例句：
I expect he will be able to cater for your particular needs.我预计他能满足你的特殊需要。 Most schools cater for children of different abilities.大多数学校能够满足具有不同天资的儿童的需要。

12 infrastructure
n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施
参考例句：
We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。 We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

13 legacy
n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西
参考例句：
They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。 He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

14 aspire
vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于
参考例句：
Living together with you is what I aspire toward in my life.和你一起生活是我一生最大的愿望。 I aspire to be an innovator not a follower.我迫切希望能变成个开创者而不是跟随者。

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