“跳水女皇”背后的故事

浙江臺州仙居縣文元橫溪中學 江 麗

郭晶晶出生于河北保定的一個普通家庭，是前國家運動員、奧運冠軍，有“跳水女皇”之稱。 然而，這一切榮譽得來并不容易……

難詞探意

1. consecutive /k?n?sekj?t?v/ adj. 連續的；不間斷的

2. elevate /?el?ve?t/ v. 提拔

3. prominence /?pr?m?n?ns/ n. 突出；出名

4. tumble /?t?mbl/ v. 翻跟頭

5. defy /d??fa?/ v. 向……挑戰

Guo Jingjing (born on October 15, 1981, Baoding, Hebei Province,China), Chinese diver who competed in four consecutive Summer Olympic Games, won gold medals in the 3-metre springboard and synchronized (同步的) 3-metre springboard (with partner Wu Minxia) events in 2004 and repeated the feat in 2008 (again partnered with Wu on the synchronized event). Those accomplishments, coupled with her multiple victories in world diving championships, elevated her to the status of most outstanding diver in the history of the sport.

Guo grew up in Baoding, China, a city located about 90 miles (140 kilometers) south of Beijing. At seven she was “discovered” at her elementary school by diving coach Yu Fen, who had risen to prominence coaching Olympic champion Fu Mingxia. Guo, who went to live at the sports school where Yu coached, progressed rapidly under her mentor's guidance. At 14 she was selected for China's Olympic team and made her international debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games. She finished fifth, but it was clear that the teenager had the talent, the willingness to work hard, and a certain, undefinable flair for her sport that made her something special.

Yu retired after the Atlanta Games, and Guo transferred to coach Zhou Jihong, who had become China's first Olympic diving champion in 1984. Under Zhou, she won silver medals in both the 3-metre springboard and 3-metre synchronized events at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Training for five to seven hours a day, she won double golds at the world championships in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009,to go along with her two golds at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

Guo was one of the top favorites to win gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. She had not lost a major international event, either individual or synchronized, on the 3-metre springboard since 2001, and she did not disappoint the home crowd. Standing 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 metres) and weighing just 108 pounds (49 kg), Guo exploded off the springboard, twisting and tumbling in the air in a way that seemingly defied gravity. Then, with her body perfectly aligned (使成一條直線), she cut through the water's surface, producing barely a sound or a ripple as she entered. In the end she again walked away with the gold in both the 3-metre springboard and the synchronized 3-metre springboard.In 2011 Guo retired from competitive diving.

Reading Check

1. What made Guo stand out among divers in the history of diving?

A. Her appearance.

B. Her birthplace.

C. Her elementary school performance.

D. Her accomplishments and victories.

2. Who discovered Guo's talent for diving?

A. Her classmates.

B. Her teacher.

C. Diving coach Yu Fen.

D. Olympic champion Fu Mingxia.

3. When did Guo make her international debut?

A. In 1996. B. In 2000.

C. In 2005. D. In 2008.

4. What can we know about Zhou Jihong?

A. She was Guo's first diving coach.

B. She was China's first Olympic diving champion.

C. She retired after the Atlanta Games as a diving coach.

D. She won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.