【Unlocking Word Meanings】
今日の単語・フレーズ
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. strike gold / straɪk goʊld / (idiom) – to get a gold medal in a competition
Example: The Japanese skater struck gold in the Olympics.
2. attain / əˈteɪn / (v.) – to get or achieve something
Example: The athlete attained his goal of winning the competition.
3. dominate / ˈdɒm əˌneɪt / (v.) – to take over
Example: Many Asian countries dominated the Olympics last year.
4. streak / strik / (n.) – a series with no interruptions
Example: The team ended its losing streak by winning the sixth game.
5. deem / dim / (v.) – to consider as something
Example: The judges deemed his performance excellent.
【Article】
ニュース記事
Read the text below.
Led by Kohei Uchimura, Japan’s Men’s Gymnastics team struck gold at the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championship.
Despite committing a mistake during the final round, Uchimura was still able to attain the highest score of 90.654 points in all of the six individual events. Meanwhile, for the team event, the Japanese team scored 358.884 points, beating China’s overall score of 357.027 points during the team final.
Japan’s win at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship marks the first for the country since 1978. Their win has also ended China’s winning streak. For the past five years, China has dominated first place, leaving Japan in second place. China has also claimed gymnastic gold during the last two Olympics. The last time Japan won an Olympic team title was in 2004.
Uchimura has won five Olympic medals in the past, including a gold in 2012. His record in the World Championships is also equally impressive, with seven of his sixteen world medals being gold.
Despite being relegated to the second place in previous years, Uchimura strived to place his team in first place for the team title. He expressed that his dream is to be better than the person he deems to be the greatest gymnast of all—Vitaly Scherbo from Belarus. He said that although it will be difficult, he wants to see the Japanese flag raised more than three times.
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【Viewpoint Discussion】
ディスカッションテーマ
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
· What do you think Japan’s gymnastics team will do now that they’ve achieved first place?
· Now that Uchimura has gold medals for all titles, what do you think he should do next? Why?
Discussion B
· What do you think your country can do to encourage more athletes to compete internationally? Why?
· Why do you think some countries put importance on international sports competitions?
