Upper-Intermediate - Ping Pong Nation (D0855)

A 中国的乒乓为什么会那么好?
Zhōngguó de pīngpāng wèishénme huì nàme hǎo?
Why is China so good at ping pong?
B 新中国的第一个世界冠军就是乒乓。所以一夜间,全国人民都迷上了乒乓,它也成了国球。
xīnzhōngguó de dì yī ge shìjiè guànjūn jiùshì pīngpāng. suǒyǐ yīyèjiān, quánguó rénmín dōu míshàng le pīngpāng, tā yě chéng le guóqiú.
The first world champion that the PRC produced was in ping pong. So overnight, everyone became fascinated with ping pong. It has become the national game.
A 我爸爸说当时在学校搬张课桌就打球,梦想以后为国争光。我估计乒乓在中国发展起来的另一个原因就是参与起来方便。
wǒ bàba shuō dāngshí zài xuéxiào bān zhāng kèzhuō jiù dǎqiú, mèngxiǎng yǐhòu wèi guó zhēngguāng. wǒ gūjì pīngpāng zài Zhōngguó fāzhǎn qǐlái de lìng yī ge yuányīn jiùshì cānyù qǐlái fāngbiàn.
My dad said at that time, they were playing ball on their school desks, dreaming of bringing glory to their country. I reckon ping pong in China began to develop for the reason that it is pretty easy to participate in.
B 对啊,群众基础好,自然能选到最好的运动员和教练员。加上国家大力支持,怪不得中国乒乓一直是世界第一。
duì a, qúnzhòng jīchǔ hǎo, zìrán néng xuǎndào zuì hǎo de yùndòngyuán hé jiàoliànyuán. jiāshàng guójiā dàlì zhīchí, guàibude Zhōngguó pīngpāng yīzhí shì shìjiè dì yī.
Yeah, it enjoys the popular support, so of course they are able to select the best athletes and coaches. On top of that, the state supports it vigorously, so no wonder China is always first in the world in ping pong.
A 对中国人来说,乒乓早就超越了运动本身,它代表了民族尊严。冷战时期,中国和外界的接触很少,好多运动都受到抵制不能开展。只有乒乓球能让我们跟国外交流。
duì zhōngguórén láishuō, pīngpāng zǎo jiù chāoyuè le yùndòng běnshēn, tā dàibiǎo le mínzú zūnyán. lěngzhàn shíqī, Zhōngguó hé wàijiè de jiēchù hěn shǎo, hǎo duō yùndòng dōu shòudào dǐzhì bùnéng kāizhǎn. zhǐyǒu pīngpāngqiú néng ràng wǒmen gēn guówài jiāoliú.
For Chinese people, ping pong is more than just a sport, it represents their ethnic dignity. During the cold war, China had little contact with foreign countries, as many banned them from participating in international competitions, and therefore were unable to develop other sports. Ping pong was the only sport that allowed us to interact with other countries.
B 乒乓还有很重要的历史地位呢。当时不是有乒乓外交吗?它可是促进中美建交的破冰事件。
pīngpāng hái yǒu hěn zhòngyào de lìshǐ dìwèi ne. dāngshí bù shì yǒu pīngpāng wàijiāo ma? tā kěshì cùjìn Zhōng Měi jiànjiāo de pòbīng shìjiàn.
Ping pong also has a very important historical position. Was that the time of Ping Pong Diplomacy? It was an ice breaking event that facilitated diplomatic relations between the US and China.
A 历史真有意思,两个超级大国几十年没有接触,却因为一个小乒乓球走到一起。
lìshǐ zhēn yǒu yìsi, liǎng ge chāojí dàguó jǐ shí nián méiyǒu jiēchù, què yīnwèi yī ge xiǎo pīngpāngqiú zǒudào yīqǐ.
History is so interesting, two major superpowers for several years had no contact, however but due to the small game of ping pong, they were able to come together.
B 所以中国人怎么能不热爱乒乓?不过我们乒乓太好也有问题,别的国家都不肯跟我们比了。
suǒyǐ zhōngguórén zěnme néng bù rè'ài pīngpāng? bùguò wǒmen pīngpāng tài hǎo yě yǒu wèntí, bié de guójiā dōu bù kěn gēn wǒmen bǐ le.
So how could the Chinese people not be passionate about ping pong? But there is a downside to us being so good at ping pong. Other countries don't want to compete with us.
A 可是成绩好是因为我们比别人刻苦。
kěshì chéngjì hǎo shì yīnwèi wǒmen bǐ biérén kèkǔ.
But we are good because we train harder than the others.
B 但是如果中国一直统治乒坛,那乒乓球的国际市场就会越来越小。到时候变成只有中国人参与,就没有意义了。
dànshì rúguǒ Zhōngguó yīzhí tǒngzhì pīngtán, nà pīngpāngqiú de guójì shìchǎng jiù huì yuèláiyuè xiǎo. dào shíhou biànchéng zhǐyǒu zhōngguórén cānyù, jiù méiyǒu yìyì le.
But if China continues to dominate ping pong, then the international market for ping pong will dwindle. It will then turn into a sport played only by Chinese, and then become meaningless.
A 也对。不过我还是最喜欢看中国乒乓队比赛,心里特别有底。不像看中国男足,随时会发心脏病。
yě duì. bùguò wǒ háishì zuì xǐhuan kàn Zhōngguó pīngpāngduì bǐsài, xīnli tèbié yǒudǐ. bù xiàng kàn Zhōngguó nánzú, suíshí huì fā xīnzàngbìng.
That's true, but I still love to watch the national team compete, as I know they will win. It's not like men's soccer, which can give you a heart attack.

Key Vocabulary

一夜间 yīyèjiān overnight
争光 zhēngguāng to bring glory
参与 cānyù to participate in
基础 jīchǔ base
超越 chāoyuè to surpass
尊严 zūnyán dignity
冷战时期 lěngzhàn shíqī Cold War period
抵制 dǐzhì to boycott
外交 wàijiāo diplomacy
促进 cùjìn to stimulate
建交 jiànjiāo to establish diplomatic relations
破冰 pòbīng to break the ice
成绩 chéngjì accomplishment
刻苦 kèkǔ hardworking
统治 tǒngzhì to dominate
乒坛 pīngtán ping pong circles
有底 yǒudǐ to have confidence
心脏病 xīnzàngbìng heart attack

Supplementary Vocabulary

一夜情 yīyèqíng one night stand
光荣 guāngróng glory
荣誉 róngyù honor
自尊 zìzūn self-respect
打破 dǎpò to break
尴尬 gāngà awkward
沉默 chénmò silence
表现 biǎoxiàn performance
领域 lǐngyù realm
体坛 tǐtán sports circles
体育界 tǐyùjiè sports circles
学术界 xuéshùjiè academic circles
论坛 lùntán forum
踏实 tāshi at ease
安全感 ānquángǎn feeling of security
自大 zìdà arrogant
没底 méidǐ unsure
侮辱 wǔrǔ to insult