日本能否成为今届世界杯的黑马？

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🤔️小作业：

1. According to the article, what is a key factor that makes Japan a strong dark horse candidate?

A. Their world ranking of 18.

B. Their unbeaten record against European teams in recent matches.

C. Their victory over Croatia in the last World Cup.

D. Their expansion from 32 to 48 teams.

无注释原文：

Could Japan be the World Cup's dark horses?

From: BBC

There is always at least one team that defies the odds and emerges as the surprise package of a World Cup.

Just ask Morocco, Russia, and Costa Rica, three nations who have all produced memorable runs deep into the knockout stages in recent years despite the modest expectations heading into the tournament.

With the World Cup having expanded from 32 to 48 teams this time around, there appears to be more potential dark horses than ever before.

But few nations look better equipped for a deep and unexpected run than Japan, whose blend of individual quality, recent form and all-round experience makes them one of the most intriguing outsiders in the competition.

In 2022, the Samurai Blue defeated both Germany and Spain to top Group E and advance to the first knockout round.

But it wasn't to be. Instead, Japan suffered familiar heartbreak as they were eliminated at the round-of-16 stage for the fourth time after a penalty shoot-out defeat by Croatia.

Now, four years on, as they prepare for their opening game against the Netherlands on Sunday night (21:00 BST), there is a growing belief that this could the most successful of Japan's eight World Cup appearances.

Sweden and Tunisia are the other teams in Group F, and Japan are currently unbeaten in their past nine matches against European opposition.

Former Southampton defender Maya Yoshida believes the 26-man squad selected by manager Hajime Moriyasu is capable of reaching unprecedented territory in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Yoshida, 37, who captained Japan in 2022, has travelled with the squad to this tournament as a non-playing "support player" to provide leadership behind the scenes.

"For me, reaching the quarter-finals - a stage we've never reached or even experienced before - is the main goal," Yoshida told BBC Sport. "Anything beyond that would be a bonus."

Who else could be a dark horse at the World Cup?

Japan are not the only team capable of springing a surprise at this summer's World Cup.

Alongside the Samurai Blue, Mexico, Ecuador, Turkey and South Korea have all been tipped as outsiders to watch over the next five weeks.

"I am not sure Ecuador will score enough goals with 36-year-old Enner Valencia leading their line but they are one of my picks, along with Japan," former England striker Chris Sutton told BBC Sport.

"I became a bit of a celebrity in Japan when I correctly backed them to beat Germany at the last World Cup, or at least I appeared on TV over there to talk about it anyway.

"They have got some excellent technical players and will be dangerous, whoever they play."

Former Scotland international Rachel Corsie also highlighted Turkey as a team to watch.

"Turkey could be tricky for some, and I don't know if this is really a surprise but I think Japan could go beyond where their world ranking of 18 suggests," she said.

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注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为BBC官方译文，仅供参考

含注释全文：

Could Japan be the World Cup's dark horses?

From: BBC

There is always at least one team that defies the odds and emerges as the surprise package of a World Cup.

每届世界杯总会至少有一支球队打破外界预期，成为赛事中的惊喜之师。

1）表示“违抗；反抗；蔑视”，英文解释为“to refuse to obey or show respect for sb in authority, a law, a rule, etc.”举个🌰：I wouldn't have dared to defy my teachers. 我可不敢不听老师的话。/跟老师作对。

2）defy belief/explanation/description 表示“不可能，无法（相信、解释、描绘等）”，英文解释为“to be impossible or almost impossible to believe, explain, describe, etc.”举个🌰：The chaos at that place defies description. 那个地方一片混乱，难以用语言形容。

🎬电影《爱丽丝梦游仙境》（Alice in Wonderland）中的台词提到：There's things in these woods that defy imagination. 树林里有你无法想象的东西。

1）表示“可能性，机会；几率，概率”，英文解释为“the probability (= how likely it is) that a particular thing will or will not happen”举个🌰：The overall odds of winning a lottery prize are 1 in 10. 抽中彩票的几率是1/10。

2）表示“不利条件；掣肘的事情；逆境”，英文解释为“something that makes it seem impossible to do or achieve sth”举个🌰：They secured a victory in the face of overwhelming odds. 尽管情况非常不利，他们仍得到了胜利。

📍奥巴马卸任后首次重返白宫 和拜登互开玩笑文中提到，奥巴马讲话：“Despite great odds, Joe and I were determined, because we met too many people on the campaign trail who shared their stories, and our own families had been touched by illness.”“尽管困难重重，乔和我还是下定决心，因为我们在竞选路上遇到了太多分享他们故事的人，我们自己的家庭也被疾病所影响。”

📍great odds 表示“困难重重，困难诸多”，相当于a lot of difficulties，举个🌰：We believe that, despite great odds, we can achieve a peaceful settlement. 我们相信，尽管困难重重，我们还是能够实现和平解决。

Just ask Morocco, Russia, and Costa Rica, three nations who have all produced memorable runs deep into the knockout stages in recent years despite the modest expectations heading into the tournament.

问问摩洛哥、俄罗斯和哥斯达黎加便知道，这三支球队近年都曾在赛前不被看好的情况下，一路杀入淘汰赛较后阶段，留下令人难忘的表现。

我们说的KO实际上就是knockout的缩写（KO is an abbreviation for knockout），表示“（拳击中的）击倒获胜；击败对手的一击；击倒对手获胜”，英文解释为“a blow that makes an opponent fall to the ground and be unable to get up, so that he or she loses the fight”

knockout也表示“淘汰赛”，英文解释为“a competition in which only the winners of each stage play in the next stage, until one competitor or team is the final winner”举个🌰：The tournament is a straight knockout. 这次锦标赛是直接淘汰赛。

With the World Cup having expanded from 32 to 48 teams this time around, there appears to be more potential dark horses than ever before.

今届世界杯由32队扩军至48队，看来比以往更可能出现多支黑马。

dark horse /ˌdɑːk ˈhɔːs/ 美式，表示“黑马（在赛马或竞选中出人意料的获胜者）”，英文解释为“a horse or a politician who wins a race or competition although no one expected them to”

英式，表示“不爱张扬的人；（尤指）深藏不露的人，内秀的人”，英文解释为“a person who keeps their interests and ideas secret, especially someone who has a surprising ability or skill”举个🌰：She is such a dark horse - I had no idea she'd published a novel. 安娜可真是深藏不露——我一点儿都不知道她已经出版了一本小说。

But few nations look better equipped for a deep and unexpected run than Japan, whose blend of individual quality, recent form and all-round experience makes them one of the most intriguing outsiders in the competition.

不过，很少有球队看起来比日本更有条件打出一段深入而出人意料的旅程。他们兼具球员个人能力、近期状态和整体大赛经验，是今届赛事最令人感兴趣的外围热门之一。

blend /blend/ 表示“（不同东西或风格的）混合品，混合物”，英文解释为“a mixture of different things or styles”如：a rich blend of the finest coffee beans 各种上等咖啡豆的混合品。

作动词，blend /blend/ 表示“（使）混合，（使）混杂;（使）交融”，英文解释为“to mix or combine together”举个🌰：Blend the ingredients into a smooth paste. 将这些原料混和成均匀的糊状。

intriguing /ɪnˈtriː.ɡɪŋ/ 表示“非常有趣的；引人入胜的；神秘的”，英文解释为“very interesting because of being unusual or mysterious”如：an intriguing possibility/question 极具吸引力的可能性/问题。

1）表示“局外人；外来者；外部的人”，英文解释为“a person who is not involved with a particular group of people or organization or who does not live in a particular place”

2）表示“（不被某一团体、组织或社会接受的）局外人，不合群的人，外人”，英文解释为“a person who is not liked or accepted as a member of a particular group, organization, or society and who feels different from those people who are accepted as members”

3）表示“（比赛中）不被看好的人（或动物）；取胜希望渺茫的人（或动物）”，英文解释为“a person who is not liked or accepted as a member of a particular group, organization, or society and who feels different from those people who are accepted as members”举个🌰：A complete outsider won this year's award. 一名完全没有被看好的人赢得了今年的奖项。

In 2022, the Samurai Blue defeated both Germany and Spain to top Group E and advance to the first knockout round.

2022年，“蓝武士”日本队击败德国和西班牙，以E组首名出线，晋级首轮淘汰赛。

But it wasn't to be. Instead, Japan suffered familiar heartbreak as they were eliminated at the round-of-16 stage for the fourth time after a penalty shoot-out defeat by Croatia.

但他们未能再进一步。日本在16强赛互射十二码不敌克罗地亚，第四次在世界杯16强止步，再次经历熟悉的心碎结局。

eliminate /iˈlɪm.ɪ.neɪt/ 1）表示“排除；消除；清除”，英文解释为“to remove or take away someone or something”举个🌰：A move towards healthy eating could help eliminate heart disease. 养成健康的饮食习惯有助于消除心脏病诱因。

2）表示“（比赛中）淘汰”，英文解释为“to defeat someone so that they cannot continue in a competition”举个🌰：He was eliminated in the third round of the competition. 他在第3轮比赛中被淘汰。

Penalty shoot-out（点球大战）是足球比赛中决出胜负的一种方式。简单来说，就是比赛在常规时间和加时赛后仍然打平，且必须分出胜负时（如淘汰赛），双方轮流踢5轮点球，进球多者获胜。如果5轮后仍平局，则进入“突然死亡”轮，一队罚进而另一队罚失即结束。

Penalty kick（常规点球）：指比赛中因犯规获得的罚球机会，是比赛进行中的一部分；Penalty shoot-out（点球大战）：专指平局后单独的决胜环节，不计入常规进球数。

Now, four years on, as they prepare for their opening game against the Netherlands on Sunday night (21:00 BST), there is a growing belief that this could the most successful of Japan's eight World Cup appearances.

四年后，日本在周日（6月14日）晚上迎战荷兰，展开今届首场比赛，最终两度落后下逼平对手。越来越多人相信，这可能会是日本八次参加世界杯以来最成功的一届。

Sweden and Tunisia are the other teams in Group F, and Japan are currently unbeaten in their past nine matches against European opposition.

瑞典和突尼斯是F组另外两队，而日本目前对欧洲球队已连续九场保持不败。

Former Southampton defender Maya Yoshida believes the 26-man squad selected by manager Hajime Moriyasu is capable of reaching unprecedented territory in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

前修咸顿（Southampton FC）后卫吉田麻也相信，主教练森保一选出的26人大军，有能力在美国、加拿大和墨西哥合办的今届赛事中，闯入日本队前所未至的阶段。

表示“防守队员；后卫”，英文解释为“someone in a sports team who tries to prevent the other team from scoring points, goals, etc.”

squad /skwɒd/ 1）表示“（为参加某体育比赛而组成的）运动队；球队”，英文解释为“a group of players from which a team will be chosen for a particular sports event”如：the Chinese World Cup squad 代表中国参加世界杯的球队。

类似的：

📍team的英文解释为“a group of people who play a game or sport together against another group”（游戏或体育比赛的）队。

2）squad也可以表示“（警察的）特别行动小组”和“（士兵组成的）班，小队”如：bomb squad officers 爆破小组的队员，a drill squad 操练小队。

unprecedented /ʌnˈpres.ɪ.den.tɪd/ 表示“史无前例的，空前的；绝无仅有的”，英文解释为“never having happened or existed in the past”举个🌰：This century has witnessed environmental destruction on an unprecedented scale. 环境在本世纪遭到了空前的破坏。

词源和词根：un-是“不”的意思，precedented来自拉丁语的praecedere，意为“走在前面”。派生词：unprecedentedly，常用短语：unprecedented event 空前的事件。

🎬电影《星运里的错》（The Fault in Our Stars）中的台词提到：You are so busy being you that you have no idea how utterly unprecedented you are. 你太忙于做自己 都没有意识到自己是那么的令人心动。

Yoshida, 37, who captained Japan in 2022, has travelled with the squad to this tournament as a non-playing "support player" to provide leadership behind the scenes.

现年37岁、曾在2022年担任日本队队长的吉田麻也，今届以非上阵“支援球员”身份随队出征，在幕后提供领导力。

captain /ˈkæp.tɪn/ 作动词，表示“担任队长（或船长、机长）；率领；指挥”，英文解释为“to lead and be the captain of a team, military group, ship, or aircraft”举个🌰：She captained the Canadian ice hockey team for three years. 她曾担任加拿大冰球队的队长3年。

"For me, reaching the quarter-finals - a stage we've never reached or even experienced before - is the main goal," Yoshida told BBC Sport. "Anything beyond that would be a bonus."

“对我来说，打入八强，也就是我们从未到达、甚至从未经历过的阶段，是主要目标，”吉田麻也告诉BBC体育。“再往前走，便是额外收获。”

Who else could be a dark horse at the World Cup?

世界杯还有哪些球队可能成为黑马？

Japan are not the only team capable of springing a surprise at this summer's World Cup.

日本不是今夏世界杯唯一有能力制造惊喜的球队。

spring /sprɪŋ/ 作动词，1）表示“突然出现；涌现”，英文解释为“to appear suddenly”举个🌰："Where did you spring from? - I didn't see you come in!" “你从那儿冒出来的？——我都没见你进来！”

2）表示“跳，跃，蹦”，英文解释为“to move quickly and suddenly towards a particular place”举个🌰：I sprang out of bed to answer the door. 我从床上跳起来去开门。

Alongside the Samurai Blue, Mexico, Ecuador, Turkey and South Korea have all been tipped as outsiders to watch over the next five weeks.

除了“蓝武士”之外，墨西哥、厄瓜多尔、土耳其和韩国，都被视为未来五周值得留意的外围热门。

作名词表示「小费」大家比较熟悉，也可以表示“（尤指细长物体的）末梢，末端，尖；（尤指细长物体的）顶端附加物”，英文解释为“the usually pointed end of something, especially something that is long and thin”举个🌰：We had asparagus tips for dinner. 我们晚饭吃了芦笋尖。

tip在花滑将禁止17岁以下选手参赛文中出现：Valieva, who had been tipped for a gold medal, finished fourth. 曾被看好获得金牌的瓦里耶娃获得了第四名。这里作动词，也是熟词僻义，表示“称…有可能成功”，英文解释为“to say that someone is likely to be successful or achieve something”举个🌰：He is being tipped as the next prime minister. 据称，他有可能成为下一任首相。

"I am not sure Ecuador will score enough goals with 36-year-old Enner Valencia leading their line but they are one of my picks, along with Japan," former England striker Chris Sutton told BBC Sport.

“我不确定36岁的恩内尔·瓦伦西亚（Enner Valencia）领军的厄瓜多尔能否取得足够入球，但他们是我看好的球队之一，另一队是日本。”前英格兰前锋克里斯·萨顿（Chris Sutton，瑟顿）告诉BBC体育部。

striker /ˈstraɪ.kər/ 表示“（足球比赛等中的）前锋”，英文解释为“a player in a game such as football whose main purpose is to try to score goals rather than to prevent the opposing team from scoring”举个🌰：The club's new manager is a former England striker. 俱乐部的新任主教练以前是英格兰队的前锋。

"I became a bit of a celebrity in Japan when I correctly backed them to beat Germany at the last World Cup, or at least I appeared on TV over there to talk about it anyway.

“上届世界杯我准确预测日本会击败德国后，在日本好像变成了一点名人，至少我上过那边的电视谈这件事。”

"They have got some excellent technical players and will be dangerous, whoever they play."

“他们有一些非常出色、技术很好的球员，不论对手是谁，都会很有威胁。”

Former Scotland international Rachel Corsie also highlighted Turkey as a team to watch.

前苏格兰国脚瑞秋·科西（Rachel Corsie）也点名土耳其是值得留意的球队。

"Turkey could be tricky for some, and I don't know if this is really a surprise but I think Japan could go beyond where their world ranking of 18 suggests," she said.

“土耳其可能会令一些球队感到棘手。至于日本，我不知道这算不算惊喜，但我认为他们可以走得比现在的世界排名第18位更前。”她说。

tricky /ˈtrɪk.i/ 作形容词，表示“难办的；难对付的；棘手的”，英文解释为“If a piece of work or problem is tricky, it is difficult to deal with and needs careful attention or skill.”举个🌰：I'm in a tricky situation - whatever I do I'll offend someone. 我的处境真有点儿难办——我无论怎么做都会得罪人。

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