A
As the novel coronavirus rapidly spreading to about 70 nations, many countries are canceling their major sporting and cultural events.
Already, major domestic (国内的) events in China, including the National People’s Congress and the World Athletics Indoor Championships, have already been postponed ( 推迟 ). Now the rest of the world seems to be following suit.
The world of soccer is also being affected. In Italy, several matches in February were played behind closed doors (without spectators). Meanwhile, entire soccer leagues in Japan, South Korea, and China’s Super League have all been placed on hold ( 暂停 ). There is also the possibility that Euro 2020 – an international soccer tournament for European teams – could be cancelled. When asked about the cancellations, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said, “The health of persons is much more important than any football game. If games have to be postponed, then we have to go throughthat.”
The outbreak is also impacting cultural events around the world. Facing Europe’s largest COVID-19 epidemic, with over 2,000 confirmed cases ( 确诊病例) so far, Italy also cut short its iconic Venice carnival (狂欢节) and Milan Fashion Week show. The latter was being live-streamed from an empty theater.
Now, the biggest event in doubt is the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Held every four years, the event attracts hundreds of thousands of people and has not been postponed since 1944 – due to World War II. Set to begin on July 24, Japanese officials remain optimistic. In a press conference, Toshiro Muto, Tokyo 2020 CEO said, both the Olympics and Paralympics (残奥会) will go ahead as planned. He added, “The situation of the coronavirus infection is difficult to predict, but we will take measures [so] that we’ll have a safe Olympic Games.”
Speaking to the Washington Post about the Games, infectious ( 传染的) disease researcher Yvonne Maldonado said, “You bring many people together, and then you ship them back all over the world: That’s the perfect way to transmit. If you want to disseminate ( 传播 ) a disease, that would be the way to do it.”
On Feb 26, the World Health Organization said the virus was spreading faster outside China than inside for the first time, prompting ( 敦促 ) many countries to follow China’s strict isolation measures.
16.What does the underlined phrase “following suit” in Paragraph 2 probablymean?
A. Doing what youwant.
B. Doing what you aretold.
C. Doing what others aredoing.
D. Doing what others don’tdo.
17.What do we know about some events in differentcountries?
A. Venice Carnival was livestreamed this year.
B. Euro 2020 will probably not be held asplanned.
C. Many soccer matches were canceled in Italy lastmonth.
D. Soccer leagues in Japan and South Korea played behind closeddoors.
18.What would Yvonne Maldonado suggest to Japanese officials about the 2020Olympics?
A. They should put itoff.
B. They should give itup.
C. They should hold it asscheduled.
D. They should change to anothercity.
