The 2010 Winter Paralympics

二0一0年冬季殘障奧運Athletes show remarkable skill during the 10th Winter Paralympics 運動選手在溫哥華同場競技，技巧和速度展露無疑Skill and speed are on display as athletes compete in Vancouver by Lisa Holl Chang

Today several hundred athletes from 40 countries gather in Vancouver, BC. Like the Olympic athletes that came in February, these athletes have trained intensely for this competition. In contrast to the Olympic athletes, these athletes are blind, can’t walk, or have some other disability.
The preparations
Vancouver was announced the host city of the Olympics and Paralympics in July 2003. Canada has done many things to prepare for the Games since then. Educational programs in Canadian schools were held in November 2009 during Paralympic School Week. Students fell in love with Sumi, the Paralympic mascot, on his school visits. The Canadian Paralympic Committee website It’s the Real Deal features stories of athletes with disabilities.

The Paralympic Torch Relay began on March 3 in Ottawa, Canada. Six hundred people carried the specially designed torch on its 10-day journey. Today that torch will light up the BC Place in Vancouver during the Opening Ceremony.

The Sports
The 10th Winter Paralympics last from March 12 to 21. During these 10 days, athletes will compete in five sports. Each sport has been adapted to fit the athlete's needs. For example, in the skiing events, a sit-ski was developed for athletes unable to stand. Athletes sit on a seat on one ski and use short poles to move and balance.

Skiers with limited eyesight use regular ski equipment but have another skier who guides them. Wheelchair curling was introduced as a Paralympic Sport in the 2006 Winter Paralympics. Athletes use their hands and poles, called delivery sticks, to position the 19.1-kg stones.

The athletes
The most inspiring element of the Paralympic Games is, without a doubt, the athletes themselves. They all have stories about overcoming physical challenges to excel in their sports. This coming week, extraordinary skills are sure to be displayed in Vancouver.

More Information
How do disabled people compete in the Paralympics? In the Biathlon for example, visually impaired athletes shoot at their targets by listening to sounds that direct them towards the bull's eye. In the ice-sledge hockey event, athletes sit on sledges with two sticks. One end of the sticks is used to move over the ice. The other end is used to pass and shoot the puck.

Grammar
The most inspiring element of the Paralympic Games is, without a doubt, the athletes themselves.
without a doubt=certainly
*The most inspiring element of the Paralympic Games is certainly the athletes themselves.
without a doubt=without doubt
*Without doubt, this is the best cake I've ever tasted.
without a doubt=no doubt
*The director's most recent movie is no doubt his strangest one.
without a doubt=beyond doubt or beyond a doubt.
*His idea is beyond doubt the craziest one.
without a doubt=beyond a shadow of doubt
*Beyond a shadow of doubt, Lisa is committed to her family.
without a doubt=certainly =without doubt =no doubt =beond doubt =beyond a shadow of doubt.

Vocabulary
intensively-密集地，强烈地 intensive-密集的，集中的。
*The city was bombed intensively and many were wounded.
*Our team worked intensively for the past week to meet the deadline.集中火力工作， 期限内
contrast-相反，差别悬殊的
* There's a distinct contrast between the styles of the two directors.
in contrast to something or someone-合谋对相反或有明显得反差。
* There's a distinct contrast between the styles of the two directors.
disabilities- 残障，障碍，残疾。dis-没有ability能力。
*The girl with multiple disabilities writes with a sound-activated computer. 声控
adapt-修改，改变，也指“适应”
*The cabinets of the house were adapted in order to accommodate the height of the owner.
*The chef adapted his menu to fit the appetite of his customers.
*We slowly adapted to the cold weather here.适应
balance-使平衡
*The acrobat balanced her body on the thin iron rope.
*You need to balance your work and personal life.
*The gymnast tried to keep her balance but fell off the beam.
excel- 超出，超越，excelled-超越他人 或超越
*The winners who excelled in the competition received national attention.受到
*The new software excelled beyond the competition when it came to functions.

Chat Room
disability- disable残障的
disability(most common use)/handicapped (less respect to people, only use for public area, such as parking / physically challenged(politically correct terms正确政治术语-to show respect to all kinds of people)
mental disable=mentally challenged.
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come over, coming over, came over
overcome, overcoming, overcame-克服，打败，征服
to be overcome-被压倒，被打败，被淹没
overcome with sadness被伤心难过淹没，=get choked up 喉咙哽塞，意味着感动得落泪。