第1405期:A gold medal for … partying

Brazilians certainly know how to throw a party – but will Rio be ready to welcome over 10,000 athletes and all the international visitors to the 2016 Olympics? At the moment, some natives of Rio (known locally as 'Cariocas') aren't too enthusiastic about the Games. They know they'll be putting up with a lot more roadworks and infrastructure building before the Olympic torch is lit in the Maracanã Stadium next August.Delays in venue construction gave the International Olympic Committee a fright in 2014. The government has since cleaned up its act and was praised recently for being ''on the right track'', although the challenge of cleaning up the highly polluted waters of the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon and Guanabara Bay – venues for the sailing and rowing competitions – remains.Fortunately, Brazil has learnt a lot from hosting the World Cup in 2014. Some businesses realised they were missing a trick by not communicating well with their international customers. Restaurants now know that using the internet to translate the menu isn't always a good idea: 'bife a cavalo' isn't really 'horse steak' – it's beef with a fried egg on top!Security was a key challenge in 2014 – and during the Olympics, the police will be working hard to prevent street crime. As with other developing countries, crime rates are high, and visitors will be encouraged to keep their wits about them so as to avoid falling victim to pickpockets or muggers.So while the Cariocas are already becoming athletes – by jumping and running across construction sites on their daily commute – they know that the Games have the potential to be a great spectacle, they will be able to let their hair down, and international visitors will have a good time in their company.Even those Brazilians who have their reservations, know deep down something that others don't. An old local saying goes: 'Deus é Brasileiro' ('God is Brazilian'). They hope he will give them a hand to make the games a success. And you can be sure that whatever happens – or doesn't happen – Brazilians will show the world why they have such a reputation as party people!词汇表to throw a party 举行派对、聚会infrastructure 基础设施venue 场所fright (noun) 惊吓to clean up one's act 改进作风，改善行为on the right track 步入正轨，（做法、想法）正确to host 做东道主to miss a trick 错过时机to keep one's wits about one 保持头脑清醒，保持警觉pickpocket 小偷，扒手mugger 拦路抢劫犯to let one's hair down 放松一下，尽情享受to have a good time 过得愉快，玩得开心reservations 疑义，顾虑to give someone a hand 祝某人一臂之力