Paralympics Open in Beijing
北京残奥会召开 开幕式相对低调

 
China is following its successful hosting of the Olympics with a lower-key opening ceremony for the Paralympics, an international sporting event for handicapped athletes, that runs until September 17.

继中国成功举办奥运会后，残疾人奥运会的开幕式比较低调。残奥会是国际残疾人运动员的体育赛事，这次残奥会将在9月17号结束。

Chinese President Hu Jintao officially declared that the Paralympic games had begun.

中国国家主席胡锦涛正式宣布残奥会开幕：“我宣布北京2008年残奥会开幕。”

The opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics involved a lavish and elaborate performance that presented thousands of years of Chinese history.

北京奥运会开幕式有一场华丽盛大的表演，呈现了中国的几千年历史。

In contrast, the opening ceremony for the Paralympics was mostly about the athletes.

相比之下，残奥会的开幕式更多的是关注运动员本身。

Four thousand physically-disabled athletes from around the world entered the Bird's Nest stadium, either on foot or in a wheelchair.

来自世界各地的4000名残疾运动员进入北京的“鸟巢”体育馆，有的步行，有的坐着轮椅。

Chinese women in bright pink frilly dresses led each of the 146 national delegations. Groups of young Chinese dancers, dressed in blue shorts and white baseball caps, danced to the music and waved red flags.

身穿亮丽粉红色褶边裙的中国女引导员引领146个代表团入场。一群群身穿蓝色短裤、头戴白色棒球帽的中国年轻人伴随着音乐翩翩起舞，挥舞红旗。

The president of the International Paralympic Committee, Philip Craven, praised these games as a Paralympic milestone.

国际残奥会主席克拉文称赞这届运动会是残奥会的里程碑。

"These games will have more athletes, more competing nations and more sporting events than ever before," he said.

他说：“这次残奥会的运动员、参赛国家和比赛项目都会比过去多。”

Earlier in the day, President Hu hosted visiting dignitaries for lunch in the Great Hall of the People.

当天早些时候，中国国家主席胡锦涛在人民大会堂设午宴招待来观看残奥会的政要。

President Hu says the Beijing Paralympic games are an opportunity for China to further promote a humanitarian spirit and safeguard the rights of disabled people.

胡锦涛说，北京残奥会是中国促进人道主义精神、保障残疾人权益的一个机会。

One notable name on the guest list was Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who shook hands and posed for pictures with the Chinese president.

在嘉宾名单中有一个名字引人注目，就是伊朗总统艾哈迈迪内贾德。他和胡锦涛握手并一起拍照。

In Beijing Saturday, residents watched the Paralympic torch make its way through the city to the stadium.

星期六，北京居民观看了残奥会火炬在全城传递接力、最后到达体育馆的过程。

Chinese state television showed excited spectators waving flags and cheering for the torch.

中国官方电视台播放了激动的观众挥舞旗帜，为火炬欢呼的镜头。

One spectator told CCTV that just as the Olympics have improved China's position in the world, he is hopeful the Paralympics will enhance China's position as a powerful sports country too.

一个观看火炬传递的人告诉中国中央电视台说，就像奥运会提升了中国的国际地位一样，他希望残奥会也会提升中国作为一个体育强国的地位。

There are 20 sports under competition during the Summer Paralympics. These include swimming, sailing and judo, as well as things like wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis and wheelchair rugby.

这届夏季残奥会设有20个比赛项目，包括游泳、帆船、柔道、以及轮椅篮球、轮椅网球和轮椅橄榄球等。

The first day of competition is Sunday, and athletes will use many of the same venues that were featured in the Olympics.

第一天的赛事星期天开始。运动员将使用奥运会使用过的许多场地。