Cambridge IELTS 6 Test 1 Reading Passage 1 Translation Australia's Sports Success
The first article introduces Australia's success in sports events. The article is divided into six paragraphs. Starting from the facts, it gradually analyzes the reasons for its success, especially how the measured data can be used to improve the performance of athletes. The following is the translation of each paragraph.
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Cambridge IELTS 6 test 1 passage 1 Australian sports achievements
Cambridge IELTS 6 Test1 Read Passage1 Answer Analysis Australia's Sports Success
Cambridge IELTS 6 Test 1 Passage 1 Read the original translation
Natural section A
They play hard, they play often, and they play to win. Australian sports teams win more than their fair share of titles, demolishing rivals with seeming ease. How do they do it? A big part of the secret is an extensive and expensive network of sporting academies underpinned by science and medicine. At the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), hundreds of youngsters and pros live and train under the eyes of coaches. Another body, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), finances programmes of excellence in a total of 96 sports for thousands of sportsmen and women. Both provide intensive coaching, training facilities and nutritional advice.
They work hard, often exercise, and try to win. The Australian team has won far more championships than they deserve and seems to have easily destroyed their opponents. How did they do it? A large part of the secret is the extensive and expensive sports academic network based on science and medicine. At the Australian Institute of Physical Education (AIS), hundreds of young people and professional players live and train under the guidance of coaches. Another institution, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), has provided 96 sports for thousands of male and female athletes. Both provide intensive guidance, training facilities and nutrition advice.
Natural section B
Inside the academies, science takes centre stage. The AIS employs more than 100 sports scientists and doctors, and collaborates with scores of others in universities and research centres. AIS scientists work across a number of sports, applying skills learned in one – such as building muscle strength in golfers – to others, such as swimming and squash. They are backed up by technicians who design instruments to collect data from athletes. They all focus on one aim: winning. ‘We can’t waste our time looking at ethereal scientific questions that don’t help the coach work with an athlete and improve performance,’ says Peter Fricker, chief of science at AIS.
Inside the college, science occupies the center of the stage. AIS has employed more than 100 sports scientists and doctors, and cooperated with dozens of other personnel in universities and research centers. AIS scientists' work articles from the Old Roast Duck IELTS cover a variety of sports activities, and apply the skills learned in one sport (such as improving the muscle strength of golfers) to other sports, such as swimming and squash. They are supported by technicians. These technicians design instruments to collect athlete data. They all focus on one goal: winning. Peter Fricker, the science director of AIS, said: "We can't waste time on scientific problems that are elusive. These problems can't help coaches and athletes cooperate and improve their performance."
Natural section C
A lot of their work comes down to measurement – everything from the exact angle of a swimmer’s dive to the second-by-second power output of a cyclist. This data is used to wring improvements out of athletes. The focus is on individuals, tweaking performances to squeeze an extra hundredth of a second here, an extra millimetre there. No gain is too slight to bother with. It’s the tiny, gradual improvements that add up to world-beating results. To demonstrate how the system works, Bruce Mason at AIS shows off the prototype of a 3D analysis tool for studying swimmers. A wire-frame model of a champion swimmer slices through the water, her arms moving in slow motion. Looking side-on, Mason measures the distance between strokes. From above, he analyses how her spine swivels. When fully developed, this system will enable him to build a biomechanical profile for coaches to use to help budding swimmers. Mason’s contribution to sport also includes the development of the SWAN (SWimming ANalysis)system now used in Australian national competitions. It collects images from digital cameras running at 50 frames a second and breaks down each part of a swimmer’s performance into factors that can be analysed individually – stroke length, stroke frequency, average duration of each stroke, velocity, start, lap and finish times, and so on. At the end of each race, SWAN spits out data on each swimmer
Much of their work boils down to measurement - from the exact angle at which the swimmer enters the water to the power output per second of the rider. These data are used to promote athletes' progress. The focus is on individuals, and the performance of athletes can be adjusted by improving one hundredth of a second here and one millimeter there. No ascension is insignificant. It is this small and gradual improvement that has accumulated to the world's attention. In order to demonstrate the working principle of the system, Bruce Mason of AIS showed the prototype of a 3D analysis tool used to study swimmers. The champion swimmer's wireframe model crosses the water, and the arm moves in slow motion. From the side, Mason measures the distance between each stroke. From above, he analyzed how her spine rotates. When fully developed, the system will enable him to establish biomechanical characteristics for use by coaches to help emerging swimmers. Mason's contribution to sports also includes the development of SWAN (Swimming ANalysis) system, which has been used in Australia's national competitions. It collects images from a digital camera running at 50 frames per second, and decomposes each part of the swimmer's performance into factors that can be analyzed separately - stroke length, stroke frequency, average duration of each stroke, speed, start, lap speed and end time, etc. At the end of each race, SWAN will feed back data to each swimmer.
Natural section D
‘Take a look,’ says Mason, pulling out a sheet of data. He points out the data on the swimmers in second and third place, which shows that the one who finished third actually swam faster. So why did he finish 35 hundredths of a second down? ‘His turn times were 44 hundredths of a second behind the other guy,’ says Mason. ‘If he can improve on his turns, he can do much better’ This is the kind of accuracy that AIS scientists’ research is bringing to a range of sports. With the Cooperative Research Centre for Micro Technology in Melbourne, they are developing unobtrusive sensors that will be embedded in an athlete’s clothes or running shoes to monitor heart rate, sweating, heat production or any other factor that might have an impact on an athlete’s ability to run. There’s more to it than simply measuring performance. Fricker gives the example of athletes who may be down with coughs and colds 11 or 12 times a year. After years of experimentation, AlS and the University of Newcastle in New South Wales developed a test that measures how much of the immune-system protein immunoglobulin A is present in athletes’ saliva. If IgA levels suddenly fall below a certain level, training is eased or dropped altogether. Soon, IgA levels start rising again, and the danger passes. Since the tests were introduced, AIS athletes in all sports have been remarkably successful at staying healthy.
"Check it out." Mason took out a data sheet and pointed out the data of the second and third swimmers. It shows that the third swimmer actually swims faster. So, why did he lose 0.35 seconds? Mason said: "His turning time is 0.44 seconds slower than the other person." "If he can make progress in turning, he can do better.". This is the accuracy of AIS scientists' research for a series of sports. Through cooperation with Melbourne Micro Technology Cooperative Research Center, they are developing inconspicuous sensors. The sensor will be embedded in the athlete's clothes or running shoes to monitor heart rate, sweating, heat production or any other factors that may affect the athlete's running ability. It has more functions than simply measuring performance. Fricker gave the example of athletes who may fall down 11 or 12 times a year due to cough and cold. After years of experiments, ALS and the University of New South Wales in Newcastle have developed a test that can measure the amount of immunoglobulin A in athletes' saliva. If the IgA level suddenly drops below a certain level, the training will be easier or completely abandoned. Soon, IgA levels began to rise again, and the danger passed. Since the introduction of the test, athletes in all AIS events have been very successful in maintaining health.
Natural section E
Using data is a complex business. Well before a championship, sports scientists and coaches start to prepare the athlete by developing a ‘competition model’, based on what they expect will be the winning times. ‘You design the model to make that time,’ says Mason. ‘A start of this much, each free-swimming period has to be this fast, with a certain stroke frequency and stroke length, with turns done in these times.’ All the training is then geared towards making the athlete hit those targets, both overall and for each segment of the race. Techniques like these have transformed Australia into arguably the world’s most successful sporting nation.
Using data is a complex business. Before winning the championship, sports scientists and coaches began to develop "competition models" according to their expected winning nodes to prepare athletes. Mason said, "You can design models to save time. Start so early , each swimming cycle must be so fast, with a certain stroke frequency and stroke length, and turn at these time points " 。 Then, all training is aimed at enabling athletes to achieve these goals throughout the competition process and at all stages. Such technologies have made Australia the most successful sports country in the world.
Natural section F
Of course, there’s nothing to stop other countries copying-and many have tried. Some years ago, the AIS unveiled coolant-lined jackets for endurance athletes. At the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, these sliced as much as two per cent off cyclists’ and rowers’ times. Now everyone uses them. The same has happened to the ‘altitude tent’, developed by AIS to replicate the effect of altitude training at sea level. But Australia’s success story is about more than easily copied technological fixes, and up to now no nation has replicated its all-encompassing system.
Of course, nothing can prevent other countries from imitating, and many countries have tried. A few years ago, AIS introduced jackets lined with coolant for endurance athletes. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, these devices could reduce the time of cyclists and rowers by up to 2%. Everyone is using them now. The same is true of the "altitude tent" developed by AIS to replicate the effect of altitude training at sea level. However, Australia's success story is not just about simply copying technical patches. So far, no country has been able to replicate its overall system.
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