Dialogue 1

Mark: Jingjing, you know more about the World Cup than I do. Would you mind walking me through the tournament?
馬克：京晶，你知道世界杯比我多，你愿意帶我了解一下這個賽事嗎？
Jingjing: What's the matter? You don't like football?
京晶：怎么了？你不喜歡足球？
Mark: It's great, once I start watching it. But when I see a game on and a long time passes without a goal, I'd like to at least know what's at stake for each team.
馬克：剛開始看起來的時候挺棒的。但是等我看到一場比賽開始了，時間過去了很久也沒進一個球的時候，我至少想知道各隊情勢如何，輸贏有何利弊。
Jingjing: You have to keep track of the teams. You know, the next games are the round of 16. That means 8 of 16 teams will get to the quarter finals.
京晶：你得跟進每個隊的情況啊。你知道接下來的比賽就是十六進8了。這意味著十六個隊中只有一半能進入四分之一決賽。
Mark: Who's still in?
馬克：哪些隊還在的？
Jingjing: Well, Uraguay, Portugal, Spain and Russia already have their matches scheduled.
京晶：嗯，烏拉圭，葡萄牙，西班牙，俄羅斯的賽程已定。
Mark: I hear Portugal's a pretty good team this year.
馬克：我聽說葡萄牙今年表現不錯。
Jingjing: Of course they are, with Ronaldo.
京晶：當然了，有C羅好嗎。
Mark: Who are they up against next?
馬克：他們下一場對誰？
Jingjing: That'd be Uraguay. Their match is on June 30.
京晶：應該是烏拉圭。比賽在6月30號。
Mark: I hear Uraguay is a dark horse.
馬克：我聽說烏拉圭是一匹黑馬。
Jingjing: Yeah, so that ought to be an exciting game. Uraguay has a strong team in almost every aspect. They have great goalkeepers, but might be a little weak on the mid-field.
京晶：是的。所以應該是一場十分精彩的比賽。烏拉圭幾乎擁有一個強隊的所有特質。他們有優秀的守門員，但是中場有些弱。
Mark: That sounds like the game to watch.
馬克：聽上去是一場值得看的比賽。
Jingjing: The Russia-Spain match will also be on June 30. So, from the outcome of those two games, we'll have a pretty clear idea who, from group A and group B, is going on to the quarter-finals.
京晶：俄羅斯對西班牙隊的比賽也是六月三十日。所以，從這兩場比賽的結果，我們可以非常清晰地知道，A組和B組，各有哪對可進入四分之一決賽。
Mark: I hope Portugal at least gets to the final.
馬克：我希望葡萄牙至少能進個決賽吧。
Jingjing: Maybe we'll see a final with Messi going up against Ronaldo!
京晶：也許我們能在決賽里看到梅西對陣C羅哦！
Mark: That'd be sweet!
馬克：那真是再好不過了。

New words: 習語短語

walking me through (something) 給某人普知，解釋某事
explaining something, while the other person asks questions or practices
(what's) at stake 危險，處于險境
what will be lost if the team doesn't win (i.e. the team is eliminated); (alternately, have a lot at stake, don't have much at stake)
keep track of (something) 跟進進程
know about something, watch for progress
up against 對陣
going to have a game against (vs)
dark horse 黑馬
a team that wasn't expected to get very far in the tournament, and has done so well that one of the favorites might be eliminated

Dialogue 2

Mark: Jingjing, could you tell me a little bit more about dark horses and favorites this year?
馬克：京晶，你能稍微再多告訴我一點關于黑馬和熱門球隊嗎？
Jingjing: Well, I bet you can guess who the favorites are.
京晶：可，我打賭你能猜出哪些球隊是熱門。
Mark: Um, Brazil and Germany are still pretty strong, right?
馬克：巴西和德國仍然很強，對吧？
Jingjing: Yes they are. But Mexico's one to watch this year, and might put Brazil out of the running.
京晶：是的。很強。但是墨西哥今年值得期待，沒準會讓巴西出局。
Mark: What about France and Belgium?
馬克：那法國和比利時呢？
Jingjing: Those are the other two favorites.
京晶：這是另兩大熱門。
Mark: And the other dark horses?
馬克：那黑馬呢？
Jingjing: Croatia is making it tough for Argentina. They're in group D together.
京晶：克羅地亞讓阿根廷難以招架。它們都在D組。
Mark: Who would you like to see make it to the final?
馬克：你想看到誰進決賽？
Jingjing: Like you mentioned, it'd be great to see Argentina vs Portugal. But I'd also like to see Brazil vs Mexico.
京晶：如你所說，如能看見阿根廷對陣葡萄牙是很好的，同時我也想看到巴西對陣墨西哥。
Mark: What about Russia? Anyway, they're the home team.
馬克：那俄羅斯呢，他們可是東道主隊。
Jingjing: Well, they'll be playing in Moscow on June 30.
京晶：他們30號會在莫斯科打比賽。
Mark: Yeah, it'd be good to see them get past the round of 16 at least.
馬克：是的。要是看見它們最終都進八強就好了。
Jingjing: I agree. It's just a great game to watch. I don't have anything riding on any one team.
京晶：我同意。這是一場很棒的可看性高的比賽。可我不賭他們誰贏。(我對這些隊都沒有什么勝算）
Mark: You mean you didn't place any bets?
馬克：你是說你沒有下注？
Jingjing: I don't gamble. But, say, how about we make a friendly bet: pick a team, and if they do better, the other person has to bring ice cream to the office.
京晶：我不賭球。但是，我們來一場友好的打賭如何：挑一個隊，如果表現更好，另一個人帶冰激淋到辦公室如何？
Mark: OK, I pick Spain.
馬克：好，我選西班牙。
Jingjing: I pick Brazil. You're on!
京晶：我選巴西。走著！

New words: 習語短語

favorites 熱門，被寄予厚望的
teams that are expected to do well, based on their qualifying matches and stats
(one) to watch 精彩的，值得一看的賽事
an event that will be exciting, also a person or team that might succeed until the end
have (anything) riding on 打賭某事
have something at stake (like a bet), especially used for people who are not involved in the actual competition
a friendly bet 不下注打賭
a bet, without money or anything too valuable, just for fun