The Noisy Horn of South Africa 南非喇叭的噪音

By Jonah Fisher, South Africa

媒體英語(yǔ)會(huì)帶大家一起學(xué)習(xí)BBC撰稿人在報(bào)道世界大事時(shí)常用到的單詞和短語(yǔ)。

Background:日本足球協(xié)會(huì)負(fù)責(zé)人提出應(yīng)在明年的世界杯賽中取締一種叫 vuvuzela 的塑料喇叭。犬飼基昭在日本隊(duì)同東道主南非隊(duì)比賽之后說(shuō)，刺耳的喇叭聲嚴(yán)重干擾了日本球員之間的交流。此前世界足協(xié)曾拒絕過(guò)類似抱怨，認(rèn)為 vuvuzela 是南非運(yùn)動(dòng)傳統(tǒng)的一部分。

Its sound has been compared to a swarm of angry bees; even an elephant with constipation.

But the blowing of the vuvuzela could, if anyone can hear themselves speak, be one of the talking points of the next World Cup.

A metre long and used like a trumpet, the plastic horn is the constant soundtrack to South African domestic football.

But opinion is divided as to whether it will be a welcome addition to next June’s event.

Television networks and players have complained and they've now been joined by the head of the Japanese football association. Speaking after his side played a friendly in South Africa, Motoaki Inukai said the noise was so loud that players just a few metres apart still couldn't hear each other.

He said he would raise the issue at the World Cup draw on 4 December and wanted FIFA to ban the vuvuzela from all games not involving the hosts.

Despite the noise, and a change of coach, South Africa's team Bafana Bafana show no sign of improving.

Currently ranked 85th in the world, they've failed to score a goal in any of their last four games.