本期内容：

The Tokyo Marathon took place on Sunday against a backdrop of empty streets and with just a couple of hundred runners due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Organisers had reduced the entries to just elite runners and wheelchair athletes with the mass race, which usually attracts around 38,000 runners, cancelled.
The numbers of volunteers were also reduced and spectators were advised to "avoid gathering along the course" and were instead encouraged to "support through TV and radio."

take place: 发生
against the backdrop of…: 以……为背景
• backdrop n. 幕布，背景
• sth. took place against the backdrop of…: 某事在……背景下发生
• This story took place against the backdrop of the World War II.
这个故事是在二战的背景下发生。
entry n. 报名人数，参赛选手，参赛资格
• We have many entries for this competition.
此次比赛我们有很多参赛选手。
elite adj. 精英的
• business/political/social elite: 商界/政界/社会精英
mass race: 群众赛
spectator n. 旁观者，观众



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