BBC英语口语:大学生竞赛丑闻

Background: 英国最受推崇的由两组大学代表队抢答电视知识竞赛节目University Challenge 因陷入丑闻而引起轰动。原来跻身于决赛中的优胜队被发现有违规之嫌，因为其中的一名决赛者根本不是大学生。

【文本】

Student Quiz Scandal 

It's one of Britain's longest-running TV quiz shows, where the best and brightest from universities all over the country, compete to show off their knowledge on a myriad of topics.

University Challenge first went to air nearly fifty years ago, and over the decades it's been a showcase for students facing quick-fire questions on literature, physics, geography and philosophy, and everything in between.

This year's final was one of the most keenly watched with students from Corpus Christi College at Oxford University, taking on a team from Manchester University.

All eyes were on Corpus Christi's captain, Gail Trimble, who had been dubbed "the greatest contestant ever", as she almost single-handedly won their place in the final, earning two-thirds of her team's points.

But in what turned out to be a tightly-fought match, other team members, including chemist Sam Kay, scored some vital points.

At the gong, Corpus Christi were victorious but the trophy wasn't theirs for long.

It emerged that by the time of the final Sam Kay was no longer a student; he had graduated and started work as an accountant, but hadn't realised he couldn't compete.

On Monday the BBC announced the team was being disqualified, and the trophy handed to Manchester, who paid tribute to their opponents, saying they were sad to have won in such circumstances.

But the dramatic highs and lows of Corpus Christi's game, seem certain to make them one of the most memorable teams not to have won University Challenge.