【英语趣味课堂】电视上的体育节目-Sports on TV

 Todd: So, Marion, do you like to play sports?

Marion: I don't play sports at the moment cause I don't really have the time, or it feels like I don't have time. It's been a long time since I did sports regularly¹.

 

Todd: Yeah, me too, but I love sports. I love to watch sports on TV.

 

Marion: Mm-hm. But that's not really taking part in sports is it? It's not the same. That just means² that you like TV.

 

Todd: No, I don't like TV. I like watching sports on TV. There's a big difference.

 

Marion: OK, so, what kind of sports do you like watching on TV?

 

Todd: Well, I think you know, baseball.

 

Marion: But of course. Anything else?

 

Todd: No anything, pretty much basketball, baseball. I watch anything but there are sports I really dislike.

 

Marion: Hmm, like what, for example?

 

Todd: Ice-skating. I hate ice-skating. It's torture³. Like I can't watch...

 

Marion: The girls doing their pirouettes and stuff⁴ like that?

 

Todd: Oh, yeah, plus.

 

Marion: Figure skating, is that what you mean?

 

Todd: Yeah, yeah, so when you watch it you think, they're gonna fall, they're gonna fall, and they've got the music on in the background, and they're going around really fast, and then maybe you like one of the skaters, and then you're nervous cause you think, she's gonna fall, or he's gonna fall. I mean they're terrific⁵ athletes, but to me that's not a sport, that's an art. It should be like dancing or ballet⁶. Like they don't put ballet on the sports network, so they should not put ice-skating on the sports network either.

 

Marion: OK, I see where you're coming from, but I think if you watch a race like say the 100 meters, or something like that, you might also be nervous and afraid that one of them is going to fall, if you have that kind of investment⁷ in somebody.

 

Todd: Yeah, I don't think so, and I mean maybe it's just me but, yeah!

 

Marion: If you've got and American runner, which you usually do, in the 100 meters, do you not feel really nervous for them?

 

Todd: No, cause I know they're gonna win. No just kidding! Actually, they haven't been winning⁸ recently, but, yeah, I guess a little bit, maybe the hurdles⁹. You fell that way about the hurdles, a little bit.

 

Marion: Yeah!

 

Todd: So, but do you like watching ice-skating?

 

Marion: Um, I don't mind, but I do find it a bit boring after awhile, really.

 

Todd: Yeah! Yeah!

 

Marion: I find, to be honest I find most sports boring to watch after a certain length of time. An hour and a half is about my limit. I like watching soccer, but soccer is always changing so, I don't find that a chore to watch but everything else really, an hour and a half and I'm done.

 

Todd: Well, I guess that's better.

 

 重点词汇：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

It's torture

 

I hate ice-skating. It's torture.

 

We use the phrase¹⁰ 'it's torture' to talk about an activity we really hate.  Notice the following:

 

It's torture to listen to a two-hour lecture.

It's always torture to take a very long flight.

in the background

 

They've got the music on in the background.

 

Background music plays softly¹¹ and is not the focus¹² of a situation.  We hear it while watching a movie or in a department store.  Notice the following:

 

You can hear the TV on in the background.

There was a CD playing in the background.

I see where you're coming from

 

I see where you're coming from, but I disagree with you.

 

The phrase 'I see where you're coming from' means that we understand the opinion of the speaker.  Notice the following:

 

That is a good point. I see where you are coming from.

I see where you are coming from, but I still can't help you.

an investment in someone

 

I am nervous one of the skaters will fall if I have an investment in them.

 

We have an investment in someone or something we care very much about.  Notice the following:

 

All sports fans have an investment in their teams.

Good teachers have an investment in their students.

a chore (to do)

 

I don't find soccer a chore to watch.

 

A chore is an activity we don't like or is very difficult to do.  Notice the following:

 

I find it a chore to sit through an opera.

It is a chore for me to read a book over 300 pages.

1 regularly   

adv.有规则地，一丝不苟地，正式地

参考例句：

• Check the engine oil level regularly.要时常检查机油量。
• We meet regularly to discuss business.我们定期会面讨论事务。

2 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

3 torture   

n.折磨；v.折磨，使痛苦；使苦恼，使为难

参考例句：

• No torture would make him speak.任何严刑拷打都不能使他开口。
• Through those long years of imprisonment and torture,he remained faithful and unyielding.在那些遭受囚禁和酷刑的漫长岁月里，他始终坚贞不屈。

4 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

5 terrific   

adj.可怕的，极好的，非常的

参考例句：

• The game was terrific.那场比赛棒极了。
• Darren drove at a terrific speed.达伦以惊人的速度驾车。

6 ballet   

n.芭蕾舞

参考例句：

• Angela studied ballet for six years.安吉拉学了六年芭蕾舞。
• She is a celebrated star of ballet.她是一个芭蕾舞明星。

7 investment   

n.投资，投资额；(时间、精力等的)投入

参考例句：

• It took two years before I recouped my investment.我用了两年时间才收回投资。
• The success of the project pivots on investment from abroad.这个工程的成功主要依靠外来投资。

8 winning   

adj.获胜的，胜利的；吸引人的，有说服力的

参考例句：

• Team A has no chance of winning.A队没有获胜的可能。
• They have great hopes of winning.他们获胜的希望极大。

9 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

10 phrase   

n.短语，词组；成语，习语

参考例句：

• The phrase was caught on and immediately became popular.这个短语被采用后很快就流行了。
• That's exactly the phrase I was looking for.这就是我一直找的那个短语。

11 softly   

adv.柔和地，静静地，温柔地

参考例句：

• He speaks too softly for her to hear.他讲话声音太轻，她听不见。
• She breathed her advice softly.她低声劝告。

12 focus   

n.焦点，焦距；vi.聚焦，注视；vt.使聚焦，调焦，集中

参考例句：

• She was the focus of everyone's attention.她是大家注意的焦点。
• The noise made it hard for me to focus on work.噪音让我无法集中注意力工作。