英语访谈对话 493 Soccer vs. Baseball

 　　Todd: So, Steven, I thought we would have a friendly debate. What do you think is the best sport in the world?

　　Steve: The best sport in the world is unquestionably what is know in America as soccer, what is know in my country as football.

　　Todd: Yeah, well, we'll call it football. I think football's good. I think football's good. It's a good sport, but I'm sorry, it's just not as good as baseball.

　　Steve: Really, I'm quite surprised to hear you say that because you did mention, I believe the question was "the best sport in the world" (Yes) whereas baseball isn't as nearly as widely appreciated worldwide as football is.

　　Todd: Ah, that's true. That's true. I will give you that, but a lot of countries do play baseball, it's popular in Asia (they do indeed, yeah) and Central America, and in North America, and it's a young sport. You just got to give it time. We need more time to come around.

　　Steve: Yeah, I don't have anything in particular against kids playing baseball. I think getting kids out playing any sport is very healthy and it very good thing to happen, but I got to say, I mean for young kids, particularly in developing countries where they perhaps need a lot more equipment to play baseball, I think soccer is much more accessible than baseball. They only need a ball, a field, a street even before they can get started.

　　Todd: Well, that's kind of true, but I mean in baseball you just need a stick and a rock.

　　Steve: Yeah you could do like that, yeah.

　　Todd: But I mean, one thing that I think how baseball is better than football is that in baseball it's more democratic in that everybody has to bat. You can't have a prima donna star. I mean you can have stars, but everyone's gotta swing the bat, and you know, in soccer if you're a fullback, if I'm using that correctly, you play back by the goal, you know, you're kind of just lagging back there. You're not gonna score or anything.

　　Steve: Yeah, that's very, very true and I think you're very right in saying that baseball is indeed a democratic sport, but I think soccer gives each individual player to play to his own strengths, his own physical capabilities¹, for example you have people who are naturally strong presence who are more suited to, well, playing defense², whereas your speedier players, and your slightly more cunning players lends itself to being a striker, so it really allows people to specialize and the crowd really get behind that. The crowd really appreciate a good strong defender³ and a nifty striker who gets in there and poaches a lot of goals for his team.

　　Todd: Well, that's true. Those are some good points, but in baseball you have to utilize⁴ more skills. I mean, you have to be skilled at catching⁵ the ball (Yes), throwing the ball (Yes), hitting the ball (Yeah), running the bases (yeah), you know, football you just got to run and kick (Yeah).

　　Steve: But I mean, to be honest with you, baseball, that's not really doing anything that cricket never did, for example. All those skills were employed in a sport that was invented way, way much longer ago than baseball ever was.

　　Todd: That is true. You got me on that one, so anyway. well, I like football, but I just, I have to stick with baseball.

　　Steve: That's fine. I think we can agree to disagree.

1 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 defender   

n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人

参考例句：

• He shouldered off a defender and shot at goal.他用肩膀挡开防守队员，然后射门。
• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。

4 utilize   

vt.使用，利用

参考例句：

• The cook will utilize the leftover ham bone to make soup.厨师要用吃剩的猪腿骨做汤。
• You must utilize all available resources.你必须利用一切可以得到的资源。

5 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。