托福阅读材料之关于奥运会年龄

 不知大家在备考托福阅读时，有没有关注托福阅读文章中的内容材料。大家回忆一下，托福阅读文章，包含的内容广阔，许多内容考生都是没有接触过的。如果考生提前对这些内容有所了解，那么做题一定会更顺畅。所以，考生备考托福阅读时，也不要忘了对托福阅读材料的备考。下面，我们为大家提供了关于奥运年龄的托福阅读材料。　

　　In the past 3 summer Olympic Games, only 64 of the 1,707 athletes of team USA have been over the age of 40. The Washington Post created a data visualization¹ of average age ranges for Olympic sports, including an interactive² tool to see if you’d be too old to compete.过去三届的夏季奥运会的1707名美国运动员中，仅有64名超过了40岁。《华盛顿邮报》对奥运运动员们的年龄进行了一项数据调查，使用了一个交互工具来统计年龄过大是否不适合竞技比赛。

　　As presented, athlete ages range from 15 for female gymnasts to nearly 60 for male sailors.根据调查结果，奥运最年轻的运动员是年仅15岁的体操女孩，而年龄最大的是年近60岁的划艇男运动员。

　　In a recent Washington Post profile on 45-year-old female swimmer Dana Torres, she discusses the effects of age on the body, and how she works to overcome these obstacles. Although muscles deteriorate³ and recovery becomes slower, Torres believes that age is on her side. Since age comes with experience, the twelve-time Olympic medalist is more mentally prepared for the Games than any other female swimmer.在《华盛顿邮报》最近对于45岁的女游泳运动员Dana Torres的介绍中，文章探讨了年龄对身体的影响以及她如何克服这些障碍的。尽管肌体素质降低，肌肉复原率减慢，年龄对于她而言仍是很大的助力。因为流逝的岁月化为了经历，从而帮助这位12度奥运摘牌的选手比其他女性运动员具有更多的大赛经验。

　　However, with sports such as gymnastics that require more flexibility⁴ than sheer force and power, younger bodies have a far greater advantage. Youth is so beneficial in gymnastics that a minimum age requirement of 16 was implemented⁵ to protect athletes with developing bodies from serious injuries.然而，像体操一样的运动，比起直接的冲劲和力量，更需要好的灵活性。年轻的躯体在这方面具有更好的优势，而且16岁的年龄更适合体操这样的运动，因为它能保护身体免受严重的伤害。

　　A recent Wired article provides an explanation for these aberrations⁶: people age at different rates and, although younger athletes are generally stronger and more flexible, people age at different rates, allowing some athletes to remain competitive – despite the ticking clock.最近Wired 杂志的一篇文章为这些差异性做出了解释。人们老化的频率是不同的。尽管年轻的运动员更强壮灵活，但正是因为人们的老化频率不同，因此某些运动员尽管上了年纪仍具有很强的竞争力。

　　希望各位考生仔细阅读上述的托福阅读材料，平时也不要忘了对其他材料的积累。

1 visualization   

n.想像，设想

参考例句：

• In 2D visualization and drawing applications, vertical and horizontal scrolling are common. 在二维的可视化及绘图应用中，垂直和水平滚动非常普遍。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Ophthalmoscopy affords the only opportunity for direct visualization of blood vessels. 检眼镜检查法提供直接观察血管的唯一机会。

2 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

3 deteriorate   

v.变坏；恶化；退化

参考例句：

• Do you think relations between China and Japan will continue to deteriorate?你认为中日关系会继续恶化吗？
• He held that this would only cause the situation to deteriorate further.他认为，这只会使局势更加恶化。

4 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

5 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

6 aberrations   

n.偏差( aberration的名词复数 )；差错；脱离常规；心理失常

参考例句：

• These events were aberrations from the norm. 这些事件不合常规。 来自辞典例句
• These chromosome aberrations are all stable, compatible with cell viability. 这些染色体畸变都是稳定的，不影响细胞生活力的。 来自辞典例句