阿里的故乡--路易斯维尔民众深情缅怀拳王!

AS IT IS 2016-06-10 They Remember Muhammad Ali in Louisville 阿里的故乡--路易斯维尔民众深情缅怀拳王!

Marjorie Huffman was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1937. She grew up with a little boy named Cassius Clay — the champion boxer¹ who later changed his name to Muhammad Ali.

This week, old friends such as Huffman are remembering Ali. He died June 3 at 74 years old. He will be buried June 10 in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky after a public service at a basketball arena². Thousands of people are expected to attend the memorial events.

Huffman remembers playing ball games with Ali, his brother and all the other children in the neighborhood. Huffman says she and the other neighbors used to laugh when Ali, as a child, said he would be the greatest boxer in the world.

“He always said that he was going to be the champ,” Huffman says. “And you know how people say things when they’re children? And we laughed."

Of course, Ali did become the champ. He won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in 1960. He then became the heavyweight boxing champion when he defeated Sonny Liston in 1964.

Ali went on to win 56 professional boxing matches. He held a number of different titles until he lost to Larry Holmes in 1980. He retired³ from boxing in 1981.

Huffman says the neighborhood where she and Ali grew up has changed over the years. It is not as nice as it used to be.

“You could go away, and stay two or three months, leave your doors open, and nobody would bother nothing.”

Ali’s home was renovated⁵ and opened as a museum in late May. It is pink and has two bedrooms. It is an important gathering⁶ point for people in the neighborhood since Ali died.

Chris Forehand is a rapper and a minister. He came by one day to honor⁷ the champ. He remembers the times Ali returned to Louisville after becoming famous as a boxer. Forehand says Ali passed out Qurans to the adults and popsicles to the kids.

Once, Ali bought chicken wings for Forehand and a friend.

“The greatest of all times ended up buying us some chicken wings,” Forehand says. “It was amazing.”

Mark Stumpley was also at Ali’s old house. He said he once met the boxer at a wedding in Chicago.

“He gave you power just by being in his presence⁸.”

Stumpley says Ali’s greatest achievement was not winning the boxing championships, even though that is what made him famous. It was making a life for himself after growing up in a poor neighborhood in Louisville.

“He said, 'I’m going to create my world, I’m going to put this together based on who I am, and what I love to do, and create my life and world from that.’”

Stumpley said Ali’s attitude inspired him to do the same thing with his life.

Words in This Story

renovate⁴ – v. to make changes and repairs to (an old house, building, room, etc.) so that it is back in good condition

Quran – n. the main religious text used by people who practice Islam

popsicle – n. sweet flavored⁹ and colored water frozen¹⁰ on a stick

amazing – adj. causing great surprise or wonder : causing amazement

1 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

2 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

3 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

4 renovate   

vt.更新，革新，刷新

参考例句：

• The couple spent thousands renovating the house.这对夫妇花了几千元来翻新房子。
• They are going to renovate the old furniture.他们准备将旧家具整修一番。

5 renovated   

翻新，修复，整修( renovate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He renovated his house. 他翻修了房子。
• The house has been renovated three years earlier. 这所房子三年前就已翻新。

6 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

7 honor   

n.光荣；敬意；荣幸；vt.给…以荣誉；尊敬

参考例句：

• I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
• It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。

8 presence   

n.出席；到场；存在

参考例句：

• Her presence lent an air of respectability to the occasion.她的到场使那种场合增添了崇高的气氛。
• His presence is indicative of his willingness to help.他的出席表示他愿意帮忙。

9 flavored   

v.给…调味( flavor的过去式和过去分词 )；给…增添风趣

参考例句：

• She flavored the fish with sugar and vinegar. 她用糖和醋给鱼调味。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The olives are steeped in flavored oil. 橄榄浸泡在加过香料的油里。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 frozen   

adj.冻结的，冰冻的

参考例句：

• He was frozen to death on a snowing night.在一个风雪的晚上，他被冻死了。
• The weather is cold and the ground is frozen.天寒地冻。