VOA标准英语2010年-Tiger Woods Apologizes to Golf Fans

Tiger Woods makes a statement at the Sawgrass Players Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., 19 Feb 2010

Golf pro¹ Tiger Woods ended nearly three months of silence Friday to speak publicly for the first time about the marital² infidelities that led to his public fall from grace.  In what many say was a scripted and highly managed appearance at PGA Headquarters in Florida, the world's number one golfer apologized for letting down his fans and talked about his past, his present and his future. 

By far the best known golfer in the world, Tiger Woods, has been in hiding since the bizarre accident outside his Florida home in November that led to his stunning³ fall from grace. 

Since then, admissions of infidelity and revelations about extramarital relationships have become fodder⁴ for the tabloids⁵.  

On Friday, a composed but contrite⁶ Woods spoke⁷ to a small group of reporters and friends to apologize. "I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends.  I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in," he said.

Woods spoke for more than 13 minutes in a tightly controlled setting that was covered live by the major television networks. Many journalists boycotted⁸ the event because questions were not allowed.  But Woods did offer some insight into his indiscretions. "I felt I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me.  I felt I was entitled," he said.

Woods was clearly hoping to put the scandal behind him, but whether his public apology will help or hinder his career remains⁹ to be seen.   "I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be," he said.

Criticism has already been leveled at Woods for the timing¹⁰ of his statement  - coming in the middle of the first big golfing event of the year - the Accenture Match Play championship in Arizona. 

Accenture was the first sponsor to drop Woods after the scandal broke.  USA Today columnist¹¹ Christine Brennan said, "Maybe this is an in your face moment for him.  It's certainly not a nice moment.  It is not a gentlemanly thing to do to steal the spotlight¹² from all of his peers."

Professional Golf Association commissioner¹³ Tim Finchem doubts the timing of the event was a deliberate slap. But Finchem acknowledges Tiger's presence almost always guarantees a larger TV audience. "The good news from today is that one, he plans to return, two, he could return as early as this year, and three, he clearly has taken the first very visible step in the road to that return.  All of that pleases us a great deal," he said.

Woods has been in treatment at a sex addiction¹⁴ facility in Mississippi and plans to go back to resolve his personal problems.  Woods and his wife Elin are reportedly in counseling. She was conspicuously¹⁵ absent on Friday.  People Magazine's Steve Helling says what she does next could have a strong bearing on Tiger's future. "If Elin decides to forgive him and to stay with him, I think we will see a lot of his fans deciding to do the same," he said.

But some say Tiger Woods' future is in his own hands.  With golf's most prestigious¹⁶ event - the Master's Tournament - just weeks away, many people are wondering whether Golf's biggest star is ready for a comeback.

 

1 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

2 marital   

adj.婚姻的，夫妻的

参考例句：

• Her son had no marital problems.她的儿子没有婚姻问题。
• I regret getting involved with my daughter's marital problems;all its done is to bring trouble about my ears.我后悔干涉我女儿的婚姻问题, 现在我所做的一切将给我带来无穷的烦恼。

3 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

4 fodder   

n.草料；炮灰

参考例句：

• Grass mowed and cured for use as fodder.割下来晒干用作饲料的草。
• Guaranteed salt intake, no matter which normal fodder.不管是那一种正常的草料，保证盐的摄取。

5 tabloids   

n.小报，通俗小报（版面通常比大报小一半，文章短，图片多，经常报道名人佚事）( tabloid的名词复数 )；药片

参考例句：

• The story was on the front pages of all the tabloids. 所有小报都在头版报道了这件事。
• The story made the front page in all the tabloids. 这件事成了所有小报的头版新闻。

6 contrite   

adj.悔悟了的，后悔的，痛悔的

参考例句：

• She was contrite the morning after her angry outburst.她发了一顿脾气之后一早上追悔莫及。
• She assumed a contrite expression.她装出一副后悔的表情。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

11 columnist   

n.专栏作家

参考例句：

• The host was interviewing a local columnist.节目主持人正在同一位当地的专栏作家交谈。
• She's a columnist for USA Today.她是《今日美国报》的专栏作家。

12 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

13 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

14 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

15 conspicuously   

ad.明显地，惹人注目地

参考例句：

• France remained a conspicuously uneasy country. 法国依然是个明显不太平的国家。
• She figured conspicuously in the public debate on the issue. 她在该问题的公开辩论中很引人注目。

16 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。