英美文化：美國的足球、籃球和棒球季
In many parts of the world， there are four seasons： spring， summer， fall and winter. In the U.S.， there are only three： football， basketball and baseball. That's not completely true， but almost. In every season， Americans have a ball. If you want to know what season it is， just look at what people are playing. For many Americans， sports do not just occupy the sidelines. They take center court.
世界上的許多地方，一年有四季：春、夏、秋、冬。美國，卻只有三季：足球、籃球和棒球季。這并非完全正確，但也差得不遠了。每一個季節，美國人都有樂趣。若你想知道此季為何，看看人們正在打什么球就行了。對于多數美國人而言，運動并非只是一旁站的小消遣，它是生活中很重要的一環。
Besides "the big three" sports， Americans play a variety of other sports. In warm weather， people enjoy water sports. Lovers of surfing， sailing and scuba diving flock to the ocean. Swimmers and water skiers also revel in the wet stuff. Fishermen try their luck in ponds， lakes and rivers. In winter sportsmen delight in freezing fun. From the first snowfall， skiers hit the slopes. Frozen ponds and ice rinks become playgrounds for skating and hockey. People play indoor sports whatever the weather. Racquetball， weightlifting and bowling are year-round activities.
除了這「三大運動」，美國人還做許多其它的運動。天熱時，他們喜歡水上運動。沖浪、駕帆船和潛水的愛好者群集于海中。游泳和滑水者，也縱情于水中。漁夫在池塘、湖泊和河川里試他們的運氣。冬季，運動員在冰天雪地里也玩得很開心。從下雪的頭一天起，滑雪者便登上雪坡。結了冰的池塘和溜冰場成了溜冰和冰上曲棍球的場地。不論氣候如何，人們都從事戶內運動。回力球、舉重和保齡球都是全年性的活動。
For many people in the U.S.， sports are not just for fun. They're almost a religion. Thousands of sports fans buy expensive tickets to watch their favorite teams and athletes play in person. Other fans watch the games at home， glued to their TV sets. The most devoted sports buffs never miss a game. Many a wife becomes a "sports widow" during her husband's favorite season. America's devotion to athletics has created a new class of wealthy people： professional athletes. Sports stars often receive million-dollar salaries. Some even make big money appearing in advertisements for soft drinks， shoes and even toiletries.
對許多的美國人而言，運動不只是為了好玩。它幾乎成了一種宗教崇拜，數以千計的運動迷會為了能親眼目睹他們喜愛的球隊或運動員比賽而出高價購買門票。其它的球迷則守在家里寸步不離地收看電視轉播。那些最熱衷的運動迷，從不錯過任何一場比賽。而當先生們最熱衷的運動季節到了的時候，他們的太太們都變成了「運動寡婦」。美國人對于運動的投入形成了一個新的富有階級：職業運動員。運動明星通常會收到上百萬元的薪水。其中有些人甚至是因為替飲料、鞋，甚至個人化妝用品拍廣告而賺了一大筆錢。
Not all Americans worship sports， but athletics are an important part of their culture. Throughout their school life， Americans learn to play many sports. All students take physical education classes in school. Some try out for the school teams， while others join intramural sports leagues. Athletic events at universities attract scores of fans and benefit the whole community. Many people also enjoy non-competitive activities like hiking， biking， horseback riding， camping or hunting. To communicate with American sports nuts， it helps if you can talk sports.
并非所有的美國人都崇拜運動，但運動的確是他們文化當中極為重要的一部份。在他們的學校生活當中，美國人學習許多運動。所有的學生都必須在學校修體育課。有些人參加校隊的選拔;有的則加入校內的運動聯盟。在大學中舉辦的運動比賽通常吸引眾多的運動迷，并且造福整個社區。許多人也喜歡從事一些非競爭性的活動像健行、騎單車、騎馬、露營或打獵。要和美國運動迷溝通，最好是能暢談運動。
Sports in America represent the international heritage of the people who play. Many sports were imported from other countries. European immigrants brought tennis， golf， bowling and boxing to America. Football and baseball came from other Old World games. Only basketball has a truly American origin. Even today some formerly "foreign" sports like soccer are gaining American fans. In 1994 the U.S. hosted the World Cup for the first time ever.
美國的運動代表著從事這些運動的人的國際遺產。許多的運動是從外國引進來的。歐洲移民把網球、高爾夫、保齡球和拳擊帶進了美國。足球和棒球則源自其它的歐洲傳統比賽。只有籃球是唯一真正源自美國本土，即使在今日，一些原本是外來的運動例如英式足球也吸引了許多的美國運動迷。在一九九四年，美國首次負責舉辦世界杯足球賽。
Not only do Americans import sports， but they export sports fever， as well. Satellites broadcast games to sports fans around the globe. The World Series， the U.S. professional baseball championship， has begun to live up to its name. The names of American superstars like basketball great Michael Jordan have become household words the world over. Who knows? Sports seasons may even change world weather patterns.
美國人不只是「進口」運動，他們同樣地也「出口」運動狂熱。他們對全球的運動迷作衛星轉播。世界系列的美國職業棒球錦標賽，也已漸趨名符其實。一些美國的超級明星，像是籃球巨人麥可喬登已經成了全世界家喻戶曉的人了。誰知道呢?運動季節甚至可能會改變全世界的氣象型態呢。
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