英语听力：自然百科 墨西哥斗牛

 Gaston Santos Senior is famous across Mexico. In a 30-year-career, he's fought 2,000 bulls, becoming a legend in a sport many consider appallingly¹ cruel.

 

"Is there no violence in hockey or boxing? It's in our nature. We have become predominant in this planet because of our violent, competitive nature. So I see nothing wrong for violence as part of the spectator sport, most of them are."

 

Now retired² from the ring, Santos Senior spends his days training his son. In the lush tropics of central Mexico, Rancho La Herradura is an ideal training ground for an aspiring³ bullfighter.

 

In these fields what accounts for man and bull is stamina⁴. Only courage carries a higher value. Only the hardest charging animals are selected to fight. Young Gaston has to learn their behavior.

 

Gaston won't face the bull alone. Matadors⁵ fight on foot and on their own but an equestrian⁶ bullfighter can rely on a four-footed partner. Purebred Lusitano horses make first-class fighters. Naturally fearful, horses must get years of training before they can dance in the path of a charging bull. The smallest mistake can mean the difference between life and death.

 

In the southern state of Yucatán, a bullfight draws thousands. But this is more than just death for the sake of spectacle. It is a celebration of valor⁷ and artistry in the face of danger. It's a family event. Young and old come to watch their heroes. Some will cheer for their favorite bullfighter, others for the bulls.

 

Every time a bullfighter enters the ring, he knows that it could be his last. Since 1900 nearly 100 men have died fighting bulls. The bull is strong. His spears get shorter and shorter. With each pass Gaston must reach over those deadly horns and jab the point precisely⁸ between the shoulder blades. Until now the spears have only caused flash wounds, enraging⁹ the bull.

 

The drama's climax¹⁰ is the dead spear. A bullfighter has no greater duty than a clean kill. He has two chances to do so from horseback. The blow should be quick and exact straight through to the heart. Gaston needs to dispatch his animal at the set time. If he fails, attendance will take it away and slaughter¹¹ it, a death without dignity and a great change to the bullfighter. The clock takes on and still the bull stands bloody¹² but unrelenting. Gaston is running out of time. He's had his tries from horseback. Now he must try to end this on foot.

 

Gaston drives the blade horn, a moral ward¹³ to a bull that fought the good fight, but could not win the battle. Death with honor is still bittersweet.

 

Another day in the ring, another contest between life and death. Gaston has proven himself and upheld his father's legend today. But his time in the spotlight¹⁴ is only starting in a country where men in his line of work become heroes and bullfight is a national pastime no matter how ardent¹⁵ its critic is.

 

1 appallingly   

毛骨悚然地

参考例句：

• His tradecraft was appallingly reckless. 他的经营轻率得令人吃惊。
• Another damning statistic for South Africa is its appallingly high murder rate. 南非还有一项糟糕的统计，表明它还有着令人毛骨悚然的高谋杀率。

2 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。

3 aspiring   

adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求

参考例句：

• Aspiring musicians need hours of practice every day. 想当音乐家就要每天练许多小时。
• He came from an aspiring working-class background. 他出身于有抱负的工人阶级家庭。 来自辞典例句

4 stamina   

n.体力；精力；耐力

参考例句：

• I lacked the stamina to run the whole length of the race.我没有跑完全程的耐力。
• Giving up smoking had a magical effect on his stamina.戒烟神奇地增强了他的体力。

5 matadors   

n.斗牛士( matador的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Surprisingly, the United States has produced at least two matadors of substance. 令人惊讶的事，美国竟然产生了至少两位实质上的斗牛士。 来自互联网
• One bullfighting appears on the scene, wrestles by three matadors six bulls, each person two rounds. 一场斗牛由三个斗牛士出场，角斗六条公牛，每人两个回合。 来自互联网

6 equestrian   

adj.骑马的；n.马术

参考例句：

• They all showed extraordinary equestrian skills.他们的骑术都很高超。
• I want to book two equestrian tickets.我想订两张马术比赛的票。

7 valor   

n.勇气，英勇

参考例句：

• Fortitude is distinct from valor.坚韧不拔有别于勇猛。
• Frequently banality is the better parts of valor.老生常谈往往比大胆打破常规更为人称道。

8 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

9 enraging   

使暴怒( enrage的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The effrontery of his deceptions inside and outside the conference room could be enraging. 他在会议室内外放肆的欺骗手段简直令人怒火中烧。
• It buffeted the beasts, enraging them. 它打击着那些野兽，激怒着它们。

10 climax   

n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点

参考例句：

• The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。
• His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。

11 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

12 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

13 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

14 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。

15 ardent   

adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的

参考例句：

• He's an ardent supporter of the local football team.他是本地足球队的热情支持者。
• Ardent expectations were held by his parents for his college career.他父母对他的大学学习抱着殷切的期望。