2006年VOA标准英语-US Snowboarder Rides on Sport's Growing Po

By Jim Stevenson
Washington
04 January 2006

Snowboarding's halfpipe competition has quickly evolved to become one of the more popular winter Olympic events. One of the early stars of the sport was American Ross Powers. The Olympic gold medalist is aiming to fly back to the top of the podium at the Turin Games in February.

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Ross Powers competing at the Salt Lake City Olympics
  

Ross Powers received his first snowboard when he was eight years old. He went outside and tried it out, even though the weather was rainy. The next year, Powers was competing in his first U.S. Open competition with members of his fourth-grade class watching. Powers became a world snowboarding champion before his 18th birthday.

So it was little surprise that he became an Olympic gold medalist, leading a U.S. podium sweep in the men's halfpipe event at the 2002 Salt Lake Games.

Powers says he is amazed at how quickly the sport has evolved from a mere¹ sideshow to a premier² Olympic event.

"From the 1998 Olympics to now, in 1998 we were kind of pushed aside," he said. "We were way up in the mountains. We competed during the rain. It was the best two rounds combined [to determine the medals]. So people [fans] were not going for it as much. At the 2002 Olympics, it was the best one round out of two, [it was a] perfect halfpipe [course], the biggest crowds we had ever seen, and we were one of the sports to watch at the Olympics. And now going to 2006 after the showing in 2002, I think snowboarding is definitely one of the biggest sports to watch."

Powers says he reached the pinnacle³ of snowboarding when the sport itself came of age at the previous winter Olympics.

"I think 2002 showed what snowboarding was all about," he said. "It kind of brought our sport to the next level. So I think now everybody is excited about snowboarding. I feel like we are just like everyone else in the Olympics."

Not only has halfpipe snowboarding gained huge popularity in the past few years, but the way the athletes are judged has also changed. Powers describes some of the main differences between 2002 and the Turin Olympics next month.

"They changed it up since the 2002 Olympics," he explained. "Back then they judged you on five different things - one being amplitude⁴, one being rotations⁵ and all that kind of stuff. And this year there are five judges, [and you are marked on] overall impression. And you have to do just one straight air [maneuver off the side of the halfpipe]. So it is definitely going to be a little bit different. It is kind of weird⁶ not having a criteria⁷. But I think whoever is going to ride the best that day is going to win."

As in 2002, snowboarder Ross Powers will lead a very strong American men's halfpipe team at the Turin Winter Games, a team that is perhaps the best in the world.

1 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

2 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

3 pinnacle   

n.尖塔，尖顶，山峰；(喻)顶峰

参考例句：

• Now he is at the very pinnacle of his career.现在他正值事业中的顶峰时期。
• It represents the pinnacle of intellectual capability.它代表了智能的顶峰。

4 amplitude   

n.广大；充足；振幅

参考例句：

• The amplitude of the vibration determines the loudness of the sound.振动幅度的大小决定声音的大小。
• The amplitude at the driven end is fixed by the driving mechanism.由于驱动机构的作用,使驱动端的振幅保持不变。

5 rotations   

旋转( rotation的名词复数 )； 转动； 轮流； 轮换

参考例句：

• Farmers traditionally used long-term rotations of hay, pasture, and corn. 农民以往长期实行干草、牧草和玉米轮作。
• The crankshaft makes three rotations for each rotation of the rotor. 转子每转一周，曲轴转3周。

6 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

7 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。