VOA常速英语2007年-NFL Attracts Growing Audience

By Ernest Leong
Washington
28 November 2007
 

The days are getting shorter, and colder in the northern hemisphere. Some worry about the ice and snow that is likely to come. But for many sports fans in the United States, this is ideal football weather. American professional football has developed a large base of diehard fans in the U.S. Now, it is trying to expand to include a worldwide audience. VOA's Ernest Leong has more.

Football games have become special occasions in the United States. Most of the professional games in the National Football League [NFL] are played on Sundays from September until late January.

Millions of fans around the country pack into stadiums and local bars to root for their favorite team. Some fans meet hours before the game in the stadium parking lot for an event called a "tailgate party," where they barbecue food and serve drinks, while discussing the upcoming game.

Longtime Washington Redskins fans Buddy¹ Wedsel and Brian Philips talked about some of their tailgate party rituals.

Wedsel: "Like I said, we have theme food here. So we're playing the [Philadelphia] Eagles today, so we're having cheese steaks and hoagies [which are popular in Philadelphia]."

Philips: "It's just a time for, basically, extended families to get together and come out -- share some camaraderie² before the game starts."

Robert Losey is an Associate Professor of Finance at American University, and an avid³ Redskins fan. He explains the game's reach in the U.S. culture. "So it's very popular. It's on TV. It's on the local news. It's on radio. It's everywhere you look at it."

Losey says one reason for football's popularity is the varied⁴ body types and skill sets each player brings to the game. "There's the 300 pound [136 kilogram] guards, that are massive and strong as oxen. And then there's the 180 pound [80 kilogram] wide receivers that are fleet [quick]," he said.

Redskins' defensive⁵ player Anthony Montgomery says the violence of football is also an important factor in the game's popularity. "I think people like the violence of it, really. I mean, you know, it's violent, and it's legal, and guys are out there hitting each other."

American football is based on the games of rugby and soccer, both popular sports in many parts of the world. Like rugby, points are scored by carrying or catching⁶ a ball and crossing a line in the opponent's territory.

 

Another way to score is to kick a ball at a goal.

Like most sports, the ultimate goal of all professional teams is to win the top prize in a final match. In rugby and soccer, it is the World Cup. In the NFL, it is the Super Bowl.

Two NFL teams, the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins, played an official game in Britain recently. While it was unusual for some to hear both the American and British national anthems⁷ sung at an NFL game. The game, played in a packed stadium in London, looked and sounded like any other football game played in the U.S.

Redskins' receiver Antwaan Randle El says it is American football's similarities to popular sports like rugby and soccer that could appeal to fans in other countries. "In certain countries, they play soccer, and they call it football. But they want to know [what] this other thing we [Americans] call football's about," he said.

Redskins' teammate and quarterback Jason Campbell says he enjoys playing football because of the teamwork and cooperation. "You know, that's why we enjoy playing it a lot. It's not an individual sport, you know, a lot of people have to come together. And it teaches you about life. And it teaches you about how to come together as a team."

On this Sunday, the Eagles were the better team. They came from behind to beat the Redskins.

Elation⁸ for the Eagles. Disappointment for the Redskins.

Throughout the league, similar scenarios⁹ are played out. For those who lost this Sunday, there is always next Sunday, and another chance at redemption. And another reason for fans to return and cheer their team on.

1 buddy   

n.（美口）密友，伙伴

参考例句：

• Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？
• Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！

2 camaraderie   

n.同志之爱，友情

参考例句：

• The camaraderie among fellow employees made the tedious work just bearable.同事之间的情谊使枯燥乏味的工作变得还能忍受。
• Some bosses are formal and have occasional interactions,while others prefer continual camaraderie.有些老板很刻板，偶尔才和下属互动一下；有些则喜欢和下属打成一片。

3 avid   

adj.热心的；贪婪的；渴望的；劲头十足的

参考例句：

• He is rich,but he is still avid of more money.他很富有,但他还想贪图更多的钱。
• She was avid for praise from her coach.那女孩渴望得到教练的称赞。

4 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

5 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

6 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

7 anthems   

n.赞美诗( anthem的名词复数 )；圣歌；赞歌；颂歌

参考例句：

• They usually play the national anthems of the teams at the beginning of a big match. 在大型赛事开始前，他们通常演奏参赛国国歌。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rise please, rise for the anthems of & . 请全体起立，奏和两国国歌。 来自互联网

8 elation   

n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意

参考例句：

• She showed her elation at having finally achieved her ambition.最终实现了抱负，她显得十分高兴。
• His supporters have reacted to the news with elation.他的支持者听到那条消息后兴高采烈。

9 scenarios   

n.[意]情节；剧本；事态；脚本

参考例句：

• Further, graphite cores may be safer than non-graphite cores under some accident scenarios. 再者，根据一些事故解说，石墨堆芯可比非石墨堆芯更安全一些。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Again, scenarios should make it clear which modes are acceptable to users in various contexts. 同样，我们可以运用场景剧本来搞清楚在不同情境下哪些模式可被用户接受。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓