VOA标准英语2011--Older American Women Play Baseball, Comp

Older American Women Play Baseball, Competitively

Studies show physical activity and social interaction improve the cognitive² ability of older adults and delay the onset³ of functional⁴ limitations. Studies also indicate it's never too late to become physically⁵ active and get those benefits. VOA's June Soh met a group of Washington area seniors who call themselves the Golden Girls, a term that has been around for a while and generally refers to women over 50. Their activities appear to prove those studies are valid⁶.
Janet Weeks is 75 years old. She plays softball regularly at this field outside Washington, along with other members of the Golden Girls, a softball organization for senior women.
"There was an ad in the newspaper that said 'looking for people age 50 and over to play ball.' And I said, 'that's me,'" said Weeks.
That was 22 years ago. Weeks is one of the 13 original Golden Girls. Today, the group has more than 170 members.
Marilyn Mallery, 68, has been with the Golden Girls for 18 years.? She serves as its public relations officer.
"All our players have to be at least 40 years old," Mallery said. "There is no upper limit and we have several ladies who are in their upper 70s and early 80s still playing. We have a league consisting of four teams."
Mallery says the league has women at all skill levels. Some of them have never played before and others have played all their lives. But many of them are like Shirley Thompson, 74, who joined the group five years ago.
"I played it back in 1955 when I was in high school," Thompson recalled. "I was a little nervous, but once I got out and watched the team play, and they have fun, and so I thought, 'I can do it.' So I got new gloves, new shoes, and went out and tried it and enjoy it very much."
Thompson also says she feels healthier than before.
"I have arthritis⁷ in my fingers... but by playing ball, I am staying active," Thompson added. "I am using them so they do not bother me, I can still use them a lot. And I think that is one good thing about playing ball. It does help your arthritis from stiffing up on you."
For more competitive¹ players, the Golden Girls field tournament teams, that travel all over the country for games.
"At the moment, we have five tournament teams, a 50, 55, 60, 65, and 70-year-old team," noted⁸ Mallery. "We are the only softball organization in the United States, and I am sure in the world, that can field five tournament teams simultaneously⁹. So it makes us very, very special."
George Hersey, a certified¹⁰ umpire with the Amateur¹¹ Softball Association - and husband of one of the Golden Girls - is the coach. He says the teams are very serious about their games and hate to lose.
"These girls on several occasions have won a gold medal playing softball in the Olympics, in the Senior Olympics," said Hersey. "They have been traveling around since 1995 and been going to the Olympics ever since and they have done very well. They have never finished lower than third place."
But the Golden Girls say the best part is their friendship.
"I think you need to have the friends and the backing because they all back each other and help each other," Thompson explained. "And no one gets down if you make a mistake; we all just get in there and support each other. I think we really like it."
Every Saturday, once the weather gets warm, each team plays two games back-to-back. Then they practice for about two hours.
"You get accustomed to it," said Weeks. "You build up your strength. It is hard the first two or three Saturdays and then after that you just kind of go and you get used to it. You are tired when you go home, but it is a good tired. "
Weeks says being a member of the Golden Girls has been a life changing experience. Signing up, she adds, was the best decision she ever made.

1 competitive   

adj.竞争的，比赛的，好竞争的，有竞争力的

参考例句：

• Some kinds of business are competitive.有些商业是要竞争的。
• These businessmen are both competitive and honourable.这些商人既有竞争性又很诚实。

2 cognitive   

adj.认知的，认识的，有感知的

参考例句：

• As children grow older,their cognitive processes become sharper.孩子们越长越大，他们的认知过程变得更为敏锐。
• The cognitive psychologist is like the tinker who wants to know how a clock works.认知心理学者倒很像一个需要通晓钟表如何运转的钟表修理匠。

3 onset   

n.进攻，袭击，开始，突然开始

参考例句：

• The drug must be taken from the onset of the infection.这种药必须在感染的最初期就开始服用。
• Our troops withstood the onset of the enemy.我们的部队抵挡住了敌人的进攻。

4 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。

5 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

6 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

7 arthritis   

n.关节炎

参考例句：

• Rheumatoid arthritis has also been linked with the virus.风湿性关节炎也与这种病毒有关。
• He spent three months in the hospital with acute rheumatic arthritis.他患急性风湿性关节炎，在医院住了三个月。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

10 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

11 amateur   

adj.业余的，非专业的；n.业余爱好者

参考例句：

• He made an amateur attempt to build a cupboard.他很外行地试做了一个碗柜。
• Although Tom's only an amateur he's a first-class player.虽然汤姆只是个业余爱好者，但却是一流的高手。