VOA标准英语2012--US Fencers Prepare for Olympics

US Fencers Prepare for Olympics 

Nzingha Prescod trains at the Fencers Club in New York City. The Columbia University student began fencing at the age of nine, and is trying to contain her excitement about going to the Olympics. 

"I don't think I want to think of it as the Olympics, because I feel like the nerves would overwhelm me," said Prescod. "But if I just think of it as another competition that I've done a million times, then I can just fence like normal."

Prescod's teammate James Williams, seen here at a recent U.S. Olympic Committee promotional event in New York City, says the Olympics magnify the psychological aspects of sports, because the games are so infrequent.

"Everybody is pretty much on the level of parity¹ physically² at this point," said Williams. "So it's mostly mental tenacity³ and mental fortitude⁴ that you're hoping to improve."

Buckie Leach⁵, Nzingha Prescod's coach, says the mental factor in fencing is huge. But he cautions about dwelling⁶ on performance to satisfy family members or a trainer.

"When those things enter into it then everything gets messed up," said Leach. "So you want to be smart and understand, but also you have to find that zone. Thinking too much can be a problem."

Leach says many countries have individual fencing styles - Germans tend to be methodical, the Russians tactical, the French intense. He explains how the Italian sense of feeling and emotion translates to the tip of a sword.

"The Italians have a more free form way of teaching, allowing the athlete to find their own way a little bit," Leach noted⁷. "They have structure of course, but it's more about how the athlete feels and what the relationship is with the coach."

Prescod says the process of responding to an opponent's attack, while simultaneously⁸ looking for an opening comes from an innate⁹ feeling that occurs when fencing becomes second nature.

"A lot of times, fencing is not only strategic; it's a lot of what you feel on the strip," said Prescod. "So it's not always going to be planned out. Sometimes, it's just a reaction that has developed from training over the past several years."

If the Olympics were just another competition, athletes would not experience the anxieties that make the Games exciting. The mental ability to deal with such tension is part of what has made them Olympians. 

1 parity   

n.平价，等价，比价，对等

参考例句：

• The two currencies have now reached parity.这两种货币现已达到同等价值。
• Women have yet to achieve wage or occupational parity in many fields.女性在很多领域还没能争取到薪金、职位方面的平等。

2 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。

3 tenacity   

n.坚韧

参考例句：

• Tenacity is the bridge to success.坚韧是通向成功的桥。
• The athletes displayed great tenacity throughout the contest.运动员在比赛中表现出坚韧的斗志。

4 fortitude   

n.坚忍不拔；刚毅

参考例句：

• His dauntless fortitude makes him absolutely fearless.他不屈不挠的坚韧让他绝无恐惧。
• He bore the pain with great fortitude.他以极大的毅力忍受了痛苦。

5 leach   

v.分离，过滤掉；n.过滤；过滤器

参考例句：

• Liquid water can leach soluble materials from the interface.液态水能够从界面溶解出可溶性物质。
• They believe that the humic materials are leached from decaying plant materials.他们认为腐植物料是从腐烂的植物体浸沥而来。

6 dwelling   

n.住宅，住所，寓所

参考例句：

• Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
• He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。

7 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。

8 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。

9 innate   

adj.天生的，固有的，天赋的

参考例句：

• You obviously have an innate talent for music.你显然有天生的音乐才能。
• Correct ideas are not innate in the mind.人的正确思想不是自己头脑中固有的。