VOA标准英语2014--Family Keeps Jousting for Four Generations

 

Family Keeps Jousting¹ for Four Generations

CROWNSVILLE, MARYLAND— 

One of the most familiar images of medieval Europe is a pair of knights², thundering toward each other on massive steeds, wicked-looking lances pointed³ at their opponent. Jousting is considered the oldest equestrian⁴ sport in the world. It was a widely popular sport in medieval times, and today, more than 700 years later, it is still practiced by people all over the United States.

Some go all in for period costume from the age of chivalry⁵, especially at popular Renaissance⁶ Festivals, but many others enjoy it as a family sport in a more recreational way. Rather than trying to unseat an opponent, modern competitors use their lance to spear a small ring that dangles⁷ from an archway. It is called ring jousting.  

Family tradition

The Enfield family in the eastern U.S. state of Maryland has kept the tradition of ring jousting alive for generations.

At a recent Jousting competition in Crownsville, Maryland, Bob Enfield was defending his state championship title, which  he's held three times. Last year he also won the National Champion title.  But Enfield does not think he can match the wins his father made before retiring from the sport at age 75.

“Dad was an excellent rider in his day," Enfield said proudly. "He won four national championships and eight state championships.”

Leon was the one who started the Enfield jousting tradition in 1947 at his family’s dairy farm. He became the first state champion a decade later.

“At one point in time, about eight years ago, there were 11 of my family riding, competing. It was four generations,” Leon recalled.

His granddaughter, Marley, started jousting when she was only two and a half.

“It is easy to learn, but it takes a lot of time to practice and to stay good at it," she explained. "I just wanted to carry our family tradition.”    

State sport

Ring jousting became the official sport of Maryland in 1962. 

Viki Betts, president of the state's Jousting Tournament Association, says horsemanship and precision are the keys to success, adding that the feeling of camaraderie⁸ is just as important to the sport.

"We get together almost every weekend from May till October.  But we really compete against ourselves," she said. "I have to [spear] more rings than the next person to win.”

At the final state contest of the year, 60 jousters of all ages competed in five classes, from Novice⁹ to Championship, where Bob Enfield had to defend his title. He also competed in the Professional Class with his 19-year-old son Bradley.

”He has pretty much taught me everything I know about the sport.  So it is fun to go out there and ride against him and see if I can beat him,” Bradley said.

Four contestants¹⁰, including both Enfields, tied in the first round of the Professional Class, in which jousters had to spear a ring two-and-a-half centimeters in diameter. In the second run, with the ring size reduced by half, Bradley won first place and his father took second.

“I am really tickled¹¹ that we finished that way," Bob said. "The fact he beat me, that means a lot to me. That means I trained him well.”

Bob also lost his state champion title.  But he says he is happy, as the sport keeps going in the family, and he looks forward to competing again with his son next year.

1 jousting   

（骑士）骑马用长矛比武( joust的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The players happily jousting inside the castle walls didn't see the moat outside widening. 玩家在城墙上幸福地战斗的时候，没有注意到护城河已经开始扩张了。

2 knights   

骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

3 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

4 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。

5 chivalry   

n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤

参考例句：

• The Middle Ages were also the great age of chivalry.中世纪也是骑士制度盛行的时代。
• He looked up at them with great chivalry.他非常有礼貌地抬头瞧她们。

6 renaissance   

n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴

参考例句：

• The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。
• The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。

7 dangles   

悬吊着( dangle的第三人称单数 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口

参考例句：

• A kite dangles from a telephone wire. 一只风筝悬挂在电话线上晃来晃去。
• Her hand, which dangles over the side, sparkles cold with jewels. 她一只手耷拉在一边，闪耀着珠宝的寒光。

8 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。

9 novice   

adj.新手的，生手的

参考例句：

• As a novice writer,this is something I'm interested in.作为初涉写作的人，我对此很感兴趣。
• She realized that she was a novice.她知道自己初出茅庐。

10 contestants   

n.竞争者，参赛者( contestant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The competition attracted over 500 contestants representing 8 different countries. 这次比赛吸引了代表8个不同国家的500多名参赛者。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency. 两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 tickled   

（使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐

参考例句：

• We were tickled pink to see our friends on television. 在电视中看到我们的一些朋友，我们高兴极了。
• I tickled the baby's feet and made her laugh. 我胳肢孩子的脚，使她发笑。