2010年上半年学位英语课文第13单元  2009年9月版  学位英语第13单元 

Martial Arts (竞技体育 武术 功夫)

2009年11月考试中考过本文节选。

Martial arts have never been more popular. Hollywood action blockbusters featuring acrobatic fight scenes like The Matrix and Charlie’s Angels have been hugely successful, and the popularity of martial arts films from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan have turned actors like Jet Li and Jackie Chan into international superstars. While the closest that many martial arts enthusiasts get to a dojo is playing Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter in front of a TV screen in their living room, others are keen to hit the mats and have a go at martial arts themselves.

竞技运动从来没有这么流行。好莱坞动作大片以特技打斗场面为特征，像黑客帝国和《霹雳娇娃》都已经取得了很大成功。香港和中国台湾的武打电影也是非常流行，并且已经使像李连杰、成龙这些演员都变成国际超级明星。最近的很多热衷于武术的人都是在家里电视机前去玩格斗之王（拳皇）和街头霸王之类的游戏，另外一些人则热衷于去打拳靶和亲自去体验一下竞技运动。

From the graceful, dance like moves of t’ai chi and capoeira to the explosive fighting styles of kung fu and karate, there is a martial art to suit every taste. Rock stars to bus conductors, vicars to politicians - people of all ages and from all walks of life are discovering the physical and mental benefits of practising a martial art.

从这种优美的类似于舞蹈的太极拳和capoeira（一种巴西舞蹈）到功夫和空手道这种爆发性的打斗风格，这种竞技运动适合各种口味，从摇滚歌星到公共汽车售票员，从教区牧师到政客，各行各业不同年龄层都从练习竞技运动中发现了对身心的益处。

 Music在音乐方面
Rock stars have often used martial arts to spice up their live performances. Elvis, who was a karate black belt, entertained his fans on stage with his karate kicking antics, and Madonna’s recent tour features dance routines heavily influenced by martial arts. Jean Jacques Burnel, the French bass player in British punk band The Stranglers, shared Elvis’ love for karate and often demonstrated his skill to fans. Unfortunately, however, his enthusiasm sometimes got the better of him – in the punk era he was well known for using karate to intimidate rival bands and music journalists.

摇滚歌手经常在他们的现场表演用竞技运动来增加兴奋度。Elvis，他是空手道黑带，在舞台上他用空手道踢的滑稽动作来为粉丝助兴，麦当娜最近的巡回演出的舞蹈风格也是一惯受到了竞技运动的很深的影响。英国朋克乐队The Stranglers的法国贝司手Jean Jacques Burnel，一边耍着空手道一边来演奏Elvis’ love，他会经常为歌迷表演他的这种技艺。然而不幸的是他对空手道的热情有时自己都难以控制，在朋克乐队时期用空手道来威胁对手乐队和音乐娱乐记者而闻名。

 Health在健康方面
Many doctors have realised that practising martial arts can replace drug therapy for patients suffering from psychological conditions. The more aggressive styles such as kendo and kick-boxing appear to help people with problems such as depression, while the softer disciplines of aikido and t’ai chi can help people who are anxious or under a lot of stress.

许多医生认识到从事竞技运动能够代替药物治疗，尤其是对遭受心里疾病的人。攻击性强的运动比如说剑道和跆拳道能够帮助那些精神抑郁的人们。然而象合气道和太极这种温和的运动能够帮助那些焦虑和压力大的人们。 

 Politics在政治方面
There can’t be many jobs more stressful than being a politician. American president Theodore Roosevelt was perhaps the first head of state to be associated with martial arts – he became fascinated by judo after watching a demonstration by a Japanese teacher at the White House, and was the first American to get a judo brown belt. Vladimir Putin, Russian president and ex-KGB official, holds an advanced rank in judo, and has won both junior and senior tournaments in Russia. Ryutaro Hashimoto, the prime minister of Japan from 1996 to 1998, has been practising kendo since he was a child, and reached a very high level in the sport. In kendo “the way of the sword”, opponents wear heavy armour and masks, and try to hit each other with bamboo swords. Hashimoto’s speeches as prime minister were peppered with phrases comparing politics to samurai battles, he once famously said, ” If you don’t pay attention to your rival you get hit on the head,” when talking about a Japanese trade agreement with the US

没有什么工作比政治家的压力更大了。美国总统罗斯福或许是美国第一位与竞技运动密切相关的首脑，他在观看完日本老师在白宫的表演以后就迷上了柔道，也是第一个得到柔道棕带的美国人。俄罗斯总统普京同是也是前克格勃的官员，他是一个柔道高手，他在俄国赢得了青少年和成年的柔道锦标赛。1996到1998年在位的日本首相桥本龙太郎，是从他的童年就练习剑道，并达到了很高水平。在剑道中对手双方都穿着厚重盔甲和面具，用努力试图用竹剑来刺到对方，桥本龙太郎作为首相的演讲经常会出现把政治和日本武士道作比较的话语。他曾经在谈到关于日本和美国贸易协定中，说过这样一句有名的话，如果你对你的对手没有高度注意，那么你就会被他刺到头部。 

Difficult jobs在困难工作面前
Of course martial arts were originally developed as effective ways of attacking or defending yourself against enemies. It comes as no surprise that soldiers and police forces around the world are trained in fighting arts, but people in other jobs who may often face difficult situations can also benefit from a knowledge of martial arts. Vicars in London have been trained in tae kwon do, a Korean form of karate, after a survey showing that they were at high risk of attack. Taxi drivers in Birmingham have also been offered courses in self-defense, and female bus conductors in Hyderabad in southern India learn shotokan karate to help them protect themselves from sexual harassment. Officers whose job is to hand out fines to people caught littering in Hong Kong are now given training in aikido, a Japanese martial art which can help to calm people down, after a series of attacks by angry law breakers. 当然竞技运动是源自并发展于一种对于敌人的进攻和对自己防范的有效方式。全世界的士兵和警察进行格斗训练一点也不足为其，但是从事其他工作的人或许经常面临困难情况，那么这些人也从竞技运动受益很多。在一个调查表示伦敦的牧师处于高危人群之后，他们就开始训练跆拳道了。（一种空手道的韩国形式）。伯明翰的出租车司机也得到一些自我防身课程训练。在印度南部的Hyderabad的女公交车售票员也学习松涛馆空手道帮助保护她们免受性骚扰。在香港一些给那些乱扔乱倒的人发罚单的官员们，他们也进行合气道训练。日本的竞技运动可帮助人们在经历一系列对违法者愤怒后平静下来。

So, perhaps it’s time to turn off the video, put down the joystick, and head off to your local sports centre to uncover the joys of martial arts for yourself.

所以或许是时候该关掉录像，放下游戏操纵杆，转向你的这种当地运动中心为你自己找到竞技运动为你带来的快乐了。

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