Lesson 6

听力部分

听力练习

一级练习：［难度系数★］

本课的主题“sports”在英语专业四级听力考试里出现。先听三段简单的听力材料，试一试！

1. The speaker thinks that ______.

A. Ian achieved a lot as an athlete

B. Ian's blind eye prevented him from athletics

C. Ian's success depended on his childhood experience

D. Ian trained so hard in athletics as to lose one eye

2. What does the speaker mean?

A. The sports meet has been cancelled.

B. The sports meet has been held despite the rain.

C. The time has been set for the sports meet.

D. When the sports meet will be held is yet to be unknown.

3. A. His coach didn't help him enough.

B. He had no chance of winning.

C. He didn't follow his coach's advice.

D. His coach didn't listen to him.

听力原文如下：

1. Ian lost an eye in a childhood accident, but he nonetheless had a very successful athletic career.

2. Due to the continual rain the school sports meet has been postponed again till further notice from the principal's office.

3. W: It's a shame you didn't win your tennis match.

M: I might have won if I'd listened to my coach.

Q: What does the man imply?

二级练习：［难度系数★★］

这次的主题“sports”在较长的专业八级听力填空题里出现。依然是你熟悉的主题和词汇，挑战一下吧！

Note-Taking and Gap-Filling. Fill in each of the gaps with ONE word. You may refer to your notes. Make sure the word you fill in is both grammatically and semantically acceptable.

At present companies and industries like to sponsor sports events. Two reasons are put forward to explain this phenomenon. The first reason is that they get （1）______ throughout the world. The second reason is that companies and industries （2）______ money, as they get reductions in the tax they owe if they sponsor sports or arts activities.

As sponsorship is （3）______, careful thinking is required in deciding which events to sponsor. It is important that the event to be sponsored （4）______ the product（s） to be promoted. That is, the right （5）______ and maximum product coverage must be guaranteed in the event.

Points to be considered in sports sponsorship. Popularity of the event. International sports events are big （6）______ events, which get extensive coverage on TV and in the press. Smaller events attract fewer people. Identification of the potential audience. Aiming at the right audience is most important for smaller events. The right audience would attract manufacturers of other related products like （7）______, etc. Advantages of sponsorship. Advantages are longer-term.

People are expected to respond （8）______ to the products promoted and be more likely to buy them.

Advertising is （9）______ the mind.

Sponsorship is better than straight advertising: a) less （10）______；b) tax-free.

（1）______

（2）______

（3）______

（4）______

（5）______

（6）______

（7）______

（8）______

（9）______

（10）______

［专八真题］

听力原文如下：

It is common nowadays for companies and industries to sponsor big sports events. For example, many companies sponsored the 8th National Games held in Shanghai in 1997. Then, what exactly do companies and industries get out of sponsoring big sports events, such as international games? And why do they do so?

There is an obvious answer and a not so obvious one. The obvious answer is that they get known worldwide, particularly if they are the principal sponsor of an event. This is especially important when you consider the number of countries around the world that might show the event on TV. The not-so-obvious answer is that sponsorship can help firms to save money.

Then how can they save money in this way? Companies can claim expenditures on sponsorship or “support to sports and the arts” against the amount of tax that they owe. So, if they are going to have to pay tax anyway, why not spend the money on promoting their name or product?

However, sponsorship is surely a very expensive business. So, how does one decide which events or activities to support? Companies spend a lot of time making sure that they have a perfect match between the products to be represented and the activity that needs sponsorship. Basically, companies have to make sure that the image is right and that the product gets maximum coverage through the event. I mean, you wouldn't expect a company whose product has a young international image to sponsor a sport that has a following among older people. There are all sorts of reasons behind sponsorship. That's what the game's about for those who are trying to sell it.

There are some important points to consider before agreeing to sponsor an event. First and foremost, I suppose, is the popularity of the event—in global terms, I mean. Events like the World Cup and the Olympics have businesses queuing up to offer sponsorship. There are the big media events: hours and hours of TV and satellite coverage guaranteed all over the world, as well as press coverage and the possibility of photographs that in some way advertise your product. Most events aren't quite like that, though. I suppose you've got the national games every four years in China. But most events appeal to only a limited proportion of the potential audience—tennis, for example. Most of the audience there is young, so products for the young are the ones that you would associate with the event.

Then how do you match up the product with the event? The most important thing with the smaller event is to identify the audience it's going to appeal to—in this instance, tennis and young people. That should attract drinks manufacturers, sports fashion designers, cosmetics producers, and so on. Then you look at the potential coverage in the media. It's the sort of event that might attract Coca-Cola or Pepsi—maybe even McDonalds.

In sponsoring sports events, it is not just the media coverage that matters. The important question is whether the people who've either been to the event or read about it in the press will be more likely to buy your product as a result. A lot of the advantages of investment in sponsorship are long-term. People who have possibly read about or watched an event on TV may not even be able to tell you who was sponsoring the event, yet will react favorably if asked to comment on products marketed by the sponsoring company. They have been conditioned in some way. Conditioning the mind is what advertising is about. Believe it or not, straight advertising is a far more expensive way of promoting your image than sponsorship, and what's more, sponsorship is mostly tax-free.

To sum up, today we have talked about sponsorship of sports events by companies: the reasons behind and a few related points. I hope this will help you gain some insight into the issue.

词汇部分

一级练习：［难度系数★］

我们新学的词汇出现在六级考试中。这些词汇如果在题干里出现，是否减轻了你的阅读负担呢？如果在选项里出现（可它们不一定是正确选项），你能选对吗？试一试吧！

临考情境模拟：每题控制在1分钟内，本级测试限时5分钟，请把计时器调到5分钟。计时开始！

考查词汇：involve

1. She was deeply ______ by the amount of criticism her play received.

A. frustrated

B. deported

C. involved

D. deprived

［六级真题］

考查词汇：prestige

2. David tends to feel useless and unwanted in a society that gives so much ______ to those who compete well.

A. prestige

B. regime

C. superiority

D. humanity

［六级真题］

3. There is no doubt that the ______ of these goods to the others is easy to see.

A. prestige

B. superiority

C. priority

D. publicity

［六级真题］

考查词汇：instinct

4. The mayor is a woman with great ______ and therefore deserves our political and financial support.

A. intention

B. instinct

C. integrity

D. intensity

［六级真题］

考查词汇：arouse

5. An important property of a scientific theory is its ability to ______ further research and further thinking about a particular topic.

A. stimulate

B. renovate

C. arouse

D. advocate

［六级真题］

二级练习：［难度系数★★］

这次新学的词汇在较难的六级考试里出现，挑战一下吧！

临考情境模拟：每题控制在2分钟内，本级测试限时12分钟，请把计时器调到12分钟。计时开始！

考查词汇：patriotic

1. The American dream is most ______ during the periods of productivity and wealth generated by American capitalism.

A. plausible

B. patriotic

C. primitive

D. partial

［六级真题］

考查词汇：patriotic

2. A terrible traffic accident happened; people were saddened when they watched the ______ sight on TV.

A. panic

B. patriotic

C. pathetic

D. periodic

［六级真题］

考查词汇：revolve

3. Several international events in the early 1990s seem likely to ______, or at least weaken, the trends that emerged in the 1980s.

A. revolt

B. revolve

C. reverse

D. revive

［六级真题］

考查词汇：distinction

4. In spite of the ______, it seemed that many of the invited guests would still show up.

A. comparison

B. controversy

C. distinction

D. deviation

［六级真题］

考查词汇：violent

5. Some people either ______ avoid questions of right and wrong or remain neutral about them.

A. violently

B. enthusiastically

C. sincerely

D. deliberately

［六级真题］

考查词汇：aggressive

6. Animals can become unusually ______ when they are upset by a sudden environmental change.

A. puzzled

B. predominant

C. vigorous

D. aggressive

［六级真题］

阅读部分

一级练习：［难度系数★］

本课的主题“sports”在四级阅读里出现。下面的文章和题目中有你熟悉的主题和词汇，试一试！

临考情境模拟：请在5分钟内读完文章，4分钟做完题。请把计时器调到9分钟。计时开始！

Sport is not only physically challenging, but it can also be mentally challenging. Criticism from coaches, parents, and other teammates, as well as pressure to win can create an excessive amount of anxiety or stress for young athletes（运动员）. Stress can be physical, emotional, or psychological and research has indicated that it can lead to burnout. Burnout has been described as dropping or quitting of an activity that was at one time enjoyable. The early years of development are critical years for learning about oneself. The sport setting is one where valuable experiences can take place. Young athletes can, for example, learn how to cooperate with others, make friends, and gain other social skills that will be used throughout their lives. Coaches and parents should be aware, at all times, that their feedback to youngsters can greatly affect their children. Youngsters may take their parents' and coaches' criticisms to heart and find a flaw （缺陷） in themselves. Coaches and parents should also be cautious that young sport participation does not become work for children. The outcome of the game should not be more important than the process of learning the sport and other life lessons. In today's youth sport setting, young athletes may be worrying more about who will win instead of enjoying themselves and the sport. Following a game many parents and coaches focus on the outcome and find fault with youngsters' performances. Positive reinforcement should be provided regardless of the outcome. Research indicates that positive reinforcement motivates and has a greater effect on learning than criticism. Again, criticism can create high levels of stress, which can lead to burnout.

1. An effective way to prevent the burnout of young athletes is ______.

A. to reduce their mental stress

B. to increase their sense of success

C. to make sports less competitive

D. to make sports more challenging

2. According to the passage sport is positive for young people in that ______.

A. it can help them learn more about society

B. it enables them to find flaws in themselves

C. it can provide them with valuable experiences

D. it teaches them how to set realistic goals for themselves

3. Many coaches and parents are in the habit of criticizing young athletes ______.

A. believing that criticism is beneficial for their early development

B. without realizing criticism may destroy their self confidence

C. in group to make them remember life's lessons

D. so as to put more pressure on them

4. According to the passage parents and coaches should ______.

A. pay more attention to letting children enjoy sports

B. help children to win every game

C. train children to cope with stress

D. enable children to understand the positive aspect of sports

5. The author's purpose in writing the passage is ______.

A. to teach young athletes how to avoid burnout

B. to persuade young children not to worry about criticism

C. to stress the importance of positive reinforcement to children

D. to discuss the skill of combining criticism with encouragement

［四级真题］

二级练习：［难度系数★★］

这次新学的词汇在较难的英语专业四级考试里出现，挑战一下吧！

临考情境模拟：请在5分钟内读完文章，4分钟做完题。请把计时器调到9分钟。计时开始！

Massive changes in all of the world's deeply cherished sporting habits are underway. Whether it's one of London's parks full of people playing softball, and Russians taking up rugby, or the Superbowl rivaling the British Football Cup Final as a televised spectator event in Britain, the patterns of players and spectators are changing beyond recognition. We are witnessing a globalization of our sporting culture.

That annual bicycle race, the Tour de France, much loved by the French is a good case in point. Just a few years back it was a strictly continental affair with France, Belgium and Holland, Spain and Italy taking part. But in recent years it has been dominated by Colombian mountain climbers, and American and Irish riders.

The people who really matter welcome the shift toward globalization. Peugeot, Michelin and Panasonic are multi-national corporations that want worldwide returns for the millions they invest in teams. So it does them literally a world of good to see this unofficial world championship become just that.

This is undoubtedly an economic-based revolution we are witnessing here, one made possible by communications technology, but made to happen because of marketing considerations. Sell the game and you can sell Cola or Budweiser as well. The skilful way in which American football has been sold to Europe is a good example of how all sports will develop. The aim of course is not really to spread the sport for its own sake, but to increase the number of people interested in the major money-making events. The economics of the Superbowl are already astronomical. With seats at US$125, gate receipts alone were a staggering $10,000,000. The most important statistic of the day, however, was the $100,000,000 in TV advertising fees. Imagine how much that becomes when the eyes of the world are watching.

So it came as a terrible shock, but not really as a surprise, to learn that some people are now suggesting that soccer change from being a game of two 45-minute halves, to one of four 25-minute quarters. The idea is unashamedly to capture more advertising revenue, without giving any thought for the integrity of a sport which relies for its essence on the flowing nature of the action.

Moreover, as sports expand into world markets, and as our choice of sports as consumers also grows, so we will demand to see them played at a higher and higher level. In boxing we have already seen numerous, dubious world title categories because people will not pay to see anything less than a“World Tide” fight, and this means that the title fights have to be held in different countries around the world!

1. Globalization of sporting culture means that ______.

A. more people are taking up sports

B. traditional sports are getting popular

C. many local sports are becoming international

D. foreigners are more interested in local sports

2. Which of the following is NOT related to the massive changes?

A. Good economic returns.

B. Revival of sports.

C. Communications technology.

D. Marketing strategies.

3. What is the author's attitude towards the suggestion to change soccer into one of four 25-minute quarters?

A. Favourable.

B. Unclear.

C. Reserved.

D. Critical.

4. People want to see higher-level sports competitions mainly because ______.

A. they become more professional than ever

B. they regard sports as consumer goods

C. there exist few world-class championships

D. sports events are exciting and stimulating

［专四真题］

写作部分

本课涉及了体育精神在人们日常生活中的意义，这里给大家提供这方面的写作素材，方便大家积累下来，在以后遇到的运动类话题中结合课文使用。

真题举例

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Playing a game is fun only when you win. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

［IELTS真题］

写作素材

Playing games is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world. Every country has a number of popular games that are played all the time. For example, in China, Mahjong and Chinese Chess are both very popular. I think playing a game in itself is full of fun, and winning a game is just a pleasure extra.

It would be impossible to think that one could win a game all the time when they first start playing it. This is especially true for strategy games such as the above-mentioned. In many cases, playing against the top players of a game and losing is an honor, not a disappointment. The age-old adage says that practice makes perfect. This is as true in games as it is in any other endeavor. In order to win a game all of the time, you need to practice it over and over and learn the strategies of the game.

Practice is necessary to win a game. If this was really an annoying process, no one would ever play games. However, it is the journey of the game, not the destination that is important. Going through the actual game is the fun part; if one wins a game, that is an added bonus. People truly enjoy the process of playing a game. If winning was the only thing that was important, we would all play “Rock-Paper-Scissors” all of the time.

People enjoy the process of playing a game because of the social aspects. Playing a game, especially a long, enduring game like Mahjong is a bonding experience. Many of these games can last for days, being picked up and left off time and time again. Games are great for bonding with other people, which makes them excellent for improving one's social skills, in addition to having fun.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that games can be fun even if I am not the winner. Games must be played a multitude of times if one hopes to get good at them, and this is a fun process to go through. Games bring us closer to our friends, as we have fun experiences with them. There are many excellent reasons to play a game besides winning.