Jessie老师英语美文朗读，一遍慢速，适合模仿，一遍快速，适合练语速和听力！纯正美音，适合模仿学习。
The Advantage of Sports
Sports demand an effort of will and muscle that is healthful for the soul as well as the body. Swimming is physically healthful, of course, although it may seem undemanding and highly conducive to lying for hours inert on a deck chair in the sun. But the first dive into the pool is always cold: taking the plunge always requires some effort of will. And the swimmer soon summons his will to compete, against himself or others, for greater distances and greater speed, doing twenty laps where he used to do one. Similarly, tennis takes quantities of energy, physical and moral, especially when the competition stiffens under a hot sun. Team sports, like basketball, baseball, and volleyball, perhaps demand even more of the amateur. The awkward player is miserable when he strikes out, or misses an easy fly, or an easy basket, no matter how patient his teammates. He must drive himself to keep on trying, no matter how heavy his heart. Whatever the sport, a little determination can eventually conquer one’s awkwardness and timidity, and the reward will be more than physical. Character and health frequently go hand in hand.体育运动需要毅力和肌肉的刻苦磨练，因此对身心健康都有好处。游泳当然对身体健康有益，虽然你很容易会选择在阳光下的椅子上懒懒地躺上几小时。但第一次跳入游泳池总是很冷的；这样做总是需要一些毅力的。如果你以前只能游一圈而现在能游20圈，为了能游得更快更远，游泳者不久就会拿出自己的毅力和自己或别人竞争。同样，网球运动也需要很多的精力、体力和精神，尤其是当比赛在烈日下呈胶着状态时。团体运动，比如篮球、棒球和排球，对业余选手要求就更高。当他三击不中出局或错过一次容易的高飞球或一次容易的投篮时，不管他的队友多么有耐心，这位尴尬的球员都会很痛苦。不管他的心情多么沉重，他都必须驱使自己不断去尝试。不管什么体育运动，少许的决心就能最终克服一个人的笨拙和羞怯，回报的将远不只是身体上的。品格和健康经常是密切联系的。
physically 身体上；肉体上
undemanding 不费力的；不费神的；轻松容易的
conducive 使容易（或有可能）发生的
inert 无活动能力的；无行动力的
take the plunge 跳水；冒险尝试；毅然从事
summon 召唤；鼓起(勇气)；振作；使出(力气)
lap （跑道等的）一圈
moral 道义上的；道德上的
stiffen 变猛烈；变硬
amateur 业余爱好者；业余运动员
strike out （棒球）三击不中击球手出局
awkward （动作）笨拙的；不舒适的令人尴尬的；使人难堪的
awkwardness 笨拙；粗劣；难为情；尴尬
timidity 胆怯；胆小
hand in hand 手拉手；一起
