(单词翻译:单击)
情景对话
Todd: So, Steven, I thought we would have a friendly debate. What do you think is the best sport in the world?
托德：史蒂文，我想我们要进行一场友好的辩论。你认为世界上最棒的体育运动是什么？
Steve: The best sport in the world is unquestionably what is know in America as soccer, what is know in my country as football.
史蒂文：世界上最棒的体育运动绝对是美国称为足球的运动，在我们国家这项运动用football来表示。
Todd: Yeah, well, we'll call it football. I think football's good. I think football's good. It's a good sport, but I'm sorry, it's just not as good as baseball.
托德：好，那我们就用football来表示足球吧。我认为足球很好，是很好，是一项很好的运动，不过很抱歉，它并不如棒球好。
Steve: Really, I'm quite surprised to hear you say that because you did mention, I believe the question was "the best sport in the world" (Yes) whereas baseball isn't as nearly as widely appreciated worldwide as football is.
史蒂文：是吗，我对你的话感到非常吃惊，因为你刚刚的问题是“世界上最棒的运动”（没错），可是棒球并不像足球那样在全世界范围内广受欢迎。
Todd: Ah, that's true. That's true. I will give you that, but a lot of countries do play baseball, it's popular in Asia (they do indeed, yeah) and Central America, and in North America, and it's a young sport. You just got to give it time. We need more time to come around.
托德：没错，这话没错。这点我承认，可是也有许多国家在开展棒球这项运动，它在亚洲（对，没错）、中美洲和北美洲都很受欢迎，棒球是一项年轻的运动。你要给这项运动发展的时间。我们需要更多时间让它推广出去。
Steve: Yeah, I don't have anything in particular against kids playing baseball. I think getting kids out playing any sport is very healthy and it very good thing to happen, but I got to say, I mean for young kids, particularly in developing countries where they perhaps need a lot more equipment to play baseball, I think soccer is much more accessible than baseball. They only need a ball, a field, a street even before they can get started.
史蒂文：对，我并没有特别反对儿童从事棒球运动。我认为让孩子们出去进行体育运动对他们的健康有好处，这也是件好事，但是我要说，对小孩子来说，尤其是发展中国家，他们需要更多的设施来从事棒球，我认为足球比棒球更容易从事。足球只需要一个球、一块场地就可以，甚至在街道上就可以进行足球比赛。
Todd: Well, that's kind of true, but I mean in baseball you just need a stick and a rock.
托德：嗯，这倒是事实，不过我认为棒球也只需要棒球棒和垒位。
Steve: Yeah you could do like that, yeah.
史蒂文：对，那样也可以。
Todd: But I mean, one thing that I think how baseball is better than football is that in baseball it's more democratic in that everybody has to bat. You can't have a prima donna star. I mean you can have stars, but everyone's gotta swing the bat, and you know, in soccer if you're a fullback, if I'm using that correctly, you play back by the goal, you know, you're kind of just lagging back there. You're not gonna score or anything.
托德：我认为棒球比足球好的地方在于，棒球这项运动更民主，所有人都要击球。没有当家球星。我是说一支球队可以有球星，但是所有人都挥棒击球，如你所知，足球比赛中有后卫，如果我理解正确，你踢后卫的位置，那你就要在后面防守。你不能去进球之类的。
Steve: Yeah, that's very, very true and I think you're very right in saying that baseball is indeed a democratic sport, but I think soccer gives each individual player to play to his own strengths, his own physical capabilities, for example you have people who are naturally strong presence who are more suited to, well, playing defense, whereas your speedier players, and your slightly more cunning players lends itself to being a striker, so it really allows people to specialize and the crowd really get behind that. The crowd really appreciate a good strong defender and a nifty striker who gets in there and poaches a lot of goals for his team.
史蒂文：对，这点完全正确，我认为你刚说到棒球是非常民主的运动这点很正确，不过我认为足球运动给每名球员展示能力的机会，他们可以展示他们的身体素质，比如有球员更适合进行防守，有球员速度更快，灵巧的球员适合当前锋，所以这项运动让球员可以分工合作，他们会得到球迷的支持。球迷喜欢杰出的后卫，也喜欢可以为球队进球的灵巧前锋。
Todd: Well, that's true. Those are some good points, but in baseball you have to utilize more skills. I mean, you have to be skilled at catching the ball (Yes), throwing the ball (Yes), hitting the ball (Yeah), running the bases (yeah), you know, football you just got to run and kick (Yeah).
托德：没错。这些观点很好，不过棒球运动也要应用到很多能力。我是说，你要擅于接球，投球，击球，跑垒，你知道，足球只需要跑动和踢球。（对）
Steve: But I mean, to be honest with you, baseball, that's not really doing anything that cricket never did, for example. All those skills were employed in a sport that was invented way, way much longer ago than baseball ever was.
史蒂文：我的意思是，和你说实话，其实棒球和板球差不多。所有这些技巧的应用都远远早于棒球运动的发展。
Todd: That is true. You got me on that one, so anyway. well, I like football, but I just, I have to stick with baseball.
托德：这倒是没错。在这点上我表示同意，我喜欢足球，但是我坚持棒球最好。
Steve: That's fine. I think we can agree to disagree.
史蒂文：很好。我想我们可以各自保留不同意见。
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重点讲解
重点讲解：
1. be suited to
合适的；适宜的；适当的；
eg. The area is well suited to road cycling as well as off-road riding.
这个地方很适合举行自行车公路赛和越野赛。
eg. Satellites are uniquely suited to provide this information.
只有人造卫星能提供此类信息。
2. to be honest
老实说；说实在的；
eg. To be honest, the house is not quite our style.
说实话，这房子我们不是非常喜欢。
eg. Have the courage to be honest with yourself and about yourself.
要有勇气对自己坦诚，同时对别人也要开诚布公。
3. be employed in
利用，花费（时间）；
eg. The safety net is an image commonly employed in everyday life.
安全网是日常生活中经常用到的一个比喻。
eg. Your time could be usefully employed in attending to professional matters.
你可以有效地利用时间处理一些专业问题。
4. stick with
坚持（做…）；
eg. If you can make a virtue of difference, stick with it.
如果你想与众不同。那就坚持。
eg. As long as you stick with this plan, you will never fail.
只要你坚持这个计划一直做下去， 你永远都不会失败。
5. agree to disagree
搁置争议；同意各自保留不同意见；
eg. If you can't bring yourself to admit you're wrong, try to agree to disagree.
如果你不能承认自己是错的，那么就试着让对方接受你的不同意。
eg. You don't have to win every argument, why not agree to disagree?
你没有必要每次争论都要赢，不妨同意你们之间存在不同意见。
