(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
I'm Barbara Klein. And I'm Steve Ember with PEOPLE IN AMERICA in VOA Special English. Today we tell about the life of tennis champion Arthur Ashe. He was an athlete and a social activist who died before he was fifty. He was honored for his bravery and honesty as well as his strong support of just causes. In nineteen seventy-five, Arthur Ashe played against Ilie Nastase in the Masters tennis games in Stockholm, Sweden. Nastase was out of control. He delayed the game. He called Ashe bad names. Finally, Arthur Ashe put down his tennis racket and walked off the tennis court. He said, "I've had enough. I'm at the point where I'm afraid I'll lose control. " The officials were shocked; Ashe was winning the game. One official told him he would lose if he walked out of the game. Ashe said, "I don't care. I'd rather lose that than my self-respect. " The next day, the Masters committee met. They knew that if they gave the game to Nastase, they would be supporting his kind of actions. They felt it was how you played the game that really counted. So, the officials decided it was Nastase who must lose the game.
Arthur Ashe was born in nineteen forty-three in the southern city of Richmond, Virginia. His parents were Mattie Cunningham Ashe and Arthur Ashe, Senior. In those days, black people and white people lived separately in the South. By law, African-Americans could not attend the same schools or the same churches as white people. Arthur learned to live with racial separation. He attended an all-black school. He played in the areas kept separate for blacks. And when he traveled to his grandmother's house, he sat in the back of the bus behind a white line. Only white people could sit in the front part of the bus. Tennis was a sport traditionally played by white people. Arthur's experience was different from most other tennis players. He grew up under poorer conditions. His father worked several jobs at the same time. And his mother died when he was six.
Mister Ashe taught his son the importance of leading an honorable life. He said a person does not get anywhere in life by making enemies. He explained that a person gains by helping others. Arthur Ashe, Senior taught his son the importance of his friends, his family and his history. He said that without his good name, he would be nothing. By example, Arthur's father taught the importance of hard work. His job was to drive people where they wanted to go. And he did other kinds of jobs for several wealthy families.
When Arthur was four, his father was given responsibility for a public play area called Brook Field. It was the largest play area for black people in the city of Richmond. Mister Ashe continued to work at his other jobs as well. The family moved into a five-room house in the middle of the park. Arthur could use the swimming pool, basketball courts, baseball fields and tennis courts in the park. He liked sports. He was not very big, but he was fast. Arthur began playing tennis when he was seven years old. He was very small. The racket he used to hit the tennis ball seemed bigger than he was. But by the time he was thirteen years old, he was winning against players two times his size and age. Arthur had great energy and sense of purpose. He would hit five hundred tennis balls each summer day early in the morning. He would stop to eat his morning meal. Then he would hit five hundred more tennis balls. When Arthur was ten years old, he met Robert Walter Johnson. Doctor Johnson established a tennis camp for black children who were not permitted to play on tennis courts for whites. Doctor Johnson helped Arthur learn to be calm while playing tennis. He taught him to use restraint. He said that anger at an opponent was a waste of energy.
By nineteen sixty, Arthur had won the National Junior Indoor Championship. And, the University of California at Los Angeles offered him a college education if he played for the UCLA tennis team. In nineteen sixty-five, Arthur Ashe led the team to the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship. He completed his education the next year with a degree in business administration.
Arthur Ashe then became a professional tennis player. In nineteen sixty-eight, he won the United States Open. It was the first time an African-American man had won one of the four major competitions in tennis. In nineteen seventy, he won the Australian Open. The next year, he won the French Open Doubles Championship with Marty Riessen. And, in nineteen seventy-five, he won the Wimbledon Singles Championship in England. Two times he was named the number one tennis player in the world. Throughout his life, Arthur Ashe fought against social injustice. He supported racial equality and tried to bring blacks and whites together. In nineteen seventy-three, Ashe was the first black player to be invited to compete in the South African Open. At the time, South African laws separated people by race. Ashe knew why he was invited. He knew that the South African government was trying to change its image so it could take part in the Olympic Games. He agreed to go, but on his own terms. He played before a racially mixed group. And, he went wherever he pleased and said what he wanted.
Arthur Ashe went back to South Africa many times. He went not only to fight against the system of racial separation. He went to show the oppressed children of the country that he was a successful black man.
Former South African President Nelson Mandela spent twenty-seven years in prison. After his release, the first person Mandela asked to see during his visit to the United States was Arthur Ashe. Ashe used his fame to help increase public knowledge of racism in America. He told reporters how the color of his skin kept him out of tennis games as a boy in Richmond. He spoke against black separatism. He wanted to unite the races, not separate them. During his travels with the United States Davis Cup team, he said, "People in other countries read a lot about race troubles in the United States. But when they see two guys from the South like Cliff Richey and me, one white and one colored, both sharing a room and being close friends, it must do a little good." In nineteen seventy-seven, Arthur Ashe married Jeanne Moutoussamy.
They shared a deep concern for others. Ashe always urged people to do their best -- even his opponents. To help others, he started an organization, the Safe Passage Foundation. It helped poor children develop the skills to learn. And it taught them how to play tennis and golf. In nineteen seventy-nine, Ashe felt severe pain in his chest. He had suffered his first heart attack, even though he seemed in excellent physical condition. His days of playing tennis were over. Doctors operated on him later that year to try to improve the flow of blood from his heart. But his physical activity was very limited. Four years later, he had to have another operation. Now that he could not be active in sports, he took on new responsibilities. He helped the American Heart Association educate the public about heart disease. He wrote books. And, in nineteen eighty-six, he became a father when his wife Jeanne gave birth to their daughter, Camera.
Two years later, Arthur Ashe faced his final struggle. He discovered he had the virus that causes the disease AIDS.He and his doctors believed he had gotten it when he received infected blood after his second heart operation. He kept the bad news a secret for more than three years. He did not want his daughter to know. But reporters found out about his condition in nineteen ninety-two. He decided to tell the public. Ashe continued to work even though he was weak from the disease. During his last ten months of life, he continued to help children. He also demonstrated to support Haitian refugees, continued to fight racial injustice and battled AIDS. He said, ". . . Living with AIDS is not the greatest burden I've had in my life. Being black is." He gave his last speech the week he died. He said, "AIDS killed my body, but racism is harder to bear. It kills the soul." Arthur Ashe died in nineteen ninety-three. He was forty-nine years old. He had told a friend, "You come to realize that life is short, and you have to step up. Don't feel sorry for me. Much is expected of those who are strong."
重点解析
1.honor v. 尊敬,授予荣誉,承兑,实践
Thank you every one of the honored guests.
谢谢各位来宾。
2.count v. 有价值, 有重要意义
It is not how much you read but what you read that counts.
问题不在于你读了多少书，而在于你读了哪些有价值的书。
3.permit vt.vi. 允许; 许可
We will have our meeting here, if you permit us.
如果你允许的话, 我们的会就在这里开。
4.oppress v. 压迫, 压制
She is often oppressed by him.
她经常受他的压迫。
5.call bad names 说某人坏话，侮辱某人
6.would rather than 宁愿,与其…不如…
I would rather die than compromise.
我宁死不妥协。
参考译文
我是芭芭拉·克莱恩。我是史蒂夫·恩贝尔。这里是VOA慢速英语栏目《美国人物志》。今天我们将讲述网球冠军阿瑟·阿什的生平。他是一名运动员，也是一名社会活动家，不到五十岁就去世了。他因自己的勇气、诚实以及对正义事业的拥护而受到尊敬。1975年，在瑞典斯德哥尔摩的大师网球赛中和伊里尔·纳斯泰斯比赛。纳斯泰斯在场上失控，他拖延了比赛，还说阿什的坏话。最终，阿瑟·阿什放下网球拍，离开了网球场。他说，“我已经受够了。我害怕自己也会失控。”高层们都震惊了，阿什赢得了比赛。一名高层告诉他，如果他离开赛场，就会输掉比赛。阿什说，“我不在乎，我宁愿输掉比赛也不愿失去自尊。”第二天，大师赛委员会会面。他们明白，如果他们判纳斯泰斯赢得比赛，那么他们就是在支持他的这种行为。他们认为真正重要的是你如何打比赛。因此，高层决定判纳斯泰斯输掉这场比赛。
1943年阿瑟·阿什出生于弗吉尼亚州南方城市里士满。他的父母是玛蒂·坎宁安·阿什和老阿瑟·阿什。那时候，南方的黑人和白人居住在不同区域。法律规定，非裔美国人不能和白人上同样的学校或去一样的教堂。阿瑟学会和种族隔离共处。他去了黑人学校，在黑人隔离区玩耍。当他去祖母家时，他坐在公交车后排，前排是白人的座位。只有白人才能坐在公交车前排。网球是白人的传统运动。阿瑟和多数其他网球运动员的经历不同。他在更加贫穷的条件中成长。他的父亲同时做好几份工作。而他的母亲在他六岁时便去世了。
阿什先生教会他的儿子磊落人生的重要性。他说一个人不要到处树敌，他解释道，一个人通过帮助他人而获益。老阿瑟·阿什教会他儿子朋友、家人和民族历史的重要性。他说没有他们，自己什么也不是。阿瑟的父亲通过行动教会他努力工作的重要性。他的工作是为别人开车。他为几个富裕的家庭工作。
阿瑟十岁的时候，他的父亲负责管理一片公共娱乐区域。这是里士满最大的黑人游乐场所。阿瑟先生同时做着其他几份工作。一家人搬到了公园中心的一个有五间房的大房子里。阿瑟可以用那里的游泳池、篮球场、棒球场和网球场。他喜欢运动，他不高，速度却很快。七岁的时候，阿瑟开始打网球，他个子很小。他用的球拍似乎都比他大。但是到他13岁的时候，他在与那些个子年龄都比他大的孩子的比赛中胜出了。阿瑟精力充足且有一种使命感。每个夏天清晨，他都会练500个球。中间会停下来吃早餐，然后再练500个。阿瑟十岁的时候，他遇见了罗伯特·瓦尔特·约翰逊。约翰逊医生为无法进入白人网球场打球的黑人孩子开设了一个网球夏令营。约翰逊医生帮助阿瑟学会如何在打网球时保持镇定。他教会他使用约束力，他说，对对手的愤怒是在消耗精力。
1960年，阿瑟赢得了国家青少年网球室内比赛。加州大学洛杉矶分校为他提供了接受大学教育的机会，前提是他加入UCLA网球队。1965年，阿瑟·阿什带领团队进入全国大学生体育联合会锦标赛。第二年，他获得大学工商管理学位。之后，阿瑟·阿什成为了一名专业网球运动员。1968年，他获得美国公开赛冠军。这是第一次由非裔美国人赢得网球四大主要比赛之一。1970年，他赢得澳大利亚公开赛。第二年，他和马蒂·里森获得法国公开赛双人比赛冠军。1975年，他在英格兰获得温网男单冠军。在世界网球运动员排名中，他两次位居榜首。纵观他的一生，阿瑟·阿什都在和社会不公作斗争。他支持种族平等并试图将黑人和白人牵在一起。1973年，阿什成为第一位被邀请参加南非公开赛的黑人。那时，南非法律将人按种族区分，阿什知道为什么他会被邀请。他知道南非政府试图改变这一局面，这样南非便可以参加奥运会。他同意参加，但是要求自己做主。开赛前，他的团队中有不同人种。他去自己的想去的地方，说自己的想表达的话。
阿瑟·阿什多次返回南非，不仅是为了对抗种族分离体系，还是为了告诉这个国家受压迫的孩子们自己就是一名成功的黑人。前任南非总统纳尔逊·曼德拉在监狱里待了27年。被释放后，在他去往美国期间，他要求会见的第一个人便是阿瑟·阿什。阿什利用他的名声帮助增加美国人对种族主义的认识。他告诉记者，在里士满的童年时期，他是如何因为肤色而被拒之网球比赛门外的。他公开反对黑人隔离主义。他希望同一种族而非分离他们。在他和戴维斯杯团队参赛期间，他说“其他国家的人们读了很多关于美国种族问题的文章。但是当他们看见来自南方的克里夫·里奇和我，一个是白人，一个是黑人，我们共住一间房，还是亲密的朋友时，这样一定有所帮助的。”
1977年，阿瑟·阿什和珍妮·穆图萨米结婚。他们都很关心他人。阿什总是要求别人做到最好—即使是他的对手。为了帮助他人，他成立了一个组织—安全通道基金会。这个基金会帮助贫困儿童开发学习技能，并教他们如何打网球和高尔夫。1979年，阿什感到胸腔剧烈疼痛。他经历了第一次心脏病发作，虽然他看起来身体状况不错。他的网球生涯结束了。之后，医生进行了手术，试图改善他心脏的血液流动。但是他的体力非常有限，四年后，他又进行了一次手术。现在他无法活跃在赛场上，他有了新的责任。他帮助美国心脏病协会向大众普及心脏疾病知识。他也写书。
1986年，他的妻子生下了女儿卡梅拉，他成了一名父亲。两年后，阿瑟·阿什面临自己最后的煎熬。他发现他是艾滋病毒携带者。他和他的医生都认为他是在第二次心脏病手术时输入了被感染的血液。三年多的时间里，他一直保守这个秘密。他不希望自己的女儿知道这件事。但是记者在1992年发现他的病情，他决定公布于众。阿什继续工作，即使他因疾病而变得很虚弱。在他生命的最后十个月里，他继续帮助孩子们。他还示威支持海地难民，继续对抗种族不公和艾滋。他说，“...我一生遇到过的最大的重担不是和艾滋共存而是生而为黑人。”他在去世前一周发表最后一次演讲，他说，“艾滋杀了结了我的身体，但是种族主义更难以承受。它杀死的是灵魂。”阿瑟·阿什于1993年去世，那时他49岁。他告诉一位老朋友，“你意识不到生命有多么短暂，你必须加快脚步。不要我感到遗憾。人们对于比较厉害的人，总是期待的更多.”
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