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lesson 9 Why Is Basketball So Popular?

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Lesson 9 Why Is Basketball So Popular?

篮球热

Soccer and baseball have more fans,but no other sport has increased in popularity so quickly over the past 30 years than has basketball.What accounts for the sudden meteoric1 rise in a sport which,after all , is played best to people who are unusually tall? The secret to basletball's success lies in three particular sources: the celebrities2 in the game; commercial sponsorship of those players and the game itself; and the mushrooming of crowded, urban environments around the world.

All sports have their heroes. Currently, baseball has Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa , the home runhitting kings. Tennis has Martina Hingus and Pete Sampras, the darlings of the courts. Soccer has players so popular that they are mobbed by fans wherever they appear, especially in Europe and South America. Only basketball, however, has celebrities who have caught the attention of the world like no others. Michael Jordan is so popular even after having lfficially retired3 from the game that there is talk of his running for public office in the United States. Dennis Rodman, the muscular, tattooed4 and much ballyhooed player formerly5 of the Chicago Bulls , makes headlines whenever he pulls another of his crazy but fun-loving publicity6 stunts7. Former players like Larry Byrd and Magic Johnson continue to command respect for their personal integrity and unparalleled sportsmanship. Basket ball shoes, T-shirts and even movies are made with these basketball superstar icons8. No other sport figures can compete with their popular recognition and appeal.

Is this international superstar status solely9 due to these men's talents and contributions? In no small part, of course, it is , but other leading athletes with equally commendable10 skills or who have performed attention-grabbing antics rarely reach the stratospheric level of stardom that basketball players enjoy. This special privilege is due to a concerted effort by the players behind the basketball players , that is the basketball leagues' owners and sponsors.

Basketball has always been a distant third in sports rankings in the United States behind baseball and American football. Basketball league owners and managers wanted to change this traditongal perception of the immutability11 of these statistics and in the 1960s began a concerted effort to make basletball the game of choice by hand-picking more colorful as well as professional players and by making alliances with the commercial sponsors of athletic12 equipment. By the 1970s, basketball team recognition in the U.S. had soared, with dedicated13 fans in the millions . Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers , the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics had become household names. Players like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan were worth millions of dollars in commercial advertising14 spots for athletic equipment manufacturers , a trend which continues to this day. Today, basketball is a billion-dollar business.

No amout of advertising , however, can account for the number of fans who not only double as spectators bu as players themselves . Basketball courts ,whether in schools , parks ofr abandoned city lots, have sprouted15 throughout the urban landscape. A child is never far from a basketball ball and hoop16. With land becoming more expensive in ever more crowded cities , city governments are far more likely to construct basketball couts than baseball diamonds or soccer fields. As basketball equipment is minimal17 and inexpensive, it is no wonder that the game has become more and more popular around the world .

What young boy doesn't dream of becoming as tall as a basketball player, or at least of having as much money or fame?Basketball's quick pace and dynamic plays are in contrast to the much slower moves in baseball or even ing much of soccer and American football. This dynamism is part of the pulse of our times , and so long as we live in a fast-changing world , basketball and its players will continue to appeal to sports lovers around the world.


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1 meteoric WwAy2     
adj.流星的,转瞬即逝的,突然的
参考例句:
  • In my mind,losing weight is just something meteoric.在我眼中,减肥不过是昙花一现的事情。
  • His early career had been meteoric.他的早期生涯平步青云。
2 celebrities d38f03cca59ea1056c17b4467ee0b769     
n.(尤指娱乐界的)名人( celebrity的名词复数 );名流;名声;名誉
参考例句:
  • He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
  • a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目
3 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
参考例句:
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
4 tattooed a00df80bebe7b2aaa7fba8fd4562deaf     
v.刺青,文身( tattoo的过去式和过去分词 );连续有节奏地敲击;作连续有节奏的敲击
参考例句:
  • He had tattooed his wife's name on his upper arm. 他把妻子的名字刺在上臂上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The sailor had a heart tattooed on his arm. 那水兵在手臂上刺上一颗心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
5 formerly ni3x9     
adv.从前,以前
参考例句:
  • We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
  • This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。
6 publicity ASmxx     
n.众所周知,闻名;宣传,广告
参考例句:
  • The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
  • He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事,只当它是一种宣传手法。
7 stunts d1bd0eff65f6d207751b4213c4fdd8d1     
n.惊人的表演( stunt的名词复数 );(广告中)引人注目的花招;愚蠢行为;危险举动v.阻碍…发育[生长],抑制,妨碍( stunt的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • He did all his own stunts. 所有特技都是他自己演的。
  • The plane did a few stunts before landing. 飞机着陆前做了一些特技。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 icons bd21190449b7e88db48fa0f580a8f666     
n.偶像( icon的名词复数 );(计算机屏幕上表示命令、程序的)符号,图像
参考例句:
  • Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons. 用图标来区分重要的文本项。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
  • Daemonic icons should only be employed persistently if they provide continuous, useful status information. 只有会连续地提供有用状态信息的情况下,后台应用程序才应该一直使用图标。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
9 solely FwGwe     
adv.仅仅,唯一地
参考例句:
  • Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
  • The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。
10 commendable LXXyw     
adj.值得称赞的
参考例句:
  • The government's action here is highly commendable.政府这样的行动值得高度赞扬。
  • Such carping is not commendable.这样吹毛求疵真不大好。
11 immutability Camx4     
n.不变(性)
参考例句:
  • Farmers all over the globe knowinging the importance and immutability the seasons. 全全地球的农民们都明白季节的很重要性和永恒性。
  • The immutability of God is a strong ground of consolation and encourages hope and confidence. 上帝的不变性乃是我们安慰的坚固根基,鼓励我们充满著盼望,信心。
12 athletic sOPy8     
adj.擅长运动的,强健的;活跃的,体格健壮的
参考例句:
  • This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
  • He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。
13 dedicated duHzy2     
adj.一心一意的;献身的;热诚的
参考例句:
  • He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
  • His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。
14 advertising 1zjzi3     
n.广告业;广告活动 a.广告的;广告业务的
参考例句:
  • Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
  • The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。
15 sprouted 6e3d9efcbfe061af8882b5b12fd52864     
v.发芽( sprout的过去式和过去分词 );抽芽;出现;(使)涌现出
参考例句:
  • We can't use these potatoes; they've all sprouted. 这些土豆儿不能吃了,都出芽了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The rice seeds have sprouted. 稻种已经出芽了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
16 hoop wcFx9     
n.(篮球)篮圈,篮
参考例句:
  • The child was rolling a hoop.那个孩子在滚铁环。
  • The wooden tub is fitted with the iron hoop.木盆都用铁箍箍紧。
17 minimal ODjx6     
adj.尽可能少的,最小的
参考例句:
  • They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
  • I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家,所以我的花费很小。

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