美国国家公共电台 NPR Mystery Guest 2016-11-12

（单词翻译）

Mystery Guest

play pause stop mute unmute max volume 00:0006:03repeat repeat off Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser¹ to a recent version or update your Flash plugin. JONATHAN COULTON: This is ASK ME ANOTHER. NPR's hour of puzzles, word games and trivia. I'm Jonathan Coulton here with puzzle guru Art Chung. Now from the Majestic² Theatre in Dallas, Texas, here is your host, Ophira Eisenberg.

(CHEERING)

OPHIRA EISENBERG, HOST: 

Thank you, Jonathan. Before the break, our contestant³ Marcie won her way to the final round at the end of the show. We'll find out a little later who she will face off against. But first, it's time for a game we call Mystery Guest. A stranger is about to join us on stage. Jonathan and I have no idea who this person is or what makes them special, but our puzzle guru Art Chung does.

ART CHUNG: That's right. You and Jonathan will have to ask yes or no questions to figure out our mystery guest's secret. Mystery guest, please introduce yourself.

MARY WALKER: I'm Mary Walker from Ennis, Texas.

(APPLAUSE)

CHUNG: So in 2012, at the age of 53, Mary accomplished⁴ something pretty cool. And your job is to figure out what she did.

EISENBERG: OK. Mary, is the cool thing you accomplished, did it take place on Earth?

WALKER: Yes.

EISENBERG: OK.

COULTON: That's a good way to narrow it down.

EISENBERG: Thank you.

(LAUGHTER)

COULTON: Mary, was the thing you accomplished sports related?

WALKER: Yes.

EISENBERG: Do you run?

WALKER: Yes - kind of.

EISENBERG: Kind of.

COULTON: Did this thing that you did - this thing that you accomplished have to do with running?

WALKER: No.

EISENBERG: OK. When you...

COULTON: You're a good runner though, right?

EISENBERG: When you accomplished whatever this amazing feat⁵ is, were you given any kind of award or a medal or trophy⁶?

WALKER: Yes.

EISENBERG: Interesting.

COULTON: Was there swimming involved?

WALKER: No.

EISENBERG: Did it happen outdoors?

WALKER: No.

EISENBERG: Interesting.

(LAUGHTER)

COULTON: An indoor sports-related thing.

EISENBERG: Yes. Helicoptering is out.

COULTON: Right.

EISENBERG: Hot air balloon.

CHUNG: Don't get too hung up on that answer.

COULTON: OK, great.

Did you have to go faster than someone else?

WALKER: Yes.

COULTON: Aha - a race, they call it.

WALKER: Yes.

COULTON: Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

COULTON: I couldn't - (laughter) the word came to me only after the concept.

EISENBERG: OK.

(LAUGHTER)

COULTON: But that's what I meant.

EISENBERG: Good. Sports is hard, man (laughter).

COULTON: Tell me about that. That's why I'm a public radio personality.

EISENBERG: (Laughter) Is this a thing that you achieve individually, as in not part of a team?

WALKER: Yes.

EISENBERG: OK. And we've we've ruled out running. It took place indoors. But Art's like, don't get hung up on it. Don't know what that means.

COULTON: Did you break a record of some kind?

WALKER: Yes.

EISENBERG: Art, why did she make that weird⁷ face?

(LAUGHTER)

CHUNG: 'Cause I wasn't sure. You did - at the time, you broke a record, right?

WALKER: At that time, I...

CHUNG: Yeah, sure.

WALKER: In 2012, I did break a record.

EISENBERG: So it's not swimming. It's not sprinting⁸. It's individual.

COULTON: OK. Bicycling?

WALKER: No.

COULTON: Gymnastics?

WALKER: No.

EISENBERG: How is there a race in gymnastics?

(LAUGHTER)

CHUNG: I'll give you a big hint.

EISENBERG: Yeah.

COULTON: OK.

CHUNG: We're in Texas.

EISENBERG: Yeah?

COULTON: Ah, could be rodeo related.

EISENBERG: Rodeo - yes.

COULTON: We got it right.

EISENBERG: Yeah.

CHUNG: It's rodeo.

COULTON: Rodeo.

(CHEERING)

CHUNG: So in 2012, Mary won the Wrangler⁹ National Finals Rodeo in barrel racing¹⁰.

EISENBERG: (Unintelligible).

CHUNG: She was the second-oldest person to ever win the event. So Mary, for those of us who don't know, can you explain what barrel racing is?

WALKER: Barrel racing is a timed event in the rodeo, and it's the only girls event in the professional rodeo. So the fastest time wins. You are on a horse that actually runs around three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern as fast as you can.

EISENBERG: That's pretty dangerous, right?

WALKER: Absolutely, yes.

EISENBERG: Yeah. But you were drawn¹¹ to the danger, the risk factor.

WALKER: I was drawn to the danger, and the danger did happen. And so - but I'm OK. Everything's great now. With eight plates and 11 pins in my hip¹², I'm good to go. But - yes.

EISENBERG: Wow. Did you always ride horses growing up? Or...

WALKER: Yes.

EISENBERG: Yes.

WALKER: I've always rode growing up, yes. But competitively, at this level, for about five years.

EISENBERG: And what made you decide that was the competition you wanted to be part of?

WALKER: You know, I like fast horses, and I like pretty horses. So that was the best event that I could come up with to do besides bull riding.

EISENBERG: Right. Not as pretty of a horse in bull riding, is it?

WALKER: (Laughter) No.

CHUNG: And this isn't a senior circuit competition. What's the age range of the competitors?

WALKER: You have to be 18 years or older to compete. So this year, I've already qualified¹³ to go to my fifth national finals rodeo. And the youngest competitor...

(CHEERING)

WALKER: Thank you - is 19.

CHUNG: How long do you think you'll compete?

WALKER: You know, I keep saying until my horse is done. I will be done when he's done. But I think he just keeps going, and I get more done-r (ph), so...

(LAUGHTER)

WALKER: Yeah. I hope - hopefully, another couple of years.

EISENBERG: That's fantastic.

CHUNG: And you're in the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame.

WALKER: Yes.

CHUNG: And your husband is in the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame.

WALKER: And the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.

CHUNG: Oh.

WALKER: Yes.

CHUNG: Which of the hall of fames are better?

WALKER: I think the Cowgirl Hall of Fame is much better.

EISENBERG: Clearly.

(LAUGHTER)

EISENBERG: Clearly. Amazing. I'm totally honored and thrilled to meet you. Thanks for coming on stage and playing a game with us.

WALKER: Oh, I was so honored to get invited. I live 30 minutes south of here, so it was great to be invited to this. And we're having a blast.

EISENBERG: Thank you. I'm glad. Everyone give it up for our mystery guest, Mary Walker.

WALKER: Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)