美語情景對話 第443期:Soccer vs. Baseball 足球vs棒球

Todd: So, Steven, I thought we would have a friendly debate. What do you think is the best sport in the world?

託德：史蒂文，我想我們要進行一場友好的辯論。你認爲世界上最棒的體育運動是什麼？

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：世界上最棒的體育運動絕對是美國稱爲足球的運動，在我們國家這項運動用football來表示。

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.

託德：好，那我們就用football來表示足球吧。我認爲足球很好，是很好，是一項很好的運動，不過很抱歉，它並不如棒球好。

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：是嗎，我對你的話感到非常吃驚，因爲你剛剛的問題是“世界上最棒的運動”（沒錯），可是棒球並不像足球那樣在全世界範圍內廣受歡迎。

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.

託德：沒錯，這話沒錯。這點我承認，可是也有許多國家在開展棒球這項運動，它在亞洲（對，沒錯）、中美洲和北美洲都很受歡迎，棒球是一項年輕的運動。你要給這項運動發展的時間。我們需要更多時間讓它推廣出去。

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：對，我並沒有特別反對兒童從事棒球運動。我認爲讓孩子們出去進行體育運動對他們的健康有好處，這也是件好事，但是我要說，對小孩子來說，尤其是發展中國家，他們需要更多的設施來從事棒球，我認爲足球比棒球更容易從事。足球只需要一個球、一塊場地就可以，甚至在街道上就可以進行足球比賽。

Todd: Well, that's kind of true, but I mean in baseball you just need a stick and a rock.

託德：嗯，這倒是事實，不過我認爲棒球也只需要棒球棒和壘位。

Steve: Yeah you could do like that, yeah.

史蒂文：對，那樣也可以。

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.

託德：我認爲棒球比足球好的地方在於，棒球這項運動更民主，所有人都要擊球。沒有當家球星。我是說一支球隊可以有球星，但是所有人都揮棒擊球，如你所知，足球比賽中有後衛，如果我理解正確，你踢後衛的位置，那你就要在後面防守。你不能去進球之類的。

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：對，這點完全正確，我認爲你剛說到棒球是非常民主的運動這點很正確，不過我認爲足球運動給每名球員展示能力的機會，他們可以展示他們的身體素質，比如有球員更適合進行防守，有球員速度更快，靈巧的球員適合當前鋒，所以這項運動讓球員可以分工合作，他們會得到球迷的支持。球迷喜歡傑出的後衛，也喜歡可以爲球隊進球的靈巧前鋒。

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).

託德：沒錯。這些觀點很好，不過棒球運動也要應用到很多能力。我是說，你要擅於接球，投球，擊球，跑壘，你知道，足球只需要跑動和踢球。（對）

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，和你說實話，其實棒球和板球差不多。所有這些技巧的應用都遠遠早於棒球運動的發展。

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.

託德：這倒是沒錯。在這點上我表示同意，我喜歡足球，但是我堅持棒球最好。

Steve: That's fine. I think we can agree to disagree.

史蒂文：很好。我想我們可以各自保留不同意見。

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重點講解：
1. be suited to
合適的；適宜的；適當的；
eg. The area is well suited to road cycling as well as off-road riding.
這個地方很適合舉行自行車公路賽和越野賽。
eg. Satellites are uniquely suited to provide this information.
只有人造衛星能提供此類信息。
2. to be honest
老實說；說實在的；
eg. To be honest, the house is not quite our style.
說實話，這房子我們不是非常喜歡。
eg. Have the courage to be honest with yourself and about yourself.
要有勇氣對自己坦誠，同時對別人也要開誠佈公。
3. be employed in
利用，花費（時間）；
eg. The safety net is an image commonly employed in everyday life.
安全網是日常生活中經常用到的一個比喻。
eg. Your time could be usefully employed in attending to professional matters.
你可以有效地利用時間處理一些專業問題。
4. stick with
堅持（做…）；
eg. If you can make a virtue of difference, stick with it.
如果你想與衆不同。那就堅持。
eg. As long as you stick with this plan, you will never fail.
只要你堅持這個計劃一直做下去， 你永遠都不會失敗。
5. agree to disagree
擱置爭議；同意各自保留不同意見；
eg. If you can't bring yourself to admit you're wrong, try to agree to disagree.
如果你不能承認自己是錯的，那麼就試着讓對方接受你的不同意。
eg. You don't have to win every argument, why not agree to disagree?
你沒有必要每次爭論都要贏，不妨同意你們之間存在不同意見。