第十五篇
Lower Body Fat Means Better Performance
These days, fashion models and pop stars are not the only people who have to watch their waistline. Football players who miss a few kicks and let their belly hanging out a little too much are likely to be attacked by rabid fans or even the president of a country1.
The latest football star to draw the attention of the "fat police" is Barcelona's Ronaldinho,26. Last Friday, a Spanish sports daily published two photos of the Brazilian star without his shirt. One was taken in November 2003; the other was taken this month. In the most recent one，the star's waistline seems to have a little extra padding2.
Another Spanish sports daily published similar before-and-aider photos and argued that the star has "lost his explosiveness and velocity" and is“worn out". The cause, according to the news paper, is his poor physical fitness.
However, the player's coach, Frank Rijkaard, insists that he's satisfied with Ronaldinho's form and fitness. And after Barcelona's victory over Athletic Bibao on Sunday, Ronaldinho challenged photographers to take pictures of him when he took off his shirt.
"I don't have anything to hide," he said.
Fellow Brazilian Ronaldo, 30, of Real Madrid, faced similar criticism before the 2006 World Cup. But the criticism didn't come from a bunch of sports reporters: It came from the president of Brazil.
"So, what is it?" Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva asked the national soccer team's coach in his office last June, according to the Associated Press. "Is he [Ronaldo] fat or not?"
"He is very strong, president," Carlos Alberto Parreira reportedly said at the time. "He is not that boy anymore, His body type has changed."
The game of footfall demands that players put as much emphasis on fitness as they can do on dribbling, passing or shooting.
During a proper training regimen, football players normally follow a load-fatigue-recovery pattern3. They push their body toward a higher mark of fitness and experience a slight and brief drop in performance. Then they begin the recovery process, which will ideally carry their performance to an even higher plane.
However, sometimes non-physical factors can influence a player's poor fitness. In Ronaldinho's case, for instance, people - often unnamed - have blamed everything from the pressure of contract negotiations to personal problems and too many advertising commitments.
词汇：
Rabid adj.偏激的
padding n.赘肉
velocity n.速度
dribble v. 运球
regimen n. 常规训练
注释：
1. Football players who miss a few kicks and let their belly hanging out a little too much are likely to be attacked by rabid fans or even the president of a country.足球运动员没有踢中几个球或是他们的肚子耷拉得稍多了些，都会受到疯狂的球迷甚至是国家总统的谴责。
2. In the most recent one, the star's waistline seems to have a little extra padding.
在最近的一张照片里，这个球星的腰围上似乎多了一小块赘肉。
3. During a proper training regimen, football players normally follow a load-fatigue-recovery pattern.在正式的常规训练期间，足球运动员在一般情况下需要按照大运动量——疲劳这一方式训练。
练习：
1. Fans can be very critical of a fashion model's figure.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
2. People like football stars more than they like pop stars.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
3. Ronaldinho is a well-known Spanish star.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
4. The president of Brazil showed no concem about Ronaldo's figure.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
5. According to Ca~losAlberto Parreira, Ronaldo's body shape has changed.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
6. The football game demands a lot from players.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
7. Ronaldinho often goes to pubs.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
答案与题解：
1. A 句子说的是：追星族们对时装模特儿的身材的要求很苛刻。这个命题是对的。文章的第一个句子是这么说的: These days, fashion models and pop stars are not the only people who have to watch their waistline.现在，不知是时装模特儿和流行歌曲歌星需要注意他们的腰围了。当然这个句子还蕴涵着其他人也要注意自己的身材。
2. C 句子说的是：比起流行歌曲歌星来，人们更喜欢球星。文章没有提到。
3. B 句子说的是：Ronaldinho 是一个知名度很高的西班牙球星。这个命题是错的，第二段有这样一个句子： Last Friday, a Spanish sports daily published two photos of the Brazilian star without his shirt.上星期五，一家西班牙运动日报刊登了巴西球星的两张光着膀子的照片。这就说明 Ronaldinho 是巴西球星，而不是西班牙球星。
4. B 句子说的是：巴西总统并不关心Ronaldo 的身材。这个命题是错的。差不多在文章的中间有这么一个问题："Is he [Ronaldo] fat or not?" (他 [Ronaldo]胖还是不胖？)这是巴西总统提的。
5. A 句子说的是：根据 Carlos Alberto Parreira的说法, Ronaldo 的体型变了。这个命题是对的。他是这么说的：“他不再是孩子了，他的体型变了。”
6. A 句子说的是：足球运动对球员有很高的要求。这个命题是对的。文章的倒数第三段有详细的说明。
7. C 句子说的是：Ronaldinho常去酒馆。文章没有提到。