最新四级晨读主题美文100篇 47

Not long ago those turned off by the greed and grim solemnity of prosports could turn to extreme sports like snowboarding and speed climbing. But now, many of the extremists, propped¹ up by huge sponsorship contracts, are just as dollar-driven and take themselves just as seriously. That’s why we’re heartened to hear of the extremely extreme sports, in which competitors compete for the sheer fun of it, and the game itself is insignificant², irrelevant³ and still a glorious lark⁴.

Last month 80 competitors from 10 nations went to Germany for the first world championship of Extreme Ironing, a hot new board sport that combines the adrenaline buzz of surfing with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt. Challenged to let off steam in perilous⁵ settings-from mountain peaks to rapids—contestants were judged on the quality of the creases⁶ in their clothing. The victorious⁷ British squad⁸ pressed ahead by steering⁹ an inner tube through white water while warbling God Save the Queen. When was the last time you heard an NFL quarterback whistle while he worked?

Competitors at England’s Cooper Hill Cheese Rolling Championship, in which the aim is to catch up with an eight-pound cheese wheel plummeting¹⁰ down a 45-degree slope, are especially upbeat. That two cheese chasers were hospitalized and 13 others treated by paramedics at this years’ event has done nothing to dim enthusiasm for next year’s. As one well-ripened vet¹¹ has said ,“if you can’t get completely blotto and hurl¹² yourself down a hill in pursuit of a Double Gloucester, what’s the point of living?”

It’s not too late to get off your couch and into the fun, sports spuds. You can head to next month’s Punkin Chunkin World Championships in Lewes, Del., where pumpkins¹³ will be heaved over a soybean field by contraptions made out of everything from tree trunks to giant rubber bands.
极限运动无“极限”

追名逐利，将兴趣转向诸如滑雪板和快速登山之类的极限运动。然而现在，靠巨额赞助合同的支持，许多极限运动员也是在金钱的驱使下而参赛并把他们自己看成了打完。所以，每当我们听到“非常极限运动”时就会为之心动，因为在这些比赛中，选手们纯粹是为了娱乐。比赛输赢本身无关紧要，又不失兴味盎然。

上个月，来自10个国家的80位选手聚集在德国参加首届世界极限熨烫锦标赛，一向新近流行的板类（熨烫板）运动，它把在急流中冲浪的兴奋与衬衫熨烫平整结合起来。从高山之巅到激流险滩，参赛者在极度危险的境况下还要静下心来进行熨烫。他们所作运动的难度和熨烫衣服的质量是评判标准。来自英国的获胜小组一边驾着内胎在激流中奋进，一边还用颤音哼唱着“天佑吾主”。你还记得上一次看见（美国）全国橄榄球联盟的四分卫一边冲锋一边吹着口哨是什么时候吗？

在英国库珀山举行的滚奶酪锦标赛中，参赛者要追赶一个沿着45度斜坡快速往下滚的8磅重的圆形奶酪，他们一个个都兴致勃勃。尽管今年的赛事中有两位参赛者被送进了医院，另外有13位参赛者接受了伞降人员的急救，但这丝毫没有降低他们对明年比赛的热情。正如一位久经沙场的老选手所言：“如果你连从山上奋不顾身地冲下来追赶一个双层格罗斯特硬干酪都不敢做的话，那活着还有什么意义？”

不要再蜷缩在沙发中了，马上投入到这些趣味盎然的运动中吧。你可以去参加下个月在特拉华州的刘易斯城举行的“大南瓜嚓咔”世界锦标赛。在这个比赛中，参赛者可以用从树干到大橡胶带等各种各样奇异的工具将南瓜掷过一片大豆地。

1 propped   

支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sat propped up in the bed by pillows. 他靠着枕头坐在床上。
• This fence should be propped up. 这栅栏该用东西支一支。

2 insignificant   

adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的

参考例句：

• In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。
• This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

3 irrelevant   

adj.不恰当的，无关系的，不相干的

参考例句：

• That is completely irrelevant to the subject under discussion.这跟讨论的主题完全不相关。
• A question about arithmetic is irrelevant in a music lesson.在音乐课上，一个数学的问题是风马牛不相及的。

4 lark   

n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏

参考例句：

• He thinks it cruel to confine a lark in a cage.他认为把云雀关在笼子里太残忍了。
• She lived in the village with her grandparents as cheerful as a lark.她同祖父母一起住在乡间非常快活。

5 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

6 creases   

（使…）起折痕，弄皱( crease的第三人称单数 )； （皮肤）皱起，使起皱纹

参考例句：

• She smoothed the creases out of her skirt. 她把裙子上的皱褶弄平。
• She ironed out all the creases in the shirt. 她熨平了衬衣上的所有皱褶。

7 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

8 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

9 steering   

n.操舵装置

参考例句：

• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。

10 plummeting   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Prices are rising, falling, going up, going down, shooting up, plummeting, etc. 物价在上涨、下跌、上升、下落、猛然上涨、骤然下跌等。 来自辞典例句
• The enemy plane went plummeting into the sea. 敌机直直掉进海里。 来自辞典例句

11 vet   

n.兽医，退役军人；vt.检查

参考例句：

• I took my dog to the vet.我把狗带到兽医诊所看病。
• Someone should vet this report before it goes out.这篇报道发表之前应该有人对它进行详查。

12 hurl   

vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂

参考例句：

• The best cure for unhappiness is to hurl yourself into your work.医治愁苦的最好办法就是全身心地投入工作。
• To hurl abuse is no way to fight.谩骂决不是战斗。

13 pumpkins   

n.南瓜( pumpkin的名词复数 )；南瓜的果肉，南瓜囊

参考例句：

• I like white gourds, but not pumpkins. 我喜欢吃冬瓜，但不喜欢吃南瓜。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they cut faces in the pumpkins and put lights inside. 然后在南瓜上刻出一张脸，并把瓜挖空。 来自英语晨读30分（高三）