英语听力：自然百科 日本相扑运动（在线收听） |
Six times a year, these giants battle each other for top placement in Japan's most beloved traditional sport--Sumo. Highly ritualized, the sport dates back more than a thousand years, originating as a rite of the Shinto religion. Matches are a true window into an earlier era. Participants wear colorful Shinto garb. Stomping drives evil spirits from the ring, while tossing sacred salt appeases the Shinto gods before the ring is sallied by the wrestlers' presence. What's surprising about Sumo is the sheer size of the wrestlers. A traditional diet that includes Chankonabe, a stew made from fatty meats, cabbage, eggs and bean sprouts helps them bulk up. Entering the ring, girth is advantageous. The rules are simple: knock your opponent down or out of the ring. Wrestlers slam, slap and toss opponents into submission. It usually lasts less than a minute.
Sumo wrestlers belong to stables which function like clubs and where they learn the finer points of Sumo from experienced mentors. Each match is an opportunity for Sumo wrestlers to move up the complex ranking system or down.
At the top are the yokozuna or grand champions. In the ring they are distinguished by the large ropes around their waists. A match like this is a feast for the fans. But no matter what their rank, the stylized battle of these giants lies at the heart of Japanese tradition. |
| 原文地址：http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/zrbaike/2010/256415.html |