VOA标准英语2012--Weightlifter Among Female Athlete Majority on US Olympic Team

 

Weightlifter Among Female Athlete Majority on US Olympic Team

There are eight more female Olympians than male Olympians on the U.S. team this year, the 40th anniversary of a federal law known as Title IX.

That law has helped provide equal opportunities for female athletics¹ and Olympian Holley Mangold says it has influenced her entire life.

"If I wasn’t a professional weightlifter, I don’t know what I’d be doing, so I’m very privileged to have this chance and have those amazing women before me that just paved the way," said Mangold.

She helped to lead the way herself in American football by being the first female to play an offensive line position in high school in her home state of Ohio. She says that experience pushed her to her current sport.

"My coach said, 'Well, you’re pretty strong for a female,'" Mangold recalled. "I took it as a compliment. I’m pretty sure it was meant as an insult. And because of that, I decided² to go into powerlifting. And after powerlifting I went into Olympic weightlifting."

The rise hasn't been easy. At about 160 kilos, Mangold is not exactly your stereotypical³ Olympian.

"People will stay stuff about my weight and how crazy it is, but you know what? It’s me. I’ve been this size forever," said Mangold.

And she has some famous shoes to follow. Her brother, Nick Mangold, plays for the New York Jets in the National Football League.

"I think it’s cool to say, you know, 'This is mine,'" Mangold added. "You know, it’s always hard following a sibling⁴ whether they’re good or bad. It’s hard following them and, you know, I’ve always thought of Nick. I wasn’t really in his shadow. He was just kind of paving the way for me."

While some weightlifting professionals say she reached the Olympics ahead of schedule, as in 2016, Holley Mangold is poised⁵ to make the extra effort this year in London. 

1 athletics   

n.运动，体育，田径运动

参考例句：

• When I was at school I was always hopeless at athletics.我上学的时候体育十分糟糕。
• Our team tied with theirs in athletics.在田径比赛中，我们队与他们队旗鼓相当。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 stereotypical   

n.常规

参考例句：

• Personas should be typical and believable, but not stereotypical. 人物角色应该是典型和可信赖的，但不是一成不变的。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Anything could be stereotypical, so I guess it could be criticism. 任何东西都可以变的老套，所以我猜那就是一种批评。 来自互联网

4 sibling   

n.同胞手足(指兄、弟、姐或妹)

参考例句：

• Many of us hate living in the shadows of a more successful sibling.我们很多人都讨厌活在更为成功的手足的阴影下。
• Sibling ravalry has been common in this family.这个家里，兄弟姊妹之间的矛盾很平常。

5 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。