VOA慢速英语2021--参赛者讲解沙滩排球服装

This week at the Tokyo Olympics, many people are thinking more about the kind of sports clothing, or uniforms, female¹ athletes wear.

The clothing worn by Olympic gymnasts and by women who played in a beach handball competition in Europe gained attention this week.

In Europe, the Norwegian beach handball team wore close-fitting shorts: a kind of clothing for the lower part of the body. They were protesting³ having to wear bikini bottoms – or extremely short shorts. The women on the team were fined by the organization that supervises⁴ their sport in Europe.

In Tokyo, the German women's gymnastics team wore clothing that covered their legs to protest² the way many young women in the sport are treated by men.

Those stories made people wonder if the women who play beach volleyball like to wear athletic⁵ clothing that looks like a swimsuit.

The athletes say they do not mind.

April Ross is a member of the USA women's beach volleyball team.

She said the sport started on beaches in California, Hawaii and Brazil. When people finished playing, they could go cool off in the ocean, so it made sense to wear swimsuits.

Men who play beach volleyball at the Olympics wear swimsuits along with thin t-shirts without arms known as tank tops.

Since they are playing on sand, most players say they are happy to wear as little clothing as possible. When the sand gets into their clothing, it does not feel good against their skin.

Alix Klineman is Ross' volleyball teammate. She said: "I totally respect other people wanting to be more covered if that's what makes them more comfortable."

The beach volleyball games are played in all kinds of weather, even rain. At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Misty⁶ May-Treanor won the gold medal with her partner Kerri Walsh in a rainstorm.

"This is just another reason why we play in bathing suits," May-Treanor said at the time.

The volleyball players do not have to wear swimsuits, they just have to wear the same thing. They can wear long sleeves or long, tight pants, known as leggings if it is cold. They can also wear head coverings for religious reasons.

The FIVB is the organization that supervises beach volleyball at the Olympics. It says there are several choices.

The organization said: "Beach volleyball welcomes all, and these uniform regulations ensure that our sport is culturally and religiously inclusive⁷."

Doaa Elghobashy is a member of the Egyptian beach volleyball team. She keeps her body covered with loose clothing and wears a hijab, a Muslim head covering.

"It doesn't keep me away from the things I love to do," she said. "And beach volleyball is one of them."

Words in This Story

athlete –n. a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength

uniform –n. a special kind of clothing worn by all members of a group, organization or team

bikini –n. a piece of clothing in two parts worn by women for swimming and lying in the sun that does not cover much of the body

gymnast –n. a person who perform exercises on a flat area or with equipment as part of a sports competition that is judged

swimsuit –n. clothing worn for swimming

comfortable –adj. not having any physical unpleasant feelings; experiencing physical ease⁸ or comfort

bathing suits – n. another word for a swimsuit

regulation – n. an official rule or law that says how something should be done

1 female   

adj.雌的，女(性)的；n.雌性的动物，女子

参考例句：

• We only employ female workers.我们只雇用女工。
• The animal in the picture was a female elephant.照片上的动物是头母象。

2 protest   

v.反对，抗议；宣称；n.抗议；宣称

参考例句：

• I can't pass the matter by without a protest.我不能对此事视而不见，我要提出抗议。
• We translated his silence as a protest.我们把他的沉默解释为抗议。

3 protesting   

v.声明( protest的现在分词 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• They were formally protesting. 他们正式提出抗议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were protesting soaring prices. 他们抗议物价暴涨。 来自辞典例句

4 supervises   

v.监督，管理( supervise的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The group leader supervises a dozen workers. 组长管十二个工人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He makes the wines and supervises the vineyards. 他酿酒并管理葡萄园。 来自辞典例句

5 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

6 misty   

adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的

参考例句：

• He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿，看看是不是还有雾霭。
• The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。

7 inclusive   

adj.(of)包括的，包含的；范围广的

参考例句：

• The bill is inclusive of the food and lodging.账单包括吃、住费用。
• It's an all inclusive price;there is nothing extra to pay.这是一个包罗一切的价格，不需再额外付款了。

8 ease   

n. 安乐,安逸,悠闲; v. 使...安乐,使...安心,减轻,放松

参考例句：

• His mind was at ease and he felt confident in the future. 他心情舒畅,对前途很有信心。
• You should ease up on the child and stop scolding her. 你应该对那个孩子宽松些,不要再骂她了。