VOA常速英语2007-Red Sox Host Colorado Rockies in World Series Ga

By Steve Schy
Washington
23 October 2007

The 103rd edition of Major League Baseball's World Series gets underway Wednesday in Boston as the Red Sox host the Colorado Rockies in Game One at Fenway Park Tuesday evening.  As VOA's Steve Schy reports, both teams are entering the Fall Classic on a hot streak¹. 

Colorado has won 21 of its last 22 games and became the first team to sweep both its division and league championship series opponents. 

The Red Sox were on the verge² of elimination³, falling behind 3-1 in their best of seven championship series against the Cleveland Indians before winning three straight to earn the American League crown.

When the Red Sox last reached the World Series in 2004, they had to overcome a three games to none deficit⁴ to the New York Yankees.  They went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals⁵ in four games in the Fall Classic.

Colorado manager Clint Hurdle⁶ says the Red Sox will be tough at Fenway Park.

"This ball club is a very good ball club," said Mr. Hurdle.  "In four years it is the second time they have gotten to this venue⁷ [World Series].  Their staff, the ball players, it speaks for itself.  They are a quality ball club - American League Champs.  And to go to Fenway, I mean that is dripping with drama and history.  So for us it is good."

The Colorado Rockies are best known for powerful hitting and tight defense⁸, but in the post-season they have also relied on strong pitching, compiling a playoff-best earned run average of just two-point-zero-eight.  Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia says it should be a good Series.

"They have been awesome¹⁰ and it was fun to watch them, the way they got into the playoffs, the way they played since they got in," he said.  "The last two months they have been dominant¹¹, so it is definitely going to be tough for us."

Boston's lineup depends on hitters Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz.  Ramirez' average is .400 with four home runs and 14 runs batted in this postseason, while Ortiz is batting .387 with three homers.

The Red Sox send right-hander Josh Beckett to pitch Game One, while the Rockies counter with left-handed Jeff Francis. 

Beckett has been dominant in the post-season and was named the most valuable player of the ALCS.  He won all three of his starts and gave up an average of just 1.17 runs per game.  Francis won 17 games during the regular season, and won both of his playoff games with a sparkling 2.13 earned run average.

Some fans question how the eight-day layoff⁹ while waiting for Boston to complete its series will affect the Rockies, who had swept the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Will they be well rested or just rusty¹²?  In a possible preview of things to come, the Red Sox hosted Colorado in a three-game interleague series during the regular season.  The Rockies won two out of three, and outscored Boston 20-5.

1 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

2 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

3 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

4 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

5 cardinals   

红衣主教( cardinal的名词复数 )； 红衣凤头鸟（见于北美，雄鸟为鲜红色）； 基数

参考例句：

• cardinals in scarlet robes 身披红袍的枢机主教
• A conclave of cardinals was held to elect the new Pope. 红衣主教团举行了秘密会议来选举新教皇。

6 hurdle   

n.跳栏，栏架；障碍，困难；vi.进行跨栏赛

参考例句：

• The weather will be the biggest hurdle so I have to be ready.天气将会是最大的障碍，所以我必须要作好准备。
• She clocked 11.6 seconds for the 80 metre hurdle.八十米跳栏赛跑她跑了十一秒六。

7 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 layoff   

n.临时解雇，操作停止，活动停止期间，失业期

参考例句：

• Finally, prepare an explanation about what led to your layoff.最后，要准备好一套说辞来解释你被解雇的原因。
• Workers were re-employed after the layoff.在暂时解雇不久后工人们又被再度雇用了。

10 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

11 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

12 rusty   

adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的

参考例句：

• The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
• I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。