2007年VOA标准英语-Baseball Slugger Barry Bonds Nears Home Run Rec

By Robert Raffaele
Washington, D.C.
23 July 2007
 

Baseball fans around the world have watched Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants pursue a date with destiny.  The Giants' home run slugger first eclipsed Babe Ruth's home run total of 714, then set his sights on baseball's all-time record of 755, set by Hank Aaron more than 30 years ago. But Bonds' race toward the record books has been controversial because of allegations that his power at the plate was achieved through steroid use. VOA's Robert Raffaele has more.

Barry Bonds

With each home run the past two seasons, Barry Bonds has inched ever so closer to a hallowed baseball benchmark - the 755 home runs hit by Hank Aaron during his career.

But instead of the wild enthusiasm that has greeted other baseball achievements, Bonds' pursuit of history has been greeted with derision and even indifference¹ by fans and sports journalists.

The reason -- allegations that he used now-outlawed performance-enhancing steroids.
Bonds' repeated denials and claims of innocence² have been met with scorn by disbelieving fans.

Baseball fan Daniel Kramer

"Cheating is always wrong,” says Daniel Kramer, a baseball fan. “It's wrong on your high school tests, it's wrong on your girlfriend, and its definitely wrong in baseball."

The allegations were detailed³ in the 2003 book "Game of Shawdows," which led to a grand jury investigation⁴.  Bonds eventually testified he thought his trainer had given him arthritis⁵ balm and flaxseed oil.  His trainer pleaded guilty to steroid distribution and money laundering⁶ charges.  Prosecutors⁷ are now investigating Bonds for perjury⁸ in connection to his testimony⁹.

Other famous baseball players have faced allegations of steroid use.

As the controversy¹⁰ surrounding Bonds intensified¹¹ last season, New York Times sports columnist¹² William Rhoden defended the player's pursuit of the record.  "Baseball did not have a Major League policy regarding steroids,” says Rhoden. “They do now. You can't go back and punish someone for something that did not exist. "

But the man who has heard Bonds' footsteps closing in on his record appears to have no love lost for the Giants slugger.  "I don't have any thoughts about Barry,” says Aaron. “I don't even know how to spell his name," he added.

1 indifference   

n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎

参考例句：

• I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
• He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。

2 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

3 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

5 arthritis   

n.关节炎

参考例句：

• Rheumatoid arthritis has also been linked with the virus.风湿性关节炎也与这种病毒有关。
• He spent three months in the hospital with acute rheumatic arthritis.他患急性风湿性关节炎，在医院住了三个月。

6 laundering   

n.洗涤（衣等），洗烫（衣等）；洗（钱）v.洗（衣服等），洗烫（衣服等）( launder的现在分词 )；洗（黑钱）（把非法收入改头换面，变为貌似合法的收入）

参考例句：

• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering. 洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was charged with laundering money. 他被指控洗钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

8 perjury   

n.伪证；伪证罪

参考例句：

• You'll be punished if you procure the witness to commit perjury.如果你诱使证人作伪证，你要受罚的。
• She appeared in court on a perjury charge.她因被指控做了伪证而出庭受审。

9 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

10 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

11 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 columnist   

n.专栏作家

参考例句：

• The host was interviewing a local columnist.节目主持人正在同一位当地的专栏作家交谈。
• She's a columnist for USA Today.她是《今日美国报》的专栏作家。