情系乒乓

甘肅 馬 斐

堅持打乒乓球使“我”發生了巨大的改變……

主題語境：人與自我 篇幅：344詞 建議用時：7分鐘

1I was first introduced to table tennis when I was 13. I still remember my first few attempts when the racket (球拍) and the ball just didn't seem to meet!

2I am not a person who can be called “talented”at sports. I was a fat and clumsy （不靈活的） kid back then. However, something about table tennis pulled me towards the sport, though I was not good at it. As days went by, I learned new techniques and became one of the best players in my school. It became my stress buster.The changes I experienced in the process of learning to play this game are as follows.

3I was no longer clumsy. My balance and attention improved. My posture was much better, and I could finally carry things without the fear of dropping them. My holding ability was stronger and my response movement also improved. This is because the sport requires much concentration and swift movements and adjustments.

4I was no longer fat. I was so determined to become a better player that I devoted almost all my free time to table tennis. All those hours wasted on watching TV and playing video games were all spent on playing table tennis then. I lost weight and thus became fit. My physical and mental strength increased, and I felt better than ever!

5I paid more attention in class. Long hours of playing table tennis improved my attention, as the game requires you to pay attention to your opponent's shots and watch the ball closely. I was more observant of my surroundings than before.

6I could handle pressure. The competitive nature of the sport taught me how to react to different situations in a short time. I became used to being in high pressure situations, so I could also handle my academics, projects and extra-curricular activities well.

7Apart from these, I developed my social skills, learned to develop strategies to deal with different situations, and most importantly, learned to accept defeat. So, table tennis is one game that I recommend everyone to play at least once.

Reading Check

1. What does the underlined word “buster” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A. Producer. B. Destroyer. C. Connector. D. Receiver.

2. What can be learned about playing table tennis according to the text?

A. It requires great talent.

B. It should be learned before 13.

C. It may increase players' pressure.

D. It requires concentration and adjustments.

3. What does paragraph 4 focus on about playing table tennis?

A. Its influence on health.

B. Its influence on study.

C. Its influence on social communication.

D. Its influence on dealing with difficulties.

4. What's the text?

A. A news report. B. A book review.

C. A sporting story. D. A scientific study.

Language Study

運動的影響相關表達

1. I was no longer clumsy. 我不再是個笨手笨腳的人了。

2. I was so determined to become a better player that I devoted almost all my free time to table tennis. 我決心要成為一名更好的球員，所以我幾乎把所有的空閑時間都花在了乒乓球上。

3. All those hours wasted on watching TV and playing video games were all spent on playing table tennis then. 所有那些浪費在看電視和玩電子游戲上的時間后來都花在打乒乓球上了。

4. I lost weight and thus became fit. 我減重了，因此也健康了。

5. I was more observant of my surroundings than before. 我比以前更善于觀察我周圍的環境。

6. The competitive nature of the sport taught me how to react to different situations in a short time. 這項運動的競爭性質教會我如何在短時間內對不同的情況作出反應。

7. Apart from these, I developed my social skills, learned to develop strategies to deal with different situations, and most importantly, learned to accept defeat. 除此之外，我還發展了自己的社交技能，學會了制定策略以應對不同的情況，最重要的是，我學會了接受失敗。