1、外研社選修 7 課文原文（每個模塊 4 篇）Module 1 BasketballMichael Jorda n -Head and Shoulders Above the Rest!During the 1990s, Michael Jordan was probably thebest-known athlete in the world. He was the top scorer inthe NBA, and played for the Chicago Bulls from 1984 to 1993.He was named their most valued player five

2、 times. Wearinghis famous number 23 shirt, Michael Jordan becamethe mostsuccessful basketball player in the history of the game.Jordan was born in New York and grew up in NorthCarolina. He attended the University of North Carolina fora year before leaving to join the Chicago Bulls. Hefinishedhis fir

3、st season (1984-1985) as one of the top scorers inthe league, with an average of points per game.In 1987, Jordan becameonly the second player to scoremore than 3,000 points in a season. He was the top scorerin the NBA for seven consecutive seasons (1987-1993).During this time, the average number of

4、points he scoredwas more than 30 points per game. With him, the Bulls wontheir first NBA championship in1991. During thissuccessful period they won the title again in 1992 and 1993.Jordan was also in the United States Olympic BasketballTeam, known as “the Dream Team”, which won the gold medal at the

5、 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.Jordan surprised everyone when he retired before the 1993-1994 season, but he rejoined the Chicago Bulls and won three more championships with them from 1996 to 1998. he played again for the Washington Wizards before finallyretiring from sport in 2003 at the age of

6、 40. Millions offans admire his athletic ability,motivationandaboutBullsconfidence. They have fantastic stories to tellMichael Jordan, such as the time when he rescued the from ending a gameon a tie. He stepped to the line and made two free throws. Each time he threw the ball straight through the ba

7、sket and each time he had his eyes closed.Off the basketball court, Michael Jordan opened his own steak restaurant because he loves steak so much. He also found success as an actor in the film Space Jam alongside the famous cartoon character Bugs Bunny!There is only one word to describe the best pla

8、yer in the world awesome!Wilt the Stiltthe Tower of Power!Michael Jordan was the second player to score more than3,000 points in a seasonbut the first was WiltChamberlain. Chamberlain was born in Philadelphia on 21stAugust 1936. He was one of the 11 children, the only onewho was very tall. His fathe

9、r William worked in a shipyardand his mother Olivia was a cleaner. As a child, Chamberlainhad various health problems. He had pneumonia and almostdied when he was ten.Chamberlain is the only NBA player who averaged over50 points per game for an entire season. At one point,Chamberlain was so much bet

10、ter than all the other playersthat theychanged the rules of the game to try to stop him!Thegiant player joined the NBA's PhiladelphiaWarriorsin the 1959-1960 season and was an immediatesuccess.During 14 seasons with four different teams,Chamberlain was namedthe most valued player in the leaguefo

11、ur times. On 2 nd March 1962, he scored 100 points in asin gle game no one has ever done that sin ce! The finalscore was Warriors 169 New York Knicks 147!He ended his career after five amazing seasons withthe Los Angeles Lakers. By the time he retired, Wilt heldmany NBArecords: he scored 50 or more

12、points 118 timesand60 or more points 32 times.Was Wilt Chamberlain better than Michael Jordan Whoknows But there is no doubt that he deserves the titleoutstanding player of his generationIs Yao Ming Too Nice to Be a StarJeff Van Gundy, the head coach of the Houston Rockets,hasa dream. He wants Yao M

13、ing to be like other players. Starplayers, says Gundy, are “selfish ” and want the ballallthe time. “Let's put it this way,” he said. “Whentheyask for the ball, they don't say please'!”Yao, however, is a selfless and kind person. He has been brought up and trained in this way. It is not

14、in his nature to be “selfish ” and “rude ”When he first arrived in the US, Yao was an instant hit among basketball fans nationwide. They all loved this kind, gentle but powerful giant. Van Gundy wanted to build his team around the talented Chinese player. To do this, he told Yao to be more aggressiv

15、e and, if necessary, to be rude to his teammates.He's a wonderful guy, he has every physical” Van Gundybasketball skill and he puts the team first,said. “But I want him to be a star, not just a great teamplayer. He's got to think that he's the best player outthere. That way, he can domin

16、ate the game. ”Atfirst,I didn 't really understand what the coachwanted, ”Yao said. “But now I do. In China, everyone gaveme the ball, I didn't have to ask! Here, I have to be alittle impolite '! I'm not quite used to it yet. I f yougive me a little time, I can get more used to it. I

17、 haveto learn to be l little moreselfish '.”Dizzy Heights of School BasketballBasketball is one of the safest sports. Unlike wrestlingor boxing, it 's not usually dangerous. Onereason for thisis that the players' energy is partly directed upwards,at a 90-degree angle to the ground, and o

18、ver the heads ofthe others. So there 's less risk of a collision betweentwo players.In other sports, such as baseball and Americanfootball, the player ' energy moves parallel to the groundand towards their opponents, so they wear helmets whichgive adequate protection to their heads.But altho

19、ugh basketball players wear socks and sneakers which are specially designed to absorb energy when they bound into the air, they war no other protection, just a vest and shorts. If there is an abrupt change of direction in their energy, from vertical to horizontal, such as when they accelerate across

20、 the court, bouncing the ball, there is a real danger of personal injury.For example, in the Kent State High School Basketball tournament, Chandler High was playing St Mary Central and at the interval the score was 50-52. but St Mary had appointed a captain who was not a typical basketball player.Wh

21、ereas everyone else was tall and slim with short haircuts,Joe Johannsen was short and stout, with long hair and a large belly. But he was really fast, and when he obtained control of the ball, he could make a circuit of the court and reach the opposing team 's boundary within seconds.Anyhow, twe

22、lve minutes into the second half, FrankSackler, the Chandler star player, made a controversial pass over Joe's head. Joe stepped aside and dipped his head down. Sackler bounced off him and committed a foul. The referee interrupted the match ,and there was a suspension of play. But Joe was unhurt

23、, short the penalty, and thescore was 88-90. there were three minutes to go.Joe immediateiy took possession of the baiiandran, and sudde niy 80 kilos hit the Chan dier star,whohowied ioudiy in pain and feii, with his nose bieedinganda cut on his left cheek. For a moment, he lay very still,andthe ref

24、eree even checked his pulse, but soon confirmed hewas OK. But when Sackler stood up he was dizzy, so they puta bandage round his head, a blanket round his shoulders,and called an ambulance to take him to the hospital. Joewas a considerate guy, and apologized as Sackler left,sniffing and weeping, eit

25、her in pain or in frustration.Chandier scored with the penaity,and their teamworkhad won the match. But Frank Sackier stiii has the scar onhis face as a souvenir of the tournament.How Did They StartHow did American football startFootball or soccer started in England 800 years ago.The game was played

26、 with a round ball that players kickedbut could not carry. There were two teams, but there wereoften a hundred players on each team!However, in 1823, William WebbEllis, a pupil at RugbySchool in England, picked up the ball during a soccer gameand ran with it. Teachers at the school were shocked anda

27、ngry but WebbEllis 's schoolmates enjoyed this new game,which they named after the school. Eventually, rugby wasplayed with an oval ball that could be both carried andthrown.Rugby was exported to the United States, changed a lotand became the sport that Americans now call football.During a gameo

28、f American football, the ball can be kicked,thrown or carried.How did basketball startBasketball was invented in 1891 in a gymnasium inSpringfield, Massachusetts by Dr James Naismith, aphysical education teacher. Naismith wanted to create agame that would provide exercise for a noisy classthroughthe

29、 clod winter months. Naismith attached two baskets totwo tall poles at each end of the gymnasium and gave theplayers a soccer ball and told them to try to throwthe ballinto the baskets. Naismith later wrote 13 rules which arethe basis of modern basketball rules.How did baseball startThe exact origin

30、 of baseball is unknown, but it isprobablybased on an old English game called rounders. In the USA,a version ofthe game became popular in the early19thcentury and eventually, a man called Alexander Cartwrightwrote the rules or baseball in 1845. Cartwright I calledthe father of baseball ” because the

31、 modern rules of thegame are very similar to his original rules.Module 2 Highlights of My Senior YearHighlights of My Senior YearI can hardly believe it, but my school life is almost over.Prom night has come and gone, and I've received my highschool d iploma at last. It's a good thing that t

32、he examsare finished. I feel too excited to think clearly.It seemsstrange to think that in a few days' time I'llbe walkingout of the school gates forever. The first thingI'm goingto do is to take a long vacation!Meanwhile, I find myself looking back at my senioryear, and thinking about a

33、ll the wonderful thingsthathaveday,comehappened. I've decided to write them down so that one years from now, when I reread them ,the memories will back.There 'sso much to remember. One of the best thingsabout this year has been working as an arts editor for this newspaper. I ' ve so enjo

34、yed it I love writing, and working on this paper is myfirst step towards becoming a journalist, so this has been a real success for me.Something else I 've greatly enjoyed is working as apeer mediator, someone who helps students to settle problems that they have with other students. At the start

35、 of the school year, we were given training in how to do this, and it ' s clear tha t this kind of work can really help people. I think I ' ll continue to work as a mediator whenI go to college.During the Easter vacation, I went on a short school skiing trip to the Rocky Mountains. I 've

36、 been skiing quite a few times, but never with the school, and since two good friends cameon the trip, we had great fun racing each other down the ski slopes. It ' s well -known that Americans are competitive, and I did enjoy it whenever I won our races!Other things I ' m pleased about - get

37、ting good gradeson my final exams, and receiving the senior prize forEnglish Literature. I was given a car by myparents so I' ve been able to drive to school, which is brilliant. And of course, I 'll never forget being elected to the student council. I really enjoyed meeting the teachers and

38、 telling them how we, the students, feel about thing, and what we think should happen in the school!All these things have been wonderful. But I have to say, the highlight of the year was the senior prom. For anAmerican gir l, it 's so important that you have a good time at the prom. Well, I did

39、Daniel, a boy in my English class, asked me to go to the prom with him, and I was so pleased-I ' d been hoping he would ask me. I found a dress thatsuited me perfectly,and had my hair specially done on the day of the prom. It took two hours but it was worth it, as everyone told meI looked very e

40、legant! A group of us rented a nice car to take us to the prom. The food was delicious and I ate so much that I had to stop dancing for a while!We shared a table with some good friends, and laughed and told jokes all evening. It 's a great pity that it 's probably the last time this will hap

41、pen.Daniel and I danced most of the dances together. But the big surprise of the evening was when I was elected prom't tell you howqueen! This was so unexpected, and I can good this mademefeel! After the prom, a group of us drove down to the coast, and sat on the beach in our long dresses and di

42、nner jackets. I shall never forget watching the sun rise over the sea it was un forgettable! Afterwards, we went and had an enormous breakfast in a nearby hotel it was a perfect ending to a perfect school year.After-school ActivitiesIn America, the development of social skills is considered as impor

43、tant as the development of intellectual skills. To help students develop these social skills, schools offers a large number of after-school activities, in other words, activities that take place outside classroom lessons. When deciding which students to accept, employers and colleges look for studen

44、ts who have skills in several areas. Exam grades are very important, but so are the after-school activities. By taking part in these activities, students show their special talents, their ability to lead, and their ability to get on with others.Competitivesports, for example, baseball, areprobably t

45、he most popular of all the after-school activities. This is because, for many American parents, it is important that their children, particularly boys, learnhow to compete successfully. Young people are encouragedto take part in team sports such as football and basketball,since these games teach to

46、have the “winning spirit ”. Forsome students and their parents, high school sport isconsidered more important than academic achievements.During the long summer holidays, it is a custom forAmerican children to spend several weeks at summer camps.There are thousands of camps, and they can be found all

47、 overthe country. What these camps offer is an opportunity totake part in many different kinds of outdoor activities,for example, horse riding and water skiing. Older teenagersare more likely to get summerjobs or go camping with a groupof friends. Many go backpacking in the mountains of thewest.My S

48、chooldaysThey say that schooldays are the happiest days of your life,but not for me! My father worked abroad, so I was sent toa boarding school when I was seven.Like mostschoolchildren, I had already been to nursery school. Icould recite the alphabet, and read some simplebooks, butthis was my first

49、experience of the institutionmy parentscalled “big school '. In fact, the only preparation I had for this adventure was watching as my mother sewed my name tag into my shirts, trousers and woolen sweaters.I arrived with one suitcase, myonly luggage for a term.I was shown to the dormitory where I

50、 would sleep with five other innocent boys. The bedding was a pillow, a sheet and a thin quilt. There were two worn armchairs, a few shabby cushions, an electric kettle to heat water for tea, some posters for decoration but no curtains. The washroom had a basin and a bathtub, but no heating. I '

51、m ashamedto admit that I sobbed as I fell asleep that night.I remember that my first lesson was arithmetic. My first task was to multiply seven by three. No one explained why. It took me years to understand the greater mystery of algebra, geometry, and concepts such as cubic metres, acres and grams.

52、We had a dynamic English teacher, a bachelor who had plenty of time for us boys and inspired my life-long love of literature. There was also a teacher of botanical science, who introduced me to my passion for flowers and plants. We spent hours studying the structure of leaves under the microscope.Sc

53、hool regulations were strict. Being punctual forclasses was essential, no one was allowed to be late.Sportwas compulsory, and every week we had to gofor afive-kilometre run, wearing just a T-shirt and a pair ofshorts even on freezing cold November days. We all had toattend morning assembly, every we

54、ekday, except forboys ofother faiths, who were allowed to stay in their classrooms.I wanted to become a Catholic simply so I could stay withmy books!But there were also so many silly rules to follow,which irritated or even upset me. For example, everyone hadto polish their shoes every day, and no on

55、e was allowedtrousers with zippers, only buttons! On Sundays, it wascompulsory to write home. Every day I would check mymailbox,looking forward to my mumm'y s airmail le tter.But myparents lived in Asia and to mygreat disappointment,I onlygot a reply once a fortnight.I left eleven years later, w

56、ith my school leavingcertificate,and a scholarship to study atOxfordUniversity. Many people talk about their happiness at school, but for me, at eighteen, all I felt was a sense of liberation.The American Art of CheerleadingWhat is a cheerleaderA cheerleader is a member of a team that dances and doe

57、s gymnastics before and during competitive games such as baseball. They do this in order to encourage crowds to cheer their sports teams. The team is called cheerleading squad.Cheerleading only exists in America, and today it is mostly girl that do it.What is the history of cheerleading pompoms began to play an important part in cheerleading.Cheerleading b