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词汇提示

1.revival 复兴

2.Baron Pierre 皮埃尔男爵

3.brainchild 创新

4.philosophy 哲学

5.ethical 伦理

6.envisioned 设想

7.noble 高尚的

8.sympathetic 让人喜爱的

9.camaraderie 友情

10.nobility 高贵的品质

11.adherence 遵守

12.states 规定

13.contradict 相反

14.underlying 根本

15.violation 违规

16.intent 意图

原文

The Olympic Games

The modern Olympic Games began in the late-nineteenth as a revival of the ancient Olympic Games.

Now just over one hundred years old，the modern Olympic movement is the biggest and most important sports movement in the world.

In fact，many people believe that the Olympic Games to be the most important cultural event of any kind in the world.

The modern Olympic Games were the brainchild of the Frenchman Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

De Coubertin's dream for an international sports event and cultural movement became a reality in 1894 at the International Athletic Congress in Paris.

After the Games were constituted in 1894，the first Olympic Games were held in Athens，Greece，in 1896，in recognition of the ancient Greek Olympic Games.

The original purpose of the Olympic Games in de Coubertin's mind was to celebrate and strengthen the physical，mental，and cultural qualities of humanity.

The Games would blend sport with culture，tradition，and education.

The philosophy of Olympism is based on the joy of physical and mental effort and the respect for the universal ethical principles.

De Coubertin envisioned creating a more noble and sympathetic humanity through the Olympic movement.

The sports events themselves de Coubertin modeled after the English public school sport system.

He saw in upper-class English boys' sport the qualities of camaraderie，nobility，and honesty.

Most importantly，however，was adherence to the rules of sport，in particularly the rules that stated sports ought to be amateur in nature.

De Coubertin believed that participants should never participate in sport for the purpose of making money.

To do so would contradict the underlying philosophy of sport.

Breaking amateur rule in de Coubertin's time was serious a violation as taking drugs to enhance performance is in today's world of sport.

Over time ，the Olympics grew to be the largest international festival of any kind.

Today，debates exist as to the degree to which the modern Games adhere to de Coubertin's original intent.

On the one hand，the Olympic sport is truly international in nature，as de Coubertin would have wanted it.

On the other hand，it is doubtful that de Coubertin would have admired the existence of politics，commercialism，and drug use in sport.

The Olympics have become truly international，but perhaps at a price.

There is little question that the Olympic Games hold out the possibility for fulfilling de Coubertin's original goal of sport contributing to a better，more peaceful and understanding world.

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词汇提示

1.recreation 娱乐

2.commercials 广告

3.inception 开端

4.terminated 结束

原文

ParticipAction

“ParticipAction”was the name of the Canadian government program designed to encourage Canadians to get and stay physically fit.

Created in 1971 by the federal government，ParticipAction was successful in encouraging Canadians to be active and to  stay healthy.

ParticipAction was created by the Canadian Liberal government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

Trudeau believed that sports and recreation should play an important role in the lives of Canadian citizens.

His government took two steps towards the accomplishment of this goal.

First，a government agency was created to provide funds for high performance athletes，such as training and competing in the Olympic Games.

A second agency was created to encourage participation and physical activity in the general Canadian population.

It was out of this second agency that ParticipAction was born.

ParticipAction became very famous in the 1970s，because of a series of television commercials.

In these commercials，a young Canadian in his 20's was seen being out-run by 60-year old Swedish man.

The message was that the Canadians had become lazy and inactive.

This was probably true of Canadians at the time.

Physical fitness was not highly encouraged in schools，specially for women.

Also，the government played little role in encouraging physical activity before ParticipAction.

The result of ParticipAction was impressive.

Canadians became more active in the years following the program's inception.

Also，fitness and activity were encouraged through physical education programs.

ParticipAction was seen as a positive program because it got Canadians active while reducing health care costs caused by inactivity and poor physical conditioning.

Recently，ParticipAction was terminated by the federal government because of a lack of funding.

Many people thought that this was a shame given the positive messages the program gave to otherwise inactive Canadians.

Despite the program's termination，ParticipAction has made a long-lasting impression on Canadians.

Hopefully，its positive example of physical fitness for Canadians will continue in the future.

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词汇提示

1.elite 精英

2.detection 探测

3.fierce 激烈

4.stimulants 兴奋剂

5.encounter 遭遇

6.amphetamine 安飞他命

7.experimenting 实验

8.synthetic steroid 合成类固醇

9.sprinter 短跑者

10.stripped 除去

11.inquiry 调查

原文

Drug Use in Sport

Athletes using drugs to enhance performance has become one of the greatest problems facing elite international sport.

Major sports organizations，such as the International Olympic Committee，are putting a lot of time，effort and money into the detection of drugs.

The race between the athletes using drugs and detection agencies seems to be just as fierce as sport competition itself.

Athletes have been using drugs or other simulants to enhance performance for centuries.

Even athletes in the ancient Olympic Games in Greece used various simulants to enhance performance.

However，since the 1950s the degree of drugs use has risen a level never before seen in human athlete history.

Drugs testing began in the Olympic Games in the 1960s.

One of the first sports to encounter drugs was cycling.

During the 1960，Summer Olympic Game in Rome，Italy，a cyclist died from amphetamine use.

In 1967，another cyclist died in the Tour de France cycling race.

Around the same period，body-builders in the United States were experimenting with newly developed synthetic steroids that built muscle mass.

As a result，the International Olympic Committee started testing for steroid during the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal，Canada.

Probably the most famous case of an athlete using drugs was Canadian sprinter，Ben Johnson.

After winning the 100-meter sprint in the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul，South Korea，Johnson's drug test was found to be positive.

Johnson took a synthetic steroid to build muscle mass and enhance power.

Eventually，Johnson was stripped of his gold medal.

In the aftermath Johnson's positive drug use，the Canadian conducted a federal inquiry into drug use in Canadian sport.

The government inquiry was the largest one to have been conducted in any country up to that point in time.

The results of the inquiry found drug use among Canadian athletes was very common.

The inquiry stated that there were problems beyond just individual athletes，such as Johnson，taking drugs to enhance performance.

Indeed，it was stated that there was a moral crisis throughout sport.

Today，the race between drug detection agencies and athletes who use drugs continues.

In January 2000，the International Olympic Committee created a new agency to detect drug use：the World Anti-Doping Agency（WADA）.

WADA has developed increased resources for drug detection，especially in Olympic sports.

Hopefully，WADA will be able to keep pace with the current moral crisis in sport.

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词汇提示

1.caliber 水准

2.entertaining 有娱乐性

3.revenues 收益

4.amateur 业余

5.dominant 主导的

6.commercial 商业的

7.vigorously 精力旺盛地

8.skyrocketed 飞涨

9.bankrupt 倒闭

10.monopoly 垄断

11.collective bargaining 集体谈判

12.sought-after 受欢迎的

13.trophy 奖杯

原文

The National Hockey League

The National Hockey League（or NHL）is the most largest and successful North American professional hockey league.

The NHL provides Canadians and Americans with the highest caliber and most entertaining hockey on the continent.

The NHL was created in 1917 by a group of Canadian and American businessmen.

Their two central goals were to create a league that provided the most entertaining hockey in North America and generated revenues and profits.

This was a somewhat new idea at that time.

While there were some for-profit leagues in existence，most were amateur.

This meant that players，coaches，and owners of teams were not allowed to make money from playing the game of hockey.

It took several decades for the NHL to become the most dominate league.

In the early days，a few professional or commercial leagues competed with the NHL for the public's entertainment dollar.

Leagues competed vigorously for the best players in order to be successful and attract spectators and fans.

While this was beneficial for players because they could command higher salaries，it was bad for business because owners' expenses skyrocketed.

As a result，many teams and leagues went bankrupt.

By the 1930s，however，the NHL remained as the only major professional hockey league in North America.

This effectively kept players' salaries down and reduced expenses.

The NHL's team owners realizes that in order for the league to be a successful commercial business，they would have to stop competing against each other off the ice.

This was best accomplished by ensuring the only one major league existed，so that competition was reduced.

To this day，the same business model is followed，and the NHL is still the only major professional hockey league in North America.

For several decades in the mid-twentieth century，the NHL owners were extremely successful financially.

They generated very high profits because having a monopoly in the hockey market，they could limit the sale and trade for players.

When players signed on to a team，they generally did so for life，and the pay rate determined by the owner.

Players were forced to accept these conditions，because there were no other league in existence.

This all changed in the 1970s when players organized to form a players' union.

Through the collective bargaining process，players gradually fought owners for higher pay and greater rights.

Today，many players are very wealthy for this reason.

If it was not for the players' union，it is likely they would still be working in similar conditions to those during the early days of the NHL：low pay and little freedom to move from team to team.

With NHL owners and players cooperating，the NHL continued to be the most successful and entertaining hockey league in North America.

Teams across Canada and the United States compete for the prized Stanley Cup，the most sought-after trophy in North America hockey.

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词汇提示

1.emphasis 重要性

2.perceived 意识

3.high-caliber 高水平

4.amateur 业余

5.disqualified 取消资格

原文

Sport Canada

Sport Canada is the name of Canada's federal government program to help support athletes.

The purpose of Sport Canada is to develop and encourage sport，health，and exercise programs for all Canadians.

However，Sport Canada's main emphasis is on high-performance athletes training for major international athletic competition，such as the Olympic Games.

Sport Canada was created in 1970s as a response to the perceived need to help athletes train and compete in international sport.

Before the 1970s，athletes was wishing to train and compete in sport had to support themselves financially.

Athletes were either independently wealthy，or were supported by family or friends.

Unfortunately，many high-caliber athlete without such financial support simply could not afford to train and compete in international competition.

Also，before the early 1970s almost all international sports events were amateur.

Amateur rules meant those receiving funds from government programs or corporations were breaking the rules of sport.

Athletes receiving money were disqualified from competition.

As a result，the amateur rules generally limited training and competition to those athletes who came from wealthier families.

Less fortunate athletes，many of whom likely would have performed well for Canada in international competitions，simply could not afford to do so.

Sport Canada has been a role model for many government-run sport programs around the world.

With its central administrative offices in Canada's capital of Ottawa，Sport Canada efficiently provides administrative，coaching and financial help for athletes across the country.

Athletes can concentrate their efforts full-time on training and competition.

As a result，Canada's share of the medal totals in the Olympic Games has risen since the 1970s.

Recently，Sport Canada's programs have been criticized by some who feel that the program dose not provide enough money for athletes.

While it does provide financial assistance to athletes，the amount paid is well below Canada's minimum wage.

Critics point out that athletes work full time and perform an important function for the Canada's government and people.

As a result of this criticism，the Canadian government has provided more money for athletes.

However，the amount is still below the minimum wage level.

As a result，the amount paid to athletes likely to rise in the future.

As long as it effectively manages problems such as funding，Sport Canada will continue to provide the Canadian public with international-caliber athletes who compete with the very best in the world.

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词汇提示

1.humble 卑微的

2.reserve 储备

3.unparalleled 无与伦比的

4.nestled 依偎的

5.magnificent 壮丽的

6.emerald 祖母绿的

7.jagged 参差不齐的

8.windswept 风挂的

9.landscape 风景

10.struggling 奋斗的

11.forged 艰苦干成

12.spectacular 壮观的

13.glistening glacier 闪光的冰川

14.alpine meadow 高山草甸

15.crystal 水晶

16.raging 猛烈的

17.canyons 峡谷

18.hoodoos 石林

19.sweeping vistas 开阔的景观

20.allure 诱惑

21.scenic 风景的

22.moose 驼鹿

原文

Banff National Park

Banff National Park is Canada's oldest and most famous national park.

It was founded in 1885 after the discovery of the Cave and Basin Hot Springs.

From humble beginnings as 26 square kilometers hot springs reserve，Banff National Park now consists of 6641 square kilometers of unparalleled mountain scenery nestled in the heart of the magnificent Canadian Rockies.

Each year，millions of visitors come to Banff to marvel at the emerald waters of Lake Louise，walk amongst the flower-filled heavens at Sunshine Meadows，and driving beneath the towering jagged peaks lining the ice fields parkway between Banff and Jasper.

Ten thousand years ago，natives camped on the shores of the Vermilion Lakes beneath the windswept peak of Mount Rundle.

They are the only people here to enjoy the mountain landscape，the beautiful sunrises and the hot springs.

Nearly ten millennia later，a struggling nation forged a crazy dream of connecting itself from sea to sea with steel rails，and from this railway venture was born Canada's most famous park，Banff National Park.

Banff National Park contains some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world.

Snow-capped peaks，glistening glaciers，ice fields，alpines meadows，blue cold crystal clear lakes，raging rivers，mineral hot springs，deep canyons，hoodoos and sweeping vistas，are just one part of the allure of Banff National Park.

The park is also the home of some of North America's wildest creatures，including black and grizzly bears，caribou and wolves.

Banff and Lake Louis are two major towns in Banff National Park.

As the largest town in the park，Banff is“Canada's Highest Town”at 1384m（4540ft）above sea level.

Lake Louise，with its blue-green water set against the stark backdrop of Victoria Glacier，is the highest permanent settlement in Canada at 1536m（5039feet）above the sea level and probably the most beloved and most photographed scene in the Canadian Rockies.

In Banff National Park，driving through the Bow Valley Parkway，one of the world's most scenic highways，is a good opportunity to see animals，particularly deer，bears and moose.

Banff National Park is part of the UNESCO Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.

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词汇提示

1.branch campuses 分校

原文

Canadian Universities

There are about fifty standing-alone，4-year-degree-granting universities in Canada

Unlike the higher education systems in the united states，most universities in Canada are publicly funded institutions although there are a few private institutions

These public universities are funded and regulated by the province to which they belong.

In British Columbia，there are four publicly funded universities：University of British Columbia，Simon Fraser University，University of Victoria，and University of Northern British Columbia；and one private university：Trinity Western University.

In Alberta，the three publicly funded universities are University of Alberta，University of Calgary，and University of Lethbridge.

In Saskatchenwan，the two publicly funded universities are University of Saskatchenwan and University of Regina.

Moving into Manitoba，there are three publicly funded universities in the province.

They are University of Manitoba，University of Winnipeg，and Brandon University.

Ontario is not only the populated province in Canada but also has the largest number of universities.

It has 17 publicly funded universities.

They are（from west to east and south to north）：University of Winsor，University of Western Ontario，University of Guelph，University of Waterloo，Wilfred Laurier University，McMaster University，Brock University，York University，University of Toronto，Ryerson University，Trent University，Queen's University，University of Ottawa，Carleton University，Laurentian University，Nipissing University，and Lakehead University.

The Province of Quebec has seven publicly funded universities with many of them having several branch campuses throughout the province.

They are University of Montreal，University of Quebec，Laval University，Concordia University，McGill University，University of Sherbrooke，and Bishop's University.

While French is the official language of instruction at most of these institutions，English is the official one at both Concordia University and McGill University.

Canada's Atlantic provinces have the rest of the fifty universities in Canada.

They are University of New Brunswick and University of Moncton in the Province of New Brunswick；Acadia University，Dalhousie University，Mount Allison University，Mount Saint Vincent University，Saint Mary's University，and Nova Scotia Agricultural college in the Province of Nova Scotia；University of Prince Edward Island in the Province of Prince Edward Island and University of Newfoundland in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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词汇提示 

1.Rocky Mountains 落基山脉

2.distinctive 独特的

3.rugged 崎岖的

4,.glacier 冰川

5.alpine meadows 高山草甸

6.canyons 峡谷

7.hoodoos 石林

8.landscape 景观

9.mammals 哺乳动物

10.elk 麋鹿

11.grizzly 灰熊

12.caribou 驯鹿

13.gouged 挖

14.picturesque 优美的

15.serene 宁静的

16.slopes 山坡

17.semi-arid 半干燥

18.cactus仙人掌

19.awe 惊叹

20.spectacular 壮观的

21.soaring 高耸的

22.marine fossils 海洋化石

23.bearing 关系

24.resemblance 相似

原文

Canadian Rocky Mountains

Some of the best-known mountain scenery on earth is concentrated in a set of seven  parks in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

There are four national parks in the Canadian Rockies-Banff，Jasper，Yoho and Kootenay，and three British Columbia provincial parks-Mount Robson，Mount Assiniboine and Hamber.

The seven preserves located along the Albert-British Columbia border attract more than nine million people annually.

Banff National Park became Canada's first national park in 1885，and birthplace of the Canada's national park system.

It is home to a variety of distinctive natural features and cultural and historical sites.

Rugged mountains，glaciers，icefields，alpine meadows，beautiful blue cold-water lakes，mineral hot springs，deep canyons and hoodoos compose the natural landscape and a habitat for a great variety of mammals such as elk，bighorn sheep，black and grizzly bear，and caribou.

Jasper National Park is the largest and most northerly of the Canadian Rocky Mountains Parks.

The park is less commercialized than Banff，so it can still keep many natural beauties and scenery.

Its scenery includes deeply gouged Maligne Canyon，picturesque Maligne Lake，the thunder of Sunwapta Falls，the serene beauty of glacier-covered Mount Edith Cavell，and Miette Hot Springs.

As one of 39 national parks in Canada，Kootenay National Park represents the south-western slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

From glacier-clad peaks to semi-arid grasslands，where even cactus grows.

Kootenay is rich in variety and is one of the largest protected areas in the world.

Yoho National Park，representing the western slope of the Rocky Mountains region holds the secrets of ancient ocean life，the power of ice and water，and unique plant and animal communities that continue to evolve today.

Awe and wonder is a natural response for this place of rock walls，spectacular waterfalls and soaring peaks.

The Burgess Shale contains one of the world's most significant finds of soft-bodied，Middle Cambrian-age marine fossils，with about 150 species，including some bearing no resemblance to known animals.

These four Canadian National Parks account for 14300 square miles.

The four National Parks along with three British Columbia provincial parks form the UNESCO Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site-one of the largest protected areas in the world.

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词汇提示

1.elevation 海拔

2.series 系列

3.rapids 急流

4.drains 排干

5.shallow basin 浅盆底

6.straits 海峡

7.canals 运河

8.tremendous significance 重大意义

9.arteries 动脉，干线

10.fisheries 渔场

11.marinas 码头

原文

Great Lakes

The Great Lakes are s group of five large freshwater lakes in North America that are interconnected by natural and artificial channels.

They are（from east to west）：Lake Ontario，Lake Erie，Lake Huron，Lake Michigan，and Lake Superior.

Most of them，except Lake Michigan，which lies entirely within in the United States，form part of the border between the United States and Canada.

The Great Lakes are bordered by the Canadian province Ontario and by eight U.S, states including（from west to east）：Wisconsin，Minnesota，Illinois，Indiana，Ohio，Michigan，Pennsylvania，and New York.

Large cities like Chicago，Detroit，Cleveland，and Toronto lie on the shores of the Great Lakes systems.

The Great Lakes systems，with a combined surface area of 244100 sq km，holds about 20 percent of the world's fresh surface water.

Lake elevations decrease to the east and south.

Lake Superior，the largest lake at 82100 sq km，is also the largest freshwater lake in the world.

Its outlet is the Saint Mary's River，which enters Lake Huron after falling about 7 meters over a series of rapids.

Lake Huron and Lake Michigan lie at the same elevation.

Water flows from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron.

Lake Michigan is deeper than Lake Huron，but the latter is larger in area，at 59600 sq km.

Lake Huron drains into the Saint Clair River，which falls about 3 meters between Lake Huron and the small，shallow basin of Lake Saint Clair.

Lake Saint Clair is connected to Lake Erie by the Detroit River.

At its northeast end，Lake Erie empties into the Niagara River，which drops 99 meters as it flows north to Lake Ontario，which is the smallest of the Great Lake at 19010 sq km.

Lake Ontario is linked with the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence River.

The Great Rivers interconnect by rivers，straits，and canals，are a natural resource of tremendous significance in North America；they serve as the focus of the industrial heartland of the continent and together form one of the world's busiest shipping arteries.

The lakes also form an important recreational resource with about 17000 km of shoreline，rich sport fisheries，and numerous beaches and marinas.