足球少女梦

江西赣州市南康区唐江中学 吴嘉达

难词探意

1.rugby/'rʌɡbi/n.橄榄球运动

2.investment/ɪn'vestmənt/n.投资

3.stats/stæts/n.统计数字

I had grown up in a football-loving family;my dad had played until injury forced him out.My oldersisterStevie trained with Crewe Alexandra Girls for a year or two as a left back just like our hero Jamie Carragher.

I remember the exact moment I told my dad I was interested in doing what my big sister did.I was watching the game with him in the living room as a pre-teen and it just came out,“It makes me sad that I can't be a footballer.”He asked why not,and I answered,“Because I'm not a boy.”

He immediately responded by telling me that women's football was “great” and that I could play if I wanted to. “Yeah,I suppose,” I responded,“but no one watches women's football.”Looking back I can see exactly why I felt like that.

At school,there was an unwritten rule that sports like hockey and netball were “girl” sports and rugby and football were for the boys.I'd never seen a women's football match on TV;the only female athletes I'd heard of were in the Olympics.

Today,the Lionesses will take on Scotland in the World Cup.But although women's football has turned out to be one of FIFA's best investments,the majority of female players in top tiers are earning under what anyone would consider a fair wage.

On Twitter you'll find that the most popular defence of those figures argues that there's less money in the female side of the game because viewing stats are lower than those from the male footballers,but the truth is that investment is needed for female football to become more visible and become an equally respected game.

Today,I'll be cheering on the Lionesses,and “It's coming home” will mean more this time around,because it'll mean talented,skilful female footballers being broadcast into millions of homes and maybe,just maybe,a little girl believing that she too can be a Lioness one day.

Reading Check

1.What do we know about Jamie Carragher?

A.He is the author's teacher.

B.He is the author's sister's teacher.

C.He is an excellent footballer.

D.He's on the Crewe Alexandra Girls.

2.What does the author think of women's football?

A.It's great.

B.It lacks much attention.

C.It appeals only to boys.

D.It has a lot of terrible rules.

3.What's the unwritten rule at school?

A．Boys should play hockey and netball.

B．Boys should play football and netball.

C．Girls should play rugby and netball.

D．Girls should play hockey and netball.

4.What should people mainly do if they want to make female football more known?

A.Increase investment.

B.Hold more matches.

C.Employ more skilful female footballers.

D.Broadcast women's football match on TV every day.

Language Study

Difficult sentence

On Twitter you'll find that the most popular defence of those figures argues that there's less money in the female side of the game because viewing stats are lower than those from the male footballers,but the truth is that investment is needed for female football to become more visible and become an equally respected game.

【翻译】_________________________________________________

【点石成金】本句为一个并列复合句，but连接两个并列句，第一个that和第二个that分别引导宾语从句，第三个that引导表语从句，because引导原因状语从句。