奥运选手是如何演变的 (1924-2014)：英语精读讲义

The athletes of today are not only much better than those of the past, 語法

如今的运动员不仅比过去的运动员强得多，

they also look incredibly different.

外形也有着惊人的差异。

The weird thing is, 表達脈絡

奇怪的是，

scientists know that the human body hasn't evolved that dramatically in the past 100 years. 用詞

科学家知道，过去100年里人体并没有发生如此巨大的进化。

So why do Olympic athletes look so different now 表達脈絡

那么，如今的奥运运动员外形为何会如此不同——

compared to the first Winter Olympics in 1924?

与1924年首届冬奥会时相比？

In the early 1900s,

20世纪初，

the ideal athlete was based on classical human proportions. 文化背景

理想运动员的标准以古典人体比例为基础。

If we imagine body types distributed as a bell curve 用詞

假设我们把各种体型的分布想象成一条钟形曲线，

with extreme body types being on the far ends,

极端体型位于曲线两端，

it was the middle of the curve that was considered the best physical build. 語法

那么曲线中部的体型就被视为最佳体格。

Athletes who were not too tall, but not too short, 語法

那些既不太高、也不太矮，

not too bulky, but not too skinny,

既不太壮、也不太瘦，

and well, average,

总之，各方面都很普通的运动员，

were deemed as ideal for the Olympic pursuit.

被视为角逐奥运会的理想人选。

But this has all changed. 表達脈絡

但这一切都变了。

Now athletes succeed based on their highly specialized body types,

如今，运动员凭借高度专业化的体型取得成功，

which allow them to excel in a world of growing competitiveness. 短語搭配

这种体型让他们能在竞争日益激烈的世界中脱颖而出。

For example, athletes who are required to spin in the air,

例如，需要在空中旋转的运动员，

such as figure skaters or gymnasts,

如花样滑冰选手或体操运动员，

have been getting smaller. 語法

身材正变得越来越矮小。

These athletes with short specialized body types

这些身材矮小、体型高度专业化的运动员

have an advantage over average or tall athletes, 短語搭配

比中等身材或高个子的运动员更有优势，

weeding them out at the elite level. 短語動詞

从而让后者在顶尖赛场遭到淘汰。

In fact, in 30 years,

事实上，在30年间，

the average professional gymnast has shrunk from 5 ft 3 to 4 ft 9. 語法

职业体操运动员的平均身高已从5英尺3英寸降至4英尺9英寸。

Computer simulations studying the physics of ski jumping 語法

研究跳台滑雪物理原理的计算机模拟

have proven that jump length increases drastically 講解

已经证明，跳跃距离会大幅增加，

with a decrease in body weight.

前提是体重有所下降。

Throughout recent years,

近年来，

this has caused world-class ski jumpers to become extremely underweight, 語法

这导致世界级跳台滑雪运动员的体重严重偏低，

including many examples of anorexia.

其中不少人甚至患上了厌食症。

With women competing in the Olympic ski jumping event for the first time this year, 語法

今年，女子首次参加奥运会跳台滑雪项目，

their bodies are stockier and broader than their male counterparts. 用詞

她们的体格比男选手更敦实、更宽厚。

As female ski jumping becomes more popular and competitive in the future, 語法

未来，随着女子跳台滑雪越来越普及、竞争越来越激烈，

it's likely we'll see 語法

我们很可能会看到

the extremely thin ski jumping body type dominate the sport.

极度瘦削的选手体型成为这项运动的主流。

Hockey is also an example of visible body changes.

冰球也是体型出现明显变化的一个例子。

Studies looking at the past 26 years alone

仅针对过去26年的研究

found a steady increase through the years

就发现，随着时间推移，

of nearly all variables measured. 語法

几乎所有测量指标都在稳步上升。

This included height, mass, body mass index,

其中包括身高、体重、身体质量指数，

aerobic and anaerobic fitness, and even grip strength.

有氧与无氧体能，甚至还有握力。

Since the 1920s, 語法

自20世纪20年代以来，

hockey players have increased nearly 4 inches on average,

冰球运动员的平均身高增加了近4英寸，

from 5 ft 9 to 6 ft 1.

从5英尺9英寸增至6英尺1英寸。

So clearly the average Joe Olympian is a thing of the past. 習語

所以很明显，“普通人身材”的奥运选手已成为过去。

But Science says the Games may now be a realistic goal

但科学表明，如今参加奥运会或许已是一个可实现的目标——

for people of many different sizes and shapes.

对许多身高和体型各异的人来说。

Don't forget we have a new video out

别忘了，我们会发布新视频，

every day during the Olympics.

奥运会期间每天一部。

Can't wait?

等不及了？

Our amazing partners at the CBC already have five of the videos up now

我们超棒的合作伙伴CBC已经上线了其中五部视频，

for you to binge on.

供你一口气看个过瘾。

Just head to cbc.ca/olympics/ScienceSays

只需前往cbc.ca/olympics/ScienceSays，

to watch them before anyone else.

就能抢先观看。

Link in the description.

链接见视频简介。

But we also want to know your questions

不过，我们也想知道你对

for this special series.

这个特别系列有什么问题。

Use the hashtag ScienceSays

使用#ScienceSays这个话题标签，

and let us know your burning Olympic questions. 習語

把你迫切想知道的奥运问题告诉我们。

And subscribe for more awesome science videos.

也别忘了订阅，观看更多精彩的科学视频。