MORE THAN A GAME (1)

Life is like baseball

Baseball and the U.S. have a long history together. The sport is so popular that it's even called America's Favorite Pastime. Baseball is an endless source of entertainment for the American public. But the love of the game goes deeper than that. Baseball is so much a part of America's identity that many find lessons on the diamond.

"A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings." – Earl Wilson

For this successful 1960s pitcher, there was a lot of pressure. Everyone on and off the field watches the player at bat. He has three tries to hit a ball flying toward him at 80 miles per hour. Instead of thinking about failing, it's important to focus on the task at hand. Whether a batter or an office worker, only you can control your own performance. Don't let the fear of things you can't change defeat you.

Grammar Gym
endless source of => constantly creating
- Baseball is an endless source of entertainment for the American public.
- Paula's poor spending habits became an endless source of headaches for her family.
- This new computer program claims to offer an endless source of educational games that can be used in the classroom.

Info Cloud
ballpark n.棒球場(或簡稱park)Fenway Park波士頓紅襪隊球場
- He knocked one out of the ballpark.
他打了一支全壘打，引申為在商場上、課業上出色的表現。
- The ball was in the ballpark.
球掉在球場內，引申為在某個範圍內。
ballpark figure ph.大約、大略估計

Language Lab
pastime n.消遣、休閒、娛樂
* Scuba diving is one of Jason's favorite pastimes.
浮潛是Jason最喜歡的休閒運動之一
- Soccer is the national pastime of Brazil.
足球是巴西國人最喜歡的消遣
- Tanya gave up her pastime just to look after her parents.
Tanya犧牲休閒時間，就是為了照顧父母

identity n.身分、身分認同identify v.認出、認同
- The identity of the suspect is still uncertain.
嫌犯身分尚未確定
- The team lacks a collective identity.
這個團隊缺乏一種整體的認同感
- She couldn't identify the robber who had taker her purse.
她無法指認出搶劫她的皮包的搶匪
nervous breakdown精神崩潰
- When Sally got divorced, she had a nervous breakdown.
當Sally離婚時，她飽受精神崩潰之苦
- A bad break-up and financial stress caused Tim's nervous breakdown.
痛苦的分手再加上經濟壓力，讓Tim精神崩潰

defeat v. n.擊敗、戰勝
- The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 102 to 98.
休士頓火箭隊以102對98擊敗洛杉磯湖人隊
- The humiliating defeat completely crushed the team's morale.
羞辱失敗讓這個隊伍的士氣全消


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