VOA慢速英語: 超級碗星期天：愛國者隊、海鷹隊和凱蒂·佩里

Superbowl Sunday: The Patriots, the Seahawks and Katy Perry, Too
超級碗星期天：愛國者隊、海鷹隊還有凱蒂·佩里
More than 100 million Americans will be doing the same thing this Sunday. Many will break into laughter at the same time, or cry out in moments of shared emotional suffering. And everyone will eat and drink.
這周末有超過1億的美國人會做同一件事。很多人會在同一時間歡笑或者因為情緒失落而掉淚。除此之外，每個人都會吃吃喝喝。
This event does not involve a church, mosque or temple but for many the experience is almost religious. So, have you guessed what is happening February 1 in America?
這一賽事與教堂、寺院或者廟宇活動無關(guān)，但是很多人都會參與，好像是個宗教節(jié)日。所以，你猜想一下美國2月1號發(fā)生什么事了？
If you said the Super Bowl, you got it right!
如果你想的是超級碗，那就答對了。
The Super Bowl is the yearly championship game of professional American football. This year the battling teams are the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots.
超級碗是美國國家美式足球聯(lián)盟（也稱為國家橄欖球聯(lián)盟）的年度冠軍賽，勝者被稱為“世界冠軍”。今年是西雅圖海鷹隊和新英格蘭愛國者隊之間的對決。
The Teams, The Town
比賽隊伍，比賽地方
It is not the first championship game for either team. In fact, the Seahawks are the defending champions. They won last year's Super Bowl for the first time. They had been to the game one other time, in 2006.
這次比賽對兩隊來說都不是首次的冠軍戰(zhàn)，海鷹隊是衛(wèi)冕冠軍，去年他們首次獲得超級碗的冠軍。2006年，他們就曾沖擊冠軍。
The Patriots have won three Super Bowls. They have been to eight. And, the team has not had a losing season, a season where it lost more games that it won, since the year 2000.
愛國者隊已經(jīng)三次贏得超級碗冠軍。他們八次進入冠軍戰(zhàn)。自2000年起，愛國者隊輸比賽的次數(shù)要多于獲勝的次數(shù)。
This year the game will be played in Glendale, Arizona. It is a desert area and the weather there on game day is expected to be sunny and about 27 degrees Celsius.
今年的最終決賽會在亞利桑那州的格蘭岱爾上演。這里是沙漠地區(qū)，比賽當(dāng)天陽光明媚，氣溫大概27攝氏度。
Watching men catch balls, run and crush each other to prevent a touchdown is not all the audience expects from a Super Bowl.
對于觀眾來說，觀看球員接球、奔跑和防止對方觸地得分并不是比賽所有的看點。
It is also famous for its halftime music show. Last year, the singer Bruno Mars performed along with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
比賽半場時的音樂秀也很聞名。去年，布魯諾·馬斯與紅辣椒樂隊的表演很精彩。
The Entertainment
娛樂
This year the headliner is pop singer Katy Perry.
今年的頭條是凱蒂·佩里
The 30-year-old Perry spoke last week to ESPN the Magazine. She expressed excitement about her Super Bowl appearance. "I feel like I've outdreamt my dream," she said.
上周接受娛樂體育節(jié)目電視網(wǎng)的雜志采訪時，30歲的佩里表示能夠出現(xiàn)在超級碗的比賽現(xiàn)場表演，她很激動。“我感覺實現(xiàn)了一直未實現(xiàn)的夢想。”
Katy Perry shot to fame in 2008 with hits like "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold." Much of her music urges girls to be strong and independent like, "Roar."
凱蒂·佩里2008年憑借她的單曲“我吻了一個女孩”（"I Kissed a Girl" ）和“冰火交融”（ "Hot n Cold."）
Rock and roller and "Hunger Games" actor Lenny Kravitz will also perform at the show. He released his tenth studio album, "Strut," in September of last year.
流行搖滾選手、“饑餓游戲”的表演者藍尼·克拉維茨也會在比賽期間表演。去年9月份，他發(fā)布了自己的第十張錄音專輯。
The Ads: Thirty Seconds for $4.5 Million
廣告：30秒4500萬美元
The other popular entertainment provided for Super Bowl audiences are television advertisements. A 30-second commercial during the game costs a company $4.5 million this year. Who can pay those amounts? Many companies do in order to reach the largest television audience of the year.
超級碗呈獻給觀眾的另一項娛樂節(jié)目是電視廣告。今年比賽間歇的一個30秒的廣告價值4500萬美元。誰能支付得起這些錢？很多公司都想獲得今年這個擁有龐大電視觀眾的廣告播放權(quán)。
Anheuser-Busch is a traditional buyer. The famous beer maker purchased seven 30-second spots, this year, more than any other advertiser. The ship transportation company Carnival Corporation is showing a commercial during the Super Bowl for the first time.
安海斯·布希公司通常會買斷這個廣告。今年，著名的啤酒生產(chǎn)商購買了7個30秒的廣告時間，比其它的廣告商買的都要多。全球最大的郵輪公司——嘉年華公司第一次在超級碗上展示商業(yè)廣告。
Most of the Super Bowl commercials are meant to make people laugh. The web company GoDaddy.com is famed for its humorous advertising. However, this year GoDaddy withdrew its planned commercial after protests from animal protection groups.
超級碗上的商業(yè)廣告是讓觀眾樂。網(wǎng)絡(luò)公司GoDaddy.com的廣告就以幽默著稱。但是，今年在動物保護組織抗議之后，GoDaddy公司打算撤掉商業(yè)廣告計劃。
The commercial featured a puppy that was being sold online. Protesters argued that on-line sales of animals leave them at risk of abuse and worse. This week, GoDaddy announced it would air a different ad.
網(wǎng)站的商業(yè)特色是在線出售小狗。抗議者認為出售動物讓動物們處于被虐待或者更糟糕的風(fēng)險中。這周，GoDaddy宣布會播出另一種不同的廣告。
NFL Message Control
國家橄欖球大聯(lián)盟的消息控制
The National Football League owns the Super Bowl game. Last year, the league faced an angry public and protests after player Ray Rice hit his girlfriend, now wife, in the face. The incident was captured on video. The NFL suspended Rice and the Baltimore Ravens team dismissed him.
美國國家橄欖球聯(lián)盟舉行超級碗比賽。去年，球員瑞·萊斯毆打女友之后，聯(lián)盟面臨著公眾的憤怒和抗議，現(xiàn)在又面臨著他毆打妻子的丑聞。這一事件的視頻曝光。國家橄欖球聯(lián)盟禁止萊斯參賽，而巴爾地摩烏鴉隊宣布結(jié)束與他的合約。
The NFL will use 30 seconds during the Super Bowl for a public service announcement to fight abuse against women and family violence.
國家橄欖球聯(lián)盟在超級碗比賽間歇會用30秒的公益廣告時間來宣傳反對對女性暴力和家庭暴力。
I'm Caty Weaver.
我是凱蒂·威弗爾。
Caty Weaver wrote this story for Learning English. ­­­­­­­­­­­­Hai Do was the editor.
凱蒂·威弗爾編寫這篇報道，海多編輯。
Words in This Story
touchdown – n. American football: a score that is made by carrying the ball over the opponent's goal line or by catching the ball while standing in the end zone
audience – n. a group of people who gather together to listen to something (such as a concert) or watch something (such as a movie or play): the people who attend a performance
halftime – n. the period of rest between the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half in games like football and basketball
headliner – n. the main performer in a show or concert
commercial – n. an advertisement on radio or television
puppy – n. a young dog
What are the popular sports where you live? Do people celebrate big games together with food and drink? Let us know. Post your thoughts in the comments section below.