In many parts of the world， there are four seasons： spring， summer， fall and winter. In the U.S.， there are only three： football， basketball and baseball. That’s not completely true， but almost. In every season， Americans have a ball①. If you want to know what season it is， just look at what people are playing. For many Americans， sports do not just occupy the sidelines②. They take center court.
Besides “the big three” sports， Americans play a variety of other sports. In warm weather， people enjoy water sports. Lovers of surfing， sailing and scuba diving flock to the ocean. Swimmers and water skiers also revel in the wet stuff. Fishermen try their luck in ponds， lakes and rivers. In winter sportsmen delight in freezing fun. From the first snowfall③ ， skiers hit the slopes. Frozen ponds and ice rinks become playgrounds for skating and hockey④. People play indoor sports whatever the weather. Racquetball， weightlifting and bowling are year-round activities.
For many people in the U.S.， sports are not just for fun. They’re almost a religion. Thousands of sports fans buy expensive tickets to watch their favorite teams and athletes play in person. Other fans watch the games at home， glued to their TV sets. The most devoted sports buffs never miss a game. Many a wife becomes a “sports widow” during her husband’s favorite season. America’s devotion to athletics has created a new class of wealthy people： professional athletes. Sports stars often receive million-dollar salaries. Some even make big money appearing in advertisements for soft drinks， shoes and even toiletries⑤.
Not all Americans worship sports， but athletics are an important part of their culture. Throughout their school life， Americans learn to play many sports. All students take physical education classes in school. Some try out for the school teams， while others join intramural⑥ sports leagues. Athletic events at universities attract scores of fans and benefit the whole community. Many people also enjoy non-competitive activities like hiking， biking， horseback riding， camping or hunting. To communicate with American sports nuts， it helps if you can talk sports.
Sports in America represent the international heritage of the people who play. Many sports were imported from other countries. European immigrants brought tennis， golf， bowling and boxing to America. Football and baseball came from other Old World games. Only basketball has a truly American origin. Even today some formerly “foreign” sports like soccer are gaining American fans. In 1994 the U.S. hosted the World Cup for the first time ever.
Not only do Americans import sports， but they export sports fever， as well. Satellites broadcast games to sports fans around the globe. The World Series， the U.S. professional baseball championship⑦ ， has begun to live up to its name. The names of American superstars like basketball great Michael Jordan have become household words the world over. Who knows？ Sports seasons may even change world weather patterns.
① balln. 快乐的时光
② sidelinen. 副业，兼职；边界线
③ snowfalln. 降雪，降雪量
④ hockeyn. 曲棍球
⑤ toiletriesn. 化妆品
⑥ intramuraladj. 同一校内的；同一都市的
⑦ championshipn. 锦标赛
美式运动
世界上的许多地方，一年有四季：春、夏、秋、冬。美国，却只有三季：足球、篮球和棒球季。这并非完全正确，但也差得不远了。每一个季节，美国人都有乐趣。若你想知道此季为何，看看人们正在打什么球就行了。对于多数美国人而言，运动并非只是一旁站的小消遣，它是生活中很重要的一环。
除了这“三大运动”，美国人还做许多其他的运动。天热时，他们喜欢水上运动。冲浪、驾帆船和潜水的爱好者群集于海中。游泳和滑水者，也纵情于水中。渔夫在池塘、湖泊和河川里试他们的运气。冬季，运动员在冰天雪地里也玩得很开心。从下雪的头一天起，滑雪者便登上雪坡。结了冰的池塘和溜冰场成了溜冰和冰上曲棍球的场地。不论气候如何，人们都从事户内运动。回力球、举重和保龄球都是全年性的活动。
对许多的美国人而言，运动不只是为了好玩。它几乎成了一种宗教崇拜，数以千计的运动迷会为了能亲眼目睹他们喜爱的球队或运动员比赛而出高价购买门票。其他的球迷则守在家里寸步不离地收看电视转播。那些最热衷的运动迷，从不错过任何一场比赛。而当先生们最热衷的运动季节到了的时候，他们的太太们都变成了“运动寡妇”。美国人对于运动的投入形成了一个新的富有阶级：职业运动员。运动明星通常会收到上百万元的薪水。其中有些人甚至是因为替饮料、鞋，甚至个人化妆用品拍广告而赚了一大笔钱。
并非所有的美国人都崇拜运动，但运动的确是他们文化当中极为重要的一部分。在他们的学校生活当中，美国人学习许多运动。所有的学生都必须在学校修体育课。有些人参加校队的选拔，有的则加入校内的运动联盟。在大学中举办的运动比赛通常吸引众多的运动迷，并且造福整个社区。许多人也喜欢从事一些非竞争性的活动像健行、骑单车、骑马、露营或打猎。要和美国运动迷沟通，最好是能畅谈运动。
美国的运动代表着从事这些运动的人的国际遗产。许多的运动是从外国引进来的。欧洲移民把网球、高尔夫、保龄球和拳击带进了美国。足球和棒球则源自其他的欧洲传统比赛。只有篮球是唯一真正源自美国本土，即使在今天，一些原本是外来的运动例如英式足球也吸引了许多的美国运动迷。在1994年，美国首次负责举办世界杯足球赛。
美国人不只是“进口”运动，他们同样地也“出口”运动狂热。他们对全球的运动迷作卫星转播。世界系列的美国职业棒球锦标赛，也已渐趋名副其实。一些美国的超级明星，像篮球巨人迈克尔·乔丹已经成了全世界家喻户晓的人了。谁知道呢？运动季节甚至可能会改变全世界的气象形态呢。
