This year, the Super Bowl happened on February 3.
今年的超級盃於 2 月 3 日舉行。
Some people use Sunday as a day of rest. Others use it as a day to worship a religious deity. In the United States, Sundays from September to February are for football. The National Football League (NFL) has been around since 1920 and is one of the most successful sports leagues in the world. There are 32 teams in the league, and each of them plays a 16-game schedule in 17 weeks with one bye week for rest. After the season concludes, the top 12 teams battle it out in a four-week playoff. The final two teams play for the NFL championship in the Super Bowl, but only one team walks away with the Vince Lombardi trophy.
Super Bowl Sunday in America inevitably leads to many game-watching parties, drinking copious amounts of alcohol, and eating a lot of finger food like hot dogs, Buffalo wings, and pizza. As a matter of fact, Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest day for food consumption in the US after Thanksgiving. The Super Bowl is traditionally the most-watched TV event of the year. In 2011, the Super Bowl had 111 million viewers and was the most-watched TV program in the US ever. Advertising during the Super Bowl is extremely expensive, but most companies pull out all the stops to plug their products so that people are talking about their commercials the next day at the office.
In Taiwan, American football is not as popular as baseball or basketball, but there are still places that show the Super Bowl live for sports fans. Did you get to cheer on a team while watching the Super Bowl on February 3?
1. How old is the NFL?
(A) 93 years old.
(B) One hundred and 20 years old.
(C) 20 years old.
(D) Five years old.
2. What is a bye week?
(A) The beginning of the playoffs.
(B) The time when NFL players say goodbye to their families.
(C) The first week of the season.
(D) A week when teams don't have to play a game.
3. Who gets the Vince Lombardi trophy?
(A) Vince Lombardi.
(B) The best team in the NFL that year.
(C) The MVP of the Super Bowl.
(D) The coach of the year.
4. According to the article, what is NOT done on Super Bowl Sunday?
(A) Consuming a lot of food.
(B) Going to church.
(C) Attending a party.
(D) Watching interesting TV commercials.
精解字詞片語
1.worship vt. & n. 崇拜；禮拜
In my opinion, Jews, Christians, and Muslims all worship the same god.
我個人認為，猶太人、基督徒和回教徒都崇拜相同的神。
What form of worship do you practice?
你是遵循何種禮拜儀式？
2.conclude vi. 結束
The meeting concluded with a brief speech about elevator safety.
那場會議以電梯安全的簡短演說作結。
3.battle it out 決一勝負
The four teams will battle it out in the semifinals tonight.
這 4 支隊伍將在今晚的準決賽中決一勝負。
4.walk away with... 輕鬆贏得……
Our team should have walked away with the win, but we lost in the end.
我們的隊伍本該輕鬆贏得這場勝利，但最終我們卻輸了。
5.inevitably adv. 不可避免地
inevitable a. 不可避免的
The workers were careless, so they inevitably made mistakes.
這些員工很粗心，因此無可避免地犯了錯誤。
It is inevitable that you'll have to sell your car to pay your bills.
你必須賣掉你的車來支付帳單，這是免不了的。
6.copious a. 大量的
They drank copious amounts of wine at the party.
他們在派對上喝了很多酒。
7.As a matter of fact,... 事實上，……
= In fact,...
= In reality,...
= Actually,...
Earthquakes are common in this country. As a matter of fact, I felt one this morning.
地震在本國是很平常的事。事實上，我今早就感覺到一次。
8.consumption n. 消耗（量）
consume vt. 攝取（食物）
This car's fuel consumption is very low.
這輛車的耗油量很低。
Harry consumed most of the chips and pretzels I bought for the party.
哈利把我為派對買的洋芋片和椒鹽脆餅吃掉了一大半。
9.advertising n. 廣告（業）
（不可數）
advertise vt. & vi. 登廣告
That company spends millions of dollars on advertising every year.
那間公司在廣告支出上每年要花費數百萬元。
They advertised for someone to look after their garden.
他們登廣告徵人照顧花園。
10.pull out all the stops 全力以赴
We'll have to pull out all the stops if we want to win the client over.
如果我們想要爭取到該客戶，就必須全力以赴。
11.commercial n. 電視廣告
I don't watch much TV because commercials drive me crazy.
我很少看電視，因為廣告會令我抓狂。
12.live adv. 現場地 & a. 現場的
Is it true that my favorite band will be coming to Taiwan for a live performance?
我最愛的樂團將來台灣做現場表演，這是真的嗎？
單字小舖
1.deity n. 神
2.the National Football League
國家美式足球聯盟
3.playoff n. 季後賽
4.championship n. 冠軍賽
5.trophy n. 獎盃
6.finger food 小吃；手抓小食品
7.extremely adv. 極度地，非常地
片語小舖
lead to N/V-ing 導致∕造成……
中文翻譯
超級星期天
今年的超級盃於 2 月 3 日舉行。
有些人會利用星期天來休息。有些人則會利用這天來祭拜各個宗教的神明。在美國，9 月到 2 月的每個星期天都是屬於美式足球的日子。國家美式足球聯盟（NFL）自 1920 年就已成立，它是全世界最成功的運動聯盟之一。全聯盟有 32 支隊伍，每支隊伍都排定要在 17 週內出戰 16 場比賽，其中有一週是各隊輪流休息。季賽結束後，由戰績前 12 名的球隊進行為期 4 週的季後賽。最後闖進決賽的兩支隊伍會在『超級盃』中爭奪 NFL 冠軍頭銜，而只有一支隊伍能抱走隆巴迪獎盃。
美國的『超級盃星期天』不可避免地帶動了許多觀看球賽的聚會、暢飲啤酒以及享用像是熱狗、辣烤雞翅和披薩等小吃。事實上，『超級盃星期天』是全美國除了感恩節之外食物消耗量第二多的節日。超級盃在傳統上是全年最多人收看的電視轉播賽事。2011 年，有 1 億 1 千 1 百萬人收看超級盃，而它也成了美國史上最多人收看的節目。在超級盃期間打廣告的費用相當昂貴，但大多數的公司卻竭盡所能地一再宣傳他們的商品，這樣大家隔天就會在辦公室討論他們的廣告。
在台灣，美式足球並不像棒球或籃球那麼受歡迎，但仍有一些地方會為球迷提供超級盃的現場直播。你在 2 月 3 日觀看超級盃時有為某支隊伍加油打氣了嗎？
1. NFL已有幾年的歷史？
(A) 93 年。
(B) 120 年。
(C) 20 年。
(D) 5 年。
題解：根據本文第 1 段，國家美式足球聯盟（NFL）自 1920 年就已成立，它是全世界最成功的運動聯盟之一，故 (A) 項應為正選。
2. 什麼是『輪休週』？
(A) 季後賽的開始。
(B) NFL 球員向家人道別的時刻。
(C) 季賽的第一週。
(D) 球隊不用比賽的一週。
題解：根據本文第 1 段，one bye week for rest，可由rest 的意思推測出和休息有關，故 (D) 項應為正選。
3. 誰會獲得隆巴迪獎盃？
(A) 文斯‧隆巴迪。
(B) 該年度 NFL 的最佳球隊。
(C) 超級盃的最有價值球員。
(D) 年度教練。
題解：根據本文第 1 段，最後闖進決賽的兩支隊伍會在『超級盃』中爭奪 NFL 冠軍頭銜，而只有一支隊伍能抱走隆巴迪獎盃。故 (B) 項應為正選。
4. 根據本文，『超級盃星期天』當天不會從事什麼活動？
(A) 大量享用美食。
(B) 做禮拜。
(C) 參加派對。
(D) 觀看有趣的電視廣告。
題解：根據本文第 2 段，僅有 (B) 項未被提及，故應為正選。
答案：1. A 2. D 3. B 4. B
文法一點靈
Some people use Sunday as a day of rest. Others use it as a day to worship a religious deity.
注意
some... others... 一些……另一些
some...others...still others...
一些……另一些……還有一些……
Some of the bikes are salvageable, while others are absolutely worthless.
這些腳踏車有些是能利用的，而有些則毫無價值。
＊salvageable a. 能利用的
My classmates have different weekend plans. Some will go shopping, others will play video games, and still others will read books at home.
我的同學各有不同的週末計劃，有些要去逛街，有些要打電動，還有些要在家看書。
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