Blind Dad Watched Me Play Football
盲爸爸看我橄榄球比赛
Bob Richard, the former pole-vault champion, shares a moving story about a skinny young boy who loved football with all his heart. Practice after practice, he eagerly gave everything he had. But being half the size of the other boys he got absolutely nowhere. At all the games, this hopeful athlete sat on the bench and hardly ever played. This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. Even though his son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game.
This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his fathercontinued to encourage him, but also make it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn’t want to.
But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there. He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he’d get to play when he became a senior. All through high school he never missed a practice or a game, but remained a bench warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him.
When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a walk-on. Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did. The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always put his heart and soul into every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit.
The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game.
It was the end of the senior football season, and as he trotted on to the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram and he became deathly silent.
Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, “My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?”
The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, “Take the rest of the week off, son. And don’t even plan to come to the game on Saturday.”
Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon.
“Coach, please let me play. I’ve just got to play today,” said the young man.
The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in.
Before long, the coach, the players, and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. The score was soon tied. Finally, the young man’s team won the game!
The coach asked how he did it. He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, “Well, you know my father died, but did you know that my father was blind?” the young man swallowed hard andforced a smile, “today was the first time he could see my play, and I wanted to show him that I could do it!”
译文
撑杆跳前冠军鲍勃•理查德讲过这样一个动人的故事，故事讲的是一个全心全意热爱橄榄球的瘦小男孩。他一场接一场训练，热心奉献所有的一切。但是，个头比其他男孩小了一半，绝对一事无成。在所有比赛中，这个满怀希望的小运动员坐在长椅上，几乎从未参赛过。这少年和他的父亲相依为命，两人有一种非常特殊的关系。即使儿子总是坐在长椅上，父亲也在看台上欢呼，从未错过一场比赛。
上中学时，这个少年的个子还是全班最小。但是，他的父亲不仅继续鼓励他，而且非常清楚地表明，如果不愿意，他不必打橄榄球。
但是，小伙子热爱橄榄球，决定坚持不懈。在每次训练中，他都下定决心，竭尽全力，也许到最后一年，他就可以参赛了。整个中学期间，他从未错过一次训练，也从未错过一次比赛，但整整四年他仍坐在长椅上。他忠实的父亲总是在看台上，总是鼓励他。
小伙子上大学时，决定试着在校橄榄球队里跑龙套。每个人都确信他绝不可能不被裁员，但他却留了下来。教练承认把他留在队里，是因为他总是全心全意地投入每场训练，同时，他还以这种精神鼓舞了其他队员。
他没被裁员的消息让他万分激动，他急匆匆地跑到最近的地方给父亲打电话。他的父亲和他一样激动，并收到了观看他们大学所有橄榄球比赛的季票。大学四年期间，这个不折不扣的年轻运动员从未错过一次训练，但他也没上过一场比赛。
到了大学最后一年橄榄球赛季快结束时，盛大的最后决赛开始前不久，他一路小跑来到了训练场。教练拿着一份电报迎向他。他顿时陷入了死一般的沉默。
他强咽着泪水，对教练喃喃说道：“我父亲今天早上去世了。我错过今天的训练可以吗？”
教练轻轻抱住他的肩膀说：“孩子，这星期剩下的时间你可以请假。星期六也不用来比赛现场了。”
星期六到了，比赛形势不妙。在第三节比赛中，当球队落后10点时，一个沉默不语的年轻人悄悄溜进了空荡荡的衣帽间，穿上了橄榄球服。当他跑到球场边线上时，教练和队员们看到他们忠实的队友会这么快返回都大吃了一惊。
“教练，请让我上吧！今天我必须参赛。”年轻人说。
教练假装没有听见。在这场势均力敌的决赛里，他绝不想让自己最差的队员上场。但是，年轻人执意坚持，最后出于可怜小伙子，教练做出了让步。
他上场不久，教练、队员们和看台上的每个人都无法相信他们的眼睛。这个鲜为人知、从未上过场的队员步步到位。比分很快持平。最后，年轻人的队伍赢得了比赛！
教练问他是如何做到的。他眼含热泪，望着教练说，“哦，你知道我爸爸去世了，但是你知道他是盲人吗？”年轻人哽咽着，强装笑脸。“爸爸来看我所有的比赛，但今天是他第一次能看见我比赛，我想让他看到我能行！”
拓展训练
Even though the son was always on the bench(候补选手), his father was always in the stands cheering. The young man loved 36 and determined to try his best at every practice. But he 37 remained a bench all four years in high school.
One day as he ran onto the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the basketball coach met him with a 38 . The young man read the telegram and he became 39 . The coach put his arm 40 around his shoulder and said, “Take the rest of the week off, son. And don’t even plan to come back to the 41 on Saturday.” Saturday arrived, and the game was not going 42 .
In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man ran onto the sidelines, the 43 and his players were astonished to see their 44 teammate back so soon.
“Coach, please let me 45 . I have just got to play today,” said the young man.
The coach pretended not to 46 him. Never would he let his 47 player in this close playoff game. But the young man 48 , and finally feeling sorry for young man, the coach 49 . This little unknown, who had never played before, was doing everything right. The opposite team could not 50 him. His team began to win. 51 , the coach came to him and said, “Young man, 52 did you do it?”
With 53 in his eyes he said, “Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?” The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, “Dad came to all my games, 54 today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to 55 him I could do it!”
1. A tennis B volleyball C basketball D football
2. A eventually B again C still D naturally
3. A warning B telegram C signal D present
4. A silent B active C tired D cool
5. A rudely B gently C lonely D proudly
6. A exam B class C training D game
7. A loose B popular C well D wrong
8. A coach B judge C director D boss
9. A honest B faithful C skillful D angry
10. A leave B speak C rest D play
11. A blame B shape C hear D hurt
12. A worst B best C slimmest D smallest
13. A raced B called C shook D insisted
14. A cut in B gave in C got down D held up
15. A amuse B accept C stop D envy
16. A Finally B Otherwise C Therefore D Luckily
17. A where B when C why D how
18. A sigh B care C tears D anger
19. A since B but C and D so
20. A show B tell C fool D trouble
答案：CCBAB DCABD CADBC ADCBA