Section III
Maintaining a Sharp Eye
Passage II : Read the Text
Foreigners Also Love Chinese Martial Arts
Chinese martial arts have quite a long history. They form a necessary part of the Chinese culture and they are a part of the nation's spirit. Not only Chinese people love their martial arts, many foreigners are also crazy about them. Perhaps I'm one of those eager foreigners.
Actually, I've exercised all my life. I used to be a football player and I once loved swimming very much. But I became a Chinese martial arts fan the moment I saw them in a film. So, I decided to take them up while I was studying in Xi'an.
Practicing Chinese martial arts requires a lot of effort. You have to be able to "Stand as straight as a pine tree, sit as square as a stone, and move as quickly as a gust of wind". In addition, it takes a long time for you to realize the deep meaning of the arts. Not all people who practice Chinese martial arts have a deep enough understanding of them. Some regard them only as physical movement: You move here; you hit your rival there.... But my coach has tried to make me realize their great underlying meaning, which has a great deal to do with one's mental state. Gradually, I've come to understand that the martial arts do not only improve my physical condition, but also make me feel more confident in dealing with the world around me. A lot of actions of Chinese martial arts are actually based on meditation. They address the goal of happiness. They make the goal better fitted for each person. Other forms of exercises do not necessarily make people feel happy, but when exercising martial arts, you will become calmer and more cheerful. Such beneficial function has long been realized and treasured. Many of my American friends have benefited a lot from practicing the arts, mentally and physically.
Now there are quite a lot of martial arts clubs in the United States. American people are willing to spend their free time learning Chinese martial arts. For them, the martial arts are a unique culture as well as a beneficial form of exercise. According to a report, one in every ten Americans once studied or is studying a style of martial arts. I myself am planning to set up a martial arts school in my home country as soon as I complete my study in China.
Difficult Sentences
- (Para. 1) Not only Chinese people love their martial arts, many foreigners are also crazy about them.
Analysis: “not only...but also”is often used to mean “不仅…而且…” In this sentence, “but also”is omitted, but the meaning is still implied in the adverb also.
Translation: 不仅很多中国人喜欢武术，很多外国人也迷上了武术。
Example: Not only the children, many adults are also attracted by the cartoon film.
2.(Para. 2) But I became a Chinese martial arts fan the moment I saw them in a film.
The moment: here is used as a conjunction meaning “as soon as”, and it introduces an adverbial clause of time.
Other such phrases are: the minute, the instance, the time etc
Translation: 但是当我第一次在电影里看到中国武术时，我就立刻成了中国武术迷。
Example: The runner fell on the ground the moment he reached the destination.
3.(Para. 3) Not all people who practice Chinese martial arts have a deep enough understanding of them.
Not all: partial negative structure modifying people
The sentence could also be rewritten like this: All the people who practice Chinese martial arts do not have a very deep understanding of the arts.
Translation: 并非所有练习武术的人都对中国武术有深刻的理解。
Example: Not all people who have a lot of money enjoy love and happiness.
4.(Para. 3) But my coach has tried to make me realize their great underlying meaning, which has a great deal to do with one’s mental state
Which: introduces an unrestricted relative clause, modifying their great underlying meaning.
Translation: 但是，我的教练设法让我理解武术的深层意义，这种意义与习武者的精神状态有密切的联系。
Example: But her mother tried to explain the question by drawing a diagram, which helped her to understand the question immediately.
5.(Para. 3) Other forms of exercises do not necessarily make people feel happy, but when exercising martial arts, you will become calmer and more cheerful
Do not necessarily: 并不一定
When exercising: an elliptical form of “when you are exercising martial arts” acting as an adverbial of time
Translation: 其他种形式的体育锻炼不一定都会愉悦人的心情。而当你练习中国武术时，你会感到更加宁静，更加心旷神怡。
Example: Other roads do not necessarily lead you directly to the target, but when taking this shortcut, you will be there in 15 minutes.
6.(Para. 3) Many of my American friends have benefited a lot from practicing the arts, mentally and physically.
Analysis: The adverbs mentally and physically modify the predicate have benefited, with the preceding comma added to emphasize in which aspects they have benefited.
Translation: 我的许多美国朋友都通过练习武术而身心获益匪浅。
Example: They have advertised their products on all the web sites available, home and abroad.
7. (Para. 4) For them, the martial arts are a unique culture as well as a beneficial form of exercise.
As well as: As well as is a conjunctive phrase, meaning “and, in addition to” It serves as the connection of a unique culture and a beneficial form of exercise, with the emphasis on the former.
Translation: 武术既是一种良好的健身运动，又是一种独特的文化。
Example: For these students, tutoring pupils is a way to get some firsthand knowledge of the real word as well as a way to earn some pocket money.
8. (Para. 4) According to a report, one in every ten Americans once studied or is studying a style of martial arts.
One in every ten: one out of every ten=10%
Translation: 根据一份报告统计，每10个美国人中就有一个人曾经练过或者正在练习某一流派的武术。
Example: According to statistics, seven in every ten British high school leavers could get enrolled in some kind of institution of higher learning.
Important Words
- martial a. of, associated with war
尚武的, 军事的
eg. All the war criminals are sentenced according to the martial law.
Martial spirit is highly appreciated by these boys.
2.decide v. be determined, made up one’s mind, make up the decision
决定，下决心
eg. The research group has decided to have a try.
What do you decide to do to solve the problem?
Has she decided which job to take?
3.meditation n. deep thinking and consideration
沉思，冥想
eg. No one dares to interrupt the meditation of the physicist.
In the deep meditation, she seems to have feel the power of nature.
4.goal n. object of efforts and ambition
目标
eg. His goal in life is to live up to his parents’expectation.
You can’t have much motivation if you don’t have a clear goal in what you are doing.
5.calm a. not disturbed in mind esp. in face of danger or emergency
平静的
eg. The teacher’s calm voice gave courage to the children isolated in the flood.
You can hardly imagine how she managed to keep calm in such danger.
6.cheerful a. being in a lively and high spirits
快活的, 愉快的
eg. The children’s cheerful laughter soon elevated their mother’s mood.
The pressure of life has turned the cheerful boy into a short-tempered fellow.
7.beneficial a. having good effect, helpful
有益的，有好处的，获利的
eg. Air by the beach is beneficial to health because it contains negative ion (负离子).
Having a walk in such fine weather with fresh air is beneficial to your mind.
8.mentally ad. in the mind
精神上，心理上
eg. Mental hospital is for the mentally abnormal people.
Good reading can benefit us both mentally and physically.
9.physically ad. bodily
身体上
eg. He looked physically fit.
The work is physically demanding.
10.unique a. having no like or equal
独特的, 独有的
eg. Don’t worry. Such a problem is by no means unique to your family.
The coconut is unique to the tropic.
Is Thanksgiving Day a unique holiday for American people?