VOA慢速英语: 超级碗星期天：爱国者队、海鹰队和凯蒂·佩里

Superbowl Sunday: The Patriots, the Seahawks and Katy Perry, Too
超级碗星期天：爱国者队、海鹰队还有凯蒂·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.
这周末有超过1亿的美国人会做同一件事。很多人会在同一时间欢笑或者因为情绪失落而掉泪。除此之外，每个人都会吃吃喝喝。
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?
这一赛事与教堂、寺院或者庙宇活动无关，但是很多人都会参与，好像是个宗教节日。所以，你猜想一下美国2月1号发生什么事了？
If you said the Super Bowl, you got it right!
如果你想的是超级碗，那就答对了。
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.
超级碗是美国国家美式足球联盟（也称为国家橄榄球联盟）的年度冠军赛，胜者被称为“世界冠军”。今年是西雅图海鹰队和新英格兰爱国者队之间的对决。
The Teams, The Town
比赛队伍，比赛地方
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.
这次比赛对两队来说都不是首次的冠军战，海鹰队是卫冕冠军，去年他们首次获得超级碗的冠军。2006年，他们就曾冲击冠军。
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.
爱国者队已经三次赢得超级碗冠军。他们八次进入冠军战。自2000年起，爱国者队输比赛的次数要多于获胜的次数。
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.
今年的最终决赛会在亚利桑那州的格兰岱尔上演。这里是沙漠地区，比赛当天阳光明媚，气温大概27摄氏度。
Watching men catch balls, run and crush each other to prevent a touchdown is not all the audience expects from a Super Bowl.
对于观众来说，观看球员接球、奔跑和防止对方触地得分并不是比赛所有的看点。
It is also famous for its halftime music show. Last year, the singer Bruno Mars performed along with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
比赛半场时的音乐秀也很闻名。去年，布鲁诺·马斯与红辣椒乐队的表演很精彩。
The Entertainment
娱乐
This year the headliner is pop singer Katy Perry.
今年的头条是凯蒂·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.
上周接受娱乐体育节目电视网的杂志采访时，30岁的佩里表示能够出现在超级碗的比赛现场表演，她很激动。“我感觉实现了一直未实现的梦想。”
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."
凯蒂·佩里2008年凭借她的单曲“我吻了一个女孩”（"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.
流行摇滚选手、“饥饿游戏”的表演者蓝尼·克拉维茨也会在比赛期间表演。去年9月份，他发布了自己的第十张录音专辑。
The Ads: Thirty Seconds for $4.5 Million
广告：30秒4500万美元
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.
超级碗呈献给观众的另一项娱乐节目是电视广告。今年比赛间歇的一个30秒的广告价值4500万美元。谁能支付得起这些钱？很多公司都想获得今年这个拥有庞大电视观众的广告播放权。
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·布希公司通常会买断这个广告。今年，著名的啤酒生产商购买了7个30秒的广告时间，比其它的广告商买的都要多。全球最大的邮轮公司——嘉年华公司第一次在超级碗上展示商业广告。
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.
超级碗上的商业广告是让观众乐。网络公司GoDaddy.com的广告就以幽默著称。但是，今年在动物保护组织抗议之后，GoDaddy公司打算撤掉商业广告计划。
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.
网站的商业特色是在线出售小狗。抗议者认为出售动物让动物们处于被虐待或者更糟糕的风险中。这周，GoDaddy宣布会播出另一种不同的广告。
NFL Message Control
国家橄榄球大联盟的消息控制
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.
美国国家橄榄球联盟举行超级碗比赛。去年，球员瑞·莱斯殴打女友之后，联盟面临着公众的愤怒和抗议，现在又面临着他殴打妻子的丑闻。这一事件的视频曝光。国家橄榄球联盟禁止莱斯参赛，而巴尔地摩乌鸦队宣布结束与他的合约。
The NFL will use 30 seconds during the Super Bowl for a public service announcement to fight abuse against women and family violence.
国家橄榄球联盟在超级碗比赛间歇会用30秒的公益广告时间来宣传反对对女性暴力和家庭暴力。
I'm Caty Weaver.
我是凯蒂·威弗尔。
Caty Weaver wrote this story for Learning English. ­­­­­­­­­­­­Hai Do was the editor.
凯蒂·威弗尔编写这篇报道，海多编辑。
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.