似乎在世界各地，每个主要的大城小镇都会举办年度马拉松比赛。成千上万的参赛运动员要经受艰难的体能考验，跑完 42.1 公里的赛程。和其它大型比赛一样，马拉松比赛也会产生大量的碳足迹。数千人乘坐飞机前来参赛或观赛，观众和运动员留在赛道的食物垃圾、包装袋、礼品袋等等。本集《随身英语》讨论相关部门针对马拉松比赛所采取的各项环保措施。

Vocabulary: running 词汇: 跑步

Even if you’re a couch potato like me, you’ll know the benefits of running - pounding the pavements, working up a sweat, burning off some calories and generally keeping fit. But if you’re a real fitness junkie, the ultimate running challenge is to take part in a marathon.

It seems every major city and town around the world hosts an annual marathon, with thousands of athletes running a gruelling 42.1 kilometres. Whilst many runners’ motivation is to beat their personal best and cross the finishing line without collapsing, they’re also doing it for a good cause – to generate funds for charity. But like other major events, the marathon also generates a massive carbon footprint. Thousands travel - some by plane - to the location, and waste from food packaging and goody bags gets left behind by spectators and runners. For example, during the London Marathon in 2018, 47,000 plastic bottles were collected, although some were recycled.

This is becoming a big issue for cities – how to host a worthwhile event, encouraging people to exercise and help charities, whilst protecting the environment? Several cities have developed formal plans to reduce their environmental impact and promote sustainable ideas. One event in Wales, for example, introduced recycling for old running kit and ethically sourced the race t-shirts.

It’s something that this year’s London Marathon tried to tackle by reducing the number of drink stations on the running route, giving out water in paper cups and offering some drinks in edible seaweed capsules. They also trialled new bottle belts made from recycled plastic so 700 runners could carry water bottles with them during their run. London Marathon event director Hugh Brasner told the BBC: "There's a raft of initiatives we are using this year that we think will lead to some huge behavioural changes in the future."

Meanwhile, some people still think running a marathon could be our best foot forward in helping the planet. Dr Andrea Collins from Cardiff University told the BBC: "Training for a marathon makes you more sustainable in day-to-day activities. I started walking or running to work every day and shunning public transport altogether. Being environmentally friendly while training kind of sticks with you and becomes a way of life." So while you may not be the elite runner in a marathon, let’s hope the event, in terms of sustainability, certainly is!

词汇表

couch potato “沙发土豆”，窝在沙发上看电视的人
pound the pavement 跑步
work up a sweat 出一身汗
burn off calories 燃烧脂肪
keep fit 保持健康
fitness junkie 健身狂人
marathon 马拉松
athlete 运动员
gruelling 让人筋疲力尽的
personal best 个人最好成绩
finishing line 终点线
a good cause 公益事业
carbon footprint 碳足迹
goody bag 礼品包
spectator 观众
plastic bottle 塑料瓶
sustainable 可持续的，能长期维持的
running kit 跑步行头
drink station （马拉松比赛沿路的）饮水站
capsule 胶囊
best foot forward 迈出最好的一步
a way of life 生活方式
elite runner 精英选手

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. How can running a marathon help a charity?

2. What was substituted for plastic bottles in this year’s London Marathon?

3. According to the article, how does travelling to a marathon event by plane damage the environment?

4. True or false? Walking or running to work is a sustainable way to commute.

5. Which word in the text means 'deliberately avoiding (someone/something)’?

2. 请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。

1. I spent all morning helping at the charity cake sale but I shouldn’t complain. It’s all for ______.

the good cause        a good cause         causing good         a good caused

2. No wonder that boxer lost the fight, he got a severe ______ by his opponent.

gruelling                   elite                       pounding                working up a sweat

3. I’m having trouble ______ two jobs. I’m going to have to give one up or my health is going to suffer!

sustaining                sustainable             sustained              sustenance

4. Living off the land and not having to go to a supermarket, has become ______ for me.

a life way                  a way life of           a life way               a way of life

5. This mountain is so challenging, it really is just for the ______ climbers.

gruelling                   personal best         athlete                   elite

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. How can running a marathon help a charity?
Running a marathon means a runner can generate funds – raise money – for their chosen charity.

2. What was substituted for plastic bottles in this year’s London Marathon?
Water was given in paper cups and some drinks were given in edible seaweed capsules.

3. According to the article, how does travelling to a marathon event by plane damage the environment?
Thousands of people travelling - some by plane - to the marathon location, creates a massive carbon footprint.

4. True or false? Walking or running to work is a sustainable way to commute.
True. Dr Andrea Collins from Cardiff University said: "Training for a marathon makes you more sustainable in day-to-day activities - I started walking or running to work every day.”

5. Which word in the text means 'deliberately avoiding (someone/something)’ ?
‘Shunning’. Dr Andrea Collins said “I started walking or running to work every day and shunning public transport altogether”.

2. 请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。

1. I spent all morning helping at the charity cake sale but I shouldn’t complain. It’s all for a good cause.

2. No wonder that boxer lost the fight, he got a severe pounding by his opponent.

3. I’m having trouble sustaining two jobs. I’m going to have to give one up or my health is going to suffer!

4. Living off the land and not having to go to a supermarket, has become a way of life for me.

5. This mountain is so challenging, it really is just for the elite climbers.