Is Australia really a sporting nation分析和总结分析和总结.docx

Is Australia really a sporting nation? 5 There is nothing ambiguous about Australians’love of sport.Their absolute love of it seems compulsory.They talk about sport all the time.They watch it live or on television,and sometimes it seems to be the only topic of conversation. Anywhere Australians get together — in the canteen during lunch,in the pub with a pint of beer,or in someone ’s garden over a barbecue grill —the conversation quickly turns to sport. It can be an analysis of how teams are placing in the various sports leagues, or a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of different players and their teams. 10 Australians’ devotion to sport,however,does not mean that most of them really do much sport.In fact,statistics show that only about one quarter of Australians exercise enough.The rest are content to just sit in their cosy armchairs and watch.Indeed,sitting in front of the television watching a sports event,with a drink in one hand and some fast food in the other,is very common in Australia.It is one of the main reasons why Austalians can sometimes be accused of being overweight and unfit. 15 Still,Australia is considered to be a great sporting nation.The climate is mild,neither too hot nor too cold,The sun shines most of the time and there is plenty of space,including many beaches.Many people owe their love of sport to the perfect weather conditions for it.Best of all,there is a two-day weekend to enjoy the outdoors. 20 With most of its population living near the coast,swimming and surfing are popular activities for many families at the weekend. Sydney,for example,is a city with 37 beaches,most of which can be reached within 30 minutes by public transport from the city centre. 25 Another sport Australians are fond of is tennis.Since most tennis courts are equipped with lights,many people often play after dusk in the evening and late into the night.In addition,many school children regularly take after-school tennis lessons. 30 Parents