Aroundtheworldmoreandmorepeoplearetakingpartindangeroussportsactivities.Ofcourse,therehavealwaysbeenpeoplewhohavelookedforadventurethosewhohaveclimbedunknownpartsoftheworldorsailedinsmallboatsacrossthegreatestoceans.Now,however,therearepeoplewhoseekanimmediatethrill,ariskyactivity,whichmayonlylastafewminutesorevenseconds.

　　Bungeejumpingisagoodexampleofsuchanactivity.Youjumpfromahighplace200metersabovethegroundwithanelasticropetiedtoyourfeet.Youfallatupto150kilometersanhouruntiltheropestopsyoufromhittingtheground.Itisestimatedthattwomillionpeoplearoundtheworldhavenowtriedbungeejumping.

　　Whydopeopletakepartinsuchactivitiesasthese?Somepsychologistssuggestthatitisbecauselifeinmodernsocietieshasbecomesafeandboring.Inancienttimes,people'sliveswereconstantlyunderthreat.Theyhadtogooutandhuntforfood.Diseasescouldnoteasilybecured,andtherewasacontinuousbattleforsurvival.

　　瀛椾覆7

　　Nowadays,accordingtomanypeople,lifeofferslittleexcitement.Theyliveandworkincomparativelysafeenvironments;theybuyfoodinshops;therearedoctorsandhospitalstolookafterthemiftheybecomeiii.Itisnecessaryforsomeofthesepeopletoseekdangerinactivitiessuchasbungeejumping.

　　Theword"sport"firstmeantsomethingthatpeopledidintheirfreetime.Lateritoftenmeanthuntingwildanimalsandbirds.Aboutahundredyearsagothewordwasfirstusedfororganizedgames.

　　Thisistheusualmeaningofthewordtoday.Peoplespendalotoftheirsparetimeplayingfootball,basketball,tennisandmanyothersports.Suchpeopleplaybecausetheywantto.Afewpeoplearepaidforthesporttheyplay.Thesepeoplearecalledprofessionalsportsmen.Theymaybesportsmenforonlyafewyears,butduringthattimethebestonescanearnalotofmoney.

　　Forexample,aprofessionalfootballerinEnglandearnsmorethan30,000poundsayear.Thestarscanearnalotmore.Internationalgolfandtennischampionscanmakemorethan50,000poundsayear.Ofcourse,onlyafewsportsmencanearnasmuchmoneyasthat.

　　Itisonlypossibleinsportsforindividuals,likegolf,tennisandmotorracing.Perhapsthemostsurprisingthingaboutsportsmenandmoneyisthis:thestarscanearnmoremoneyfromadvertisingthanfromsports.Anadvertisementforsportsequipmentdoesn'tsimplysay,"Buyourthings".Itsays,"Buythesameshirtandshoesas..."Famoussportsmencanevenadvertisethingslikewarchesandfood.

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　　Theyallowthecompaniestousetheirnameoraphotographofthemandtheyarepaidforthis.Sportisnolongerjustsomethingforpeople'ssparetime.

　　ThePowerOfHumor瀛椾覆7

　　Peopleliketobeconsideredhumorous,butfewofusactuallyhavethesenseofhumorwehopewehave.Somepeople,ontheotherhand,maywonderwhyweshouldbothertobehumorous.Thesepeople,Iamafraid,donotknowthepowerofhumor.Asenseofhumorcanhelpyoubecomeasuccessfulspeaker.Wecannoticethatthereisnogreatspeakerintheworldwhoisnothumorous.Oneoftwohumorousremarkscanmaketheaudiencelaugh,makingyourlectureanenjoyableone.Asenseofhumorcanhelpyouwinalotoffriends.Ifyouarehumorousyouwillalwaysattractalotofpeoplearoundyou.Asenseofhumorcanhelptoeasethetensionbetweenpeople.Whenpeopleareabouttoquarrel,ahu