Studioclassroom_20090316

March Madness

20090316空英講解

College basketball scores big this month



Where do you find face-painted college students, sharply dressed businesspeople and pompom-waving grandmothers mixed together? The answer the NCAA men's basketball tournament, a competition in which America's best college teams fight to become the national champion. Held each March, the highly anticipated tournament wraps up the college basketball season. The games, which begin this week, create such a frenzy that the tournament is referred to as "March Madness."

Since its starts in 1939, March Madness has built a rich sports legacy, complete with fabled team dynasties, determinated underdogs and heart-stopping finished. Fans everywhere fill out brackets in an attempt to pick the winner of college basketball's most coveted crown.


How the tournament works

Of the more than 300 NCAA Division I men's teams, the 64 best are selected to play in the tournament. Careful decisions are then made to divide the 64 teams into four regions, which are evenly matched groups in terms of strength. Tournament games are played around the country at certain venues, and country at certain venues, and teams are eliminated as soon as they lose. The last four teams, aptly named "The Final Four," play in last three games. Those games, which take place in April, are the most-watched as they determine the NCAA champion.




anticipated pp. 期待的/預期的
eg: This is the most anticipated concert of the year. All my friends are going!
eg: Many movie stars have already arrived Cannes(坎城) to attend the highly anticipated film festival.
eg: This month anticipated unemployment figure(失業數據) is lower than last month.

legacy n. -> something is handed down from the past 留給後人的東西/遺產
eg: Many people are familiar with Mother Teresa's legacy of helping the poor.

underdog n. 競爭失敗者/處於劣勢的一方
eg: This is the first time Nathan has competed at this level, so he is considered the underdog.
eg: In their soccer match with Argitina, Japan is considered the underdog.
eg: Many of the audience members cheered for the underdog during the boxing match.

aptly adv. 貼切地/洽當地
apt adj. 貼切的/洽當的
eg: The news reporter aptly called the disaster the worse one to ever hit that area.
eg: The album's title aptly describes the feeling its music will bring to listeners.
eg: The teacher was aptly nicknamed Chaplin(卓別林) by his student because of his moustache(小鬍鬚).

pompom 加油彩球

bracket

//=== Grammer on the go ===//
... March Madness has built a rich sports legacy, complete with fabled team dynasties,
determined underdogs and heart-stopping finishes.

complete with -> which includes

eg: Get this one-of-a kind vocation package, complete with a 5-night stay at a 5-star resort,
your very own private beach, and free access to the resort spa.

eg: The DVD of that movie is now available, complete with this music video of the soundtrack,
interviews with the cast and the trailer of the sequel.


//=== Chat room ===//

wrap something up 結束/完成
-> settle/finallize
-> bring it to a conclusion
eg: He wrapped up the meeting with a speech.

Let's wrap it up.
= Let's finish it.

It's a wrap. (導演拍了一整天的事要收工時可說) 收工
= It's finish.

keep something under wraps 保密
eg: keep the information under wraps

wrapped up in something 忙於某事
( so involved in something, has little time for other activities )
eg: wrapped up in their schoolwork