20091030 -- The Gaelic Athletic Association (1)

The Gaelic Athletic Association(蓋爾運動協會)

A different way to play

Professional sports have become big business. Athletes are paid huge salaries. You can buy T-shirts, coffee mugs and seat cushions with your favorite team logos on them. If you have enough money, you can even buy a team and move it from city to city. But that's not how things work in the Gaelic Athletic Association(GAA).

Formed in 1884, the GAA was designed to promote traditional Irish culture and sports. With more than 2,600 clubs and over 1 million members, it's now Ireland's largest sporting organization.

In keeping with its mission, the GAA promotes a range of Irish sports and cultural traditions. That said, the association's best-known sports are Gaelic football and hurling. Both are traditional Irish sports.

Gaelic football is often described as a mixture of soccer and rugby. However, it is older than either of those games. In contrast, hurling is a lot like field hockey. It's Europe's oldest field sport and has been around for at least 2,000 years.



athlete n. 運動員
athletic adj. 運動的
eg: Roberta and Alexandra are very athletic. They swim, play soccer and run.
eg: The athletic facilities here in the gym are pretty old.

athletic adj. 體格健壯的/具有運動細胞的
eg: Jason is an athletic boy. He's good at many sports.

cushion n. 墊子/坐墊/靠墊
=> something that soften you sit on
eg: I brought a cushion because the chairs are very hard.

pro- 向前
promote v. 提倡/促進/宣傳
eg: Carel's job is to promote the development of the downtown area.
eg: The organization promotes literacy programs in poor areas.
eg: The campaign successfully promoted this new product.

mission n. 使命/任務
=> purpose
eg: The organization's mission involves helping poor students get a good education.

mix v. 混合
mixture n. 混合/混和體
eg: The movie is a mixture of laughter and drama.
eg: The style of the band is a mixture of rock and country.
eg: Leave the mixture of flour, eggs and milk in the fridge(冰箱) for an hour.

Gaelic adj. 蓋爾(人)語
=> a people group in Ireland and Scotland

logo n. 標識/商標
= logotype

mug

hurling n. 愛爾蘭式球戲

//== Chat Room ==//

field 大型的戶外球場

diamond (棒)內野/球場
ballpark 棒球場

court (網球，有網子)場地

rink 溜冰場

arena 室內運動場
=> 原為古羅馬的競技場

stadium 大型的戶外運動場
=> open air

hockey rink 曲棍球場
bowling alley 保齡球場
lane 保齡球場內的球道


//== Grammar on the Go ==//

That said, the association's best-known sports are Gaelic football and hurling.

that said
= however

eg: The hostess has asked us not bring anything to the dinner party. That said, we're still planning to take a small gift.
eg: The theater has asked the audience to not take pictures during the performance. That said, many people still had their cameras out.