In many parts of the world, there are four seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter. In the U.S., there are only three: football, basketball and baseball. That's not completely true, but almost. In every season, Americans have a ball. If you want to know what season it is, just look at what people are playing. For many Americans, sports do not just occupy the sidelines. They take center court. 世界上的很多地方，一年有四季：春、夏、秋、冬。美国，却只有三季：足球、篮球和棒球季。这并不是完全正确，但也差得不远了。每个季节，美国人都有乐趣。若你想了解此季为什么，看看大家正在打什么球就好了。对于多数美国人而言，运动并不是只不过旁边站的小消遣，它是日常非常重要的一环。
Besides the big three sports, Americans play a variety of other sports. In warm weather, people enjoy water sports. Lovers of surfing, sailing and scuba1 ping flock to the ocean. Swimmers and water skiers also revel2 in the wet stuff. Fishermen try their luck in ponds, lakes and rivers. In winter sportsmen delight in freezing fun. From the first snowfall, skiers hit the slopes. Frozen ponds and ice rinks become playgrounds for skating and hockey. People play indoor sports whatever the weather. Racquetball, weightlifting and bowling3 are year-round activities.
除去这三大运动，美国人还做很多其它的运动。天热时，他们喜欢水上运动。冲浪、驾帆船和潜水的喜好者群集于海中。游泳和滑水者，也纵情于水中。渔夫在池塘、湖泊和河川里试他们的运势。冬天，运动员在冰天雪地里也玩得非常高兴。从下雪的头一天起，滑雪者便登上雪坡。结了冰的池塘和溜冰场成了溜冰和冰上曲棍球的场地。不论气候怎么样，大家都从事户内运动。回力球、举重和保龄球都是全年性的活动。