"Tear’em apart!" "Kill the fool!" "Murder the referee（裁判）!"
They are common remarks one may hear at various sporting events. At the time they are made, they may seem innocent（无害的）enough. But let's not kid ourselves. They have been known to influence behavior in such a way as to lead to real bloodshed（流血）.Books have been written about the way words affect us. It has shown that words having certain meanings may cause us to react in ways quite foreign to what we consider to be our usual humanistic behavior. I see the term "opponent" as one of those words. Perhaps the time has come to delete it from sports terms.
The dictionary meaning of the term "opponent" is "enemy":“ one who opposes your interests." Thus, when a player meets an opponent, he or she may tend to treat that opponent as an enemy. At such times, winning may control one's mind, and every action, no matter how bad, may be considered correct . I recall an incident in a handball game when a referee refused a player's request for a time out for a glove change because he didn't consider them wet enough. The player rubbed his gloves across his wet T-shirt and then shouted, "Are they wet enough now?"
In the heat of battle, players have been observed to throw themselves across the court without considering the consequences that such a move might have on anyone in their way. I have also witnessed a player reacting to his opponent's intentional and illegal blocking by hitting him with the ball as hard as he could during the course of play. Off the court, they are good friends. Does that make any sense? It certainly gives proof of a court attitude which is different from normal behavior.
Therefore, I believe it is time we promoted the game to the level where it is by setting an example. Replacing the term “opponent” with “ associate” could be an ideal way to start.
The dictionary meaning of the term “associate” is “friend”；“companion.” Think it over！You may soon see and possibly feel the difference in your reaction to the term "associate' rather than "opponent."
49. Which of the following statements best expresses the author's view?
A. Bad behavior in sports will always have serious consequences.
B. The words people use can influence their behavior.
C. Unpleasant words in sports are often used by foreign athletes.
D. Unfair judgments by referees will lead to violence on the sports field.
50. Rough words are spoken during games because the players________.
A. are too eager to win                   B. are usually bad-tempered  
C. can't afford to be polite in competitions    D. treat their friends as competitors
51. What did the handball player do when he was not allowed a time out to change his gloves?
A. He refused to continue the game.
B. He angrily hit the referee with a ball.
C. He claimed that the referee was unfair.
D. He wet his gloves by rubbing them across his T-shirt.
52. The author hopes to have the current situation in sports improved by_______.
A. changing the attitude of players on the sports field
B. raising the referee's sense of responsibility
C. calling on players to use clean language on the court
D. regulating the relationship between players and referees