仅仅是一分

It’s only a point – 2024 Commencement Address by Roger Federer at Dartmouth

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刘立军供稿

Part I. QUESTIONS

Listen to the speech and choose the best answer to each question you hear.

Q1. What is the significance of winning Wimbledon, according to the speaker?

A. It is considered less important than other tournaments.

B. It is referred to as the cathedral of tennis.

C. It is only a minor accomplishment in a tennis career.

D. It is equivalent to winning a local tournament.

Q2. What significant event did the speaker miss out on during the 2008 Wimbledon finals?

A. Realizing his opponent’s strategy early enough.

B. Seeing the chalk on the grass due to darkness.

C. Winning the first two sets.

D. Hearing the crowd's encouragement.

Q3. How did the speaker feel after losing the 2008 Wimbledon finals?

A. Indifferent and unbothered.

B. Determined to retire from tennis.

C. Relieved to have played a great match.

D. Motivated to work harder.

Q4. According to the speaker, how often do top-ranked tennis players win points in their matches?

A. Barely more than half of the points.

B. 80% of the points.

C. 90% of the points.

D. Less than 40% of the points.

Q5. What does the speaker imply by saying, “It’s only a point”?

A. Each point in tennis is insignificant.

B. Dwelling on past mistakes is unproductive.

C. Every point should be played with utmost importance.

D. Winning every point guarantees success.

Q6. What is the primary message the speaker wants to convey about setbacks?

A. They should be completely avoided.

B. They are opportunities to showcase perfection.

C. They can be overcome by focusing on the present moment.

D. They signify the end of one’s career.

Part II. TRANSCRIPT

It’s only a point – 2024 Commencement Address by Roger Federer at Dartmouth

OK, second lesson: It’s only a point. Let me explain.

You can work harder than you thought possible and still lose. I have many times. Tennis is brutal. There’s no getting around the fact that every tournament ends the same way. One player gets a trophy. Every other player gets back on a plane, stares out of the window, and thinks “how the hell did I miss that shot?” Imagine if, today, only one of you got a degree. Congratulations, this year’s graduate! Let’s give her a hand. The rest of you, the other one thousand of you, better luck next time!

trophy n.奖杯

So, you know, I tried not to lose. But I did lose sometimes big. For me, one of the biggest was the finals at Wimbledon in 2008. Me vs. Nadal. Some call it the greatest match of all time. OK, all respect to Rafa, but I think it would have been way way better if I had won. Losing at Wimbledon was a big deal because winning Wimbledon is everything. Obviously, except winning the Dartmouth Masters pong title, sophomore summer. (Q1) I mean, I’ve gotten to play in some amazing venues around the world, but when you have the chance to walk onto Centre Court at Wimbledon, the cathedral of tennis, and when you finish as the champion, you feel the magnitude of the moment. There’s nothing like it.

the cathedral of tennis: 网球的圣殿

magnitude n. 重要性

In 2008, I was going for a record sixth consecutive title. I was playing for history. I’m not going to walk you through the match, point by point. If I did, we would be here for hours. Almost five hours, to be exact. There were rain delays, the sun went down. Rafa won two sets, I won the next two sets in tiebreaks, and we found ourselves at seven all in the fifth. I understand why people focus on the end, the final minutes so dark I could barely see the chalk on the grass. But looking back, I feel like I lost at the very first point of the match. (Q2) I looked across the net and I saw a guy who, just a few weeks earlier, crushed me in straight sets at the French Open, and I thought this guy is maybe hungrier than I am. And he’s finally got my number. It took me until the third set before I remembered, hey, buddy, you’re the five-time defending champion! And you’re on grass, by the way. You know how to do this. But that came too late, and Rafa won. And it was well-deserved. Some defeats hurt more than others. I knew I would never get another shot at six in a row. I lost Wimbledon. I lost my number-one ranking. And suddenly, people said, “He had a great run. Is this the changing of the guard?” (Q3) But I knew what I had to do, keep working. And keep competing.

consecutive adj. 连续不断的

In tennis, perfection is impossible. In the 1,526 singles matches I played in my career, I won almost 80% of those matches. Now, I have a question for all of you: what percentage of the POINTS do you think I won in those matches? Only 54%. (Q4) In other words, even top-ranked tennis players win barely more than half of the points they play. (Q5) When you lose every second point, on average, you learn not to dwell on every shot. You teach yourself to think: OK, I double-faulted. It’s only a point.

OK, I came to the net and I got passed again. It’s only a point. Even a great shot, an overhead backhand smash that ends up on ESPN’s Top Ten Playlist: that, too, is just a point.

dwell on sth. 老是想着，纠结于某事

Here’s why I am telling you this. When you’re playing a point, it has to be the most important thing in the world and it is. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you. (Q6) This mindset is really crucial, because it frees you to fully commit to the next point, and the next one after that with intensity, clarity and focus. The truth is, whatever game you play in life, sometimes you’re going to lose. A point, a match, a season, a job, it’s a roller coaster, with many ups and downs. And it’s natural, when you’re down, to doubt yourself. To feel sorry for yourself. And by the way, your opponents have self-doubt, too. Don’t ever forget that. But negative energy is wasted energy. You want to become a master at overcoming hard moments. That to me is the sign of a champion. The best in the world are not the best because they win every point. It’s because they know they’ll lose again and again, and have learned how to deal with it. You accept it. Cry it out if you need to, then force a smile. You move on. Be relentless. Adapt and grow. Work harder. Work smarter. Remember: work smarter.

relentless adj. 不放弃的；严格的

Part III. KEY

Q1. B. 细节题。根据“...but when you have the chance to walk onto Centre Court at Wimbledon, the cathedral of tennis, and when you finish as the champion, you feel the magnitude of the moment.”，可知温布尔登中心球场是网球的圣殿，在温网以冠军身份结束比赛意义重大。因此答案为B。

Q2. A. 细节题。根据“I looked across the net and I saw a guy who… crushed me in straight sets at the French Open, and I thought this guy is maybe hungrier than I am… It took me until the third set before I remembered, hey, buddy, you’re the five-time defending champion!”，意为：“我看着网对面那个在法网上直落两盘打败我的人，我想这个人也许比我更有斗志……直到第三盘我才记起来，嘿，伙计，你是连续五届冠军！”，可知Federer认为自己在比赛第一分时就输了，因为没早点意识到对手的策略。因此答案为A。

Q3. D. 细节题。根据“But I knew what I had to do, keep working. And keep competing.”，可知但Federer在输掉 2008 年温网决赛后，决定继续努力。继续比赛。因此答案为D。

Q4. A. 细节题。根据“In other words, even top-ranked tennis players win barely more than half of the points they play.”，可知，即使是排名靠前的网球运动员，他们赢得的分数也只是勉强超过一半。因此答案为A。

Q5. B. 推理题。根据“When you lose every second point, on average, you learn not to dwell on every shot… It’s only a point.” 意为：“当你平均下来每两分中你就会输掉一分时，你会学会不纠结于每一次失误……这只是一分。” 通过这句话可以推测出，强调“只是一分”是为了说明纠结过去的错误是没有意义的。因此答案为B。

Q6. C. 主旨题。题目出处为“This mindset is really crucial, because it frees you to fully commit to the next point… sometimes you’re going to lose… You want to become a master at overcoming hard moments.” 意为：“这种心态非常关键，因为它让你能够全身心投入到下一分……有时候你会失败……你要成为克服艰难时刻的大师。”，可知这里强调的是要专注当下，克服挫折。因此答案为C。

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