NBA (n.（美國）職業籃球協會／聯賽) star Yao Ming (n.姚明) announced his retirement (n.退役) during a news conference (n.記者（招待）會) in China (n.中國) on July 20.
      "I need to make a personal decision," Yao said. "I am ending my basketball career (n.生涯). I am very grateful (adj.感激的). I like to thank my family members and my parents. And the Houston (n.休斯敦) Rockets (n.休斯敦火箭（隊）)."
      Voted an All-Star (n.明星賽) player eight times while playing for the Houston Rockets, he was one of the most successful overseas (adj.國外的) players in the league (n.聯賽).
      Yao has chalked up (v.取得成績) a career average of 19 points (n.得分), 9.2 rebounds (n.籃板球) and 1.9 blocks (n.攔截). His field-goal (n.投球中籃) percentage was 52.4.
      In recent years, however, he struggled with foot and ankle injuries, and missed the 2009-2010 season (n.賽季). He suffered a stress (adj.應力性的) fracture (n.骨折) on his left ankle, and missed last season after playing only five games.
      "Nine years ago, I came to Houston as a tall, skinny (adj.極瘦的) player. I grew to a man there. I also had my daughter there. I thank you all," Yao said during the packed (adj.擠滿人的) news conference in Shanghai (n.上海).
      NBA Commissioner (n.總裁) David Stern (n.史端) said the player has done his country proud.(CNN, July 20)

      美國職業籃球聯賽明星姚明，七月二十日在中國舉行記者招待會宣布退役。
      “我要做出一個個人決定。”姚明說。“作為籃球運動員，我將結束自己的運動生涯。我的內心充滿感激。我要感謝我的親人和父母，還有休斯敦火箭隊。”
      他效力休斯敦火箭期間，曾八次獲選為明星賽球員，是這項聯賽極成功的一位國外運動員。
      在職業生涯中，姚明每場平均得到十九分、九點二個籃板球、一點九次攔截，他的投球命中率是百分之五十二點四。
      然而，他近年受到腳患與膝患困擾，二○○九至二○一○年賽季完全缺賽。他左膝患上應力性骨折，上季只出賽五場後便一直缺席。
      在上海舉行的記者會擠滿了人。姚明說：“九年前，當我來到休斯敦的時候，我只是個瘦瘦的大個子，我在這座城市成為了一個成熟的男人，我的女兒就在這裏出生。謝謝大家。”職業籃球協會總裁史端說，這位球員令他的祖國感到自豪。（美國“有線電視新聞網”，七月二十日）

      閱讀指引
      1. retire (v)　/r?笈'ta?笈?瑆/，ri-TIRE　退休、退役
      解讀：retire可指退休，即由於已達某年齡又或生病而離開某個工作崗位；但retire用於運動員上則常指退役，通常因體力日差或受傷患困擾而不再出賽，但大多依然從事相關工作，因而不算退休；retire也可用被動語態，即安排某人退休、退役；名詞是文中的retirement。
      2. chalk up (v)　/t?瓿?瓡:k'?瑔p/，chalk-UP　記錄得分、取得成績
      解讀：名詞chalk解作粉筆，而動詞chalk則指用粉筆寫，也可說chalk up，例如chalk up today's menu on the blackboard是把是日餐單用粉筆寫在黑板上；chalk up因而引申指在黑板上記錄得分，以至取得成績。
      3. fracture (n)　/'fr?紓kt?瓿?瑆/，FRACK-cha　折斷、骨折
      解讀：fracture可指各種材料折斷，但很多時候專指骨折；文中的stress fracture是由於經常承受壓力（stress）而造成骨折，中文可叫壓力性骨折或應力性骨折；另一種常見骨折是fatigue fracture，叫疲勞骨折，顧名思義，就是因疲勞而造成骨折。