When a 27-year old woman gave birth just hours after completing the Chicago (n.芝加哥) marathon (n.馬拉松) on Sunday, her labor (n.分娩、生孩子) and delivery (n.分娩、生孩子) made national news.
      Some of the coverage (n.新聞報道) simply reported the birth of a healthy, 7 pound 9 ounce (n.安士) girl to the mother Amber Miller (n.米勒), who was almost 39 weeks pregnant (adj.懷孕的) when she ran her eighth marathon over the weekend. Many of the stories marveled (v.大為讚歎) at her athleticism (n.體格健壯) and perseverance (n.不屈不撓).
      But the accomplishment (n.成就) also led many people to ask: Is that safe?
      The American (adj.美國的) Congress (n.大會) of Obstetricians (n.產科醫生) and Gynecologists (n.婦科醫生) advises at least 30 minutes of exercise on most, if not all, days of the week. Among other benefits, physical activity can reduce backaches and constipation (n.便秘), improve mood (n.情緒), energy and sleep, and help women endure (v.忍受) and recover better from labor.
      So (conj.那麼), how far is too far?
      While not a professional (adj.專業的) runner, Miller held way (adv.很遠地) back (v.抑制) for her recent marathon. She finished it in six and a half hours instead of her usual three and a half. And she walked about half of it.
      (Discovery News, October 11)
      一名二十七歲女子，星期日跑畢芝加哥馬拉松僅數小時後便誕下嬰孩，她的分娩與生產成為了全國新聞。
      有些新聞報道只是簡單說，母親米勒周末第八次參加馬拉松時差不多三十九周身孕，誕下了一個重七磅九盎司的健康女嬰。
      很多報道則對她的健壯體格和不屈不撓精神大為讚歎。
      但這項成就也令很多人問：這樣是否安全？
　　美國婦產科醫生大會建議每星期大部分日子甚至每天運動至少三十分鐘。體力運動的益處很多，包括減少背痛與便秘，改善情緒、精力、睡眠，並令婦女更能忍受分娩過程，其後也更快復元。
      那麼，做多少才算過多呢？
　　米勒並非專業賽跑選手，她在最近這次馬拉松中遠遠未盡全力。她平時只需三個半小時便跑畢全程，今次卻用了六個半小時，而且一半路程是步行。
     （美國《探索新聞》，十月十一日）
      文︰范斌

      閱讀指引
      1. labor (n)　/'le?笈b?瑆/，LAY-ba　分娩、生孩子
      解讀：美式拼法的labor或英式拼法的labour固然可解作勞動、勞力，但也可專指分娩、生孩子，本文便是這個意思；文中的labor and delivery，當中的delivery固然可解作傳送、提供，但同樣可指分娩、生孩子，與labor意思很相近。
      2. athleticism (n)　/?紓?畷'let?笈s?笈z?瑆m/，
      ath-LET-ti-si-zm　體格健壯、健美
      解讀：形容詞athletic解作體育運動的，有時專指田徑運動的，例如athletic competition是體育競賽，athletic meeting是體育／田徑／陸運會；athletic也可形容詞一個人是體格健壯的、健美的，名詞便是athleticism。
      3. perseverance (n)　/ p?捵:s?笈'v?笈?瑆r?瑆ns/，
      per-si-VEER-runs　不屈不撓、堅持不懈
      解讀：動詞persevere（讀作per-si-VEER）解作不屈不撓、堅持不懈，例如︰Despite all the obstacles, we must persevere（儘管困難重重，我們必須堅持不懈）；名詞便是perseverance，意思相若。