Michael Jordan: From Childhood Hardship to NBA Defensive Legend

Learning English is not just about mastering grammar and vocabulary, but more importantly about using it naturally in real-life situations. However, the sentences in textbooks are often too formal, quite different from actual everyday expressions. To speak authentic and natural English, you need exposure to real conversational contexts. Here, we have selected high-frequency daily English expressions covering socializing, work, travel, and other scenarios, helping you break free from 'textbook English' and learn how native speakers really talk. Here is this episode of 'Episode 6, Part 57: Fly with Me.' Keep accumulating, and let your English become closer to life!

Welcome to Crazy Face. Come and fly with me, a story of NBA superstar Michael Jordan. I can never stop working hard. Each day I feel I have to improve. Hard work, determination, I've got to keep pushing myself. I remember when I was five years old, talking in trash cans on my knees, waiting for that day I would be able to really do it. And then one day it happened. I was in the ninth grade. It was a JV game and I was only five-foot-eight. I mean, in practice I'd never been able to get up there. But the adrenaline was pumping, and I just took off. It all went so fast. I was amazed at what I'd done. But you know, I just really loved that feeling. Hi, my name is Michael Jordan. I want you to take a trip with me and discover the secrets I've known for many years. The man was truly destined to fly. A young man with dreams of greatness in the baseball era. Possessing the burning desire that would get him there. These are visions of what might have been. But reality has never looked so good. Yesterday's Little League hero has become today's most captivating asset. His elegance on the court has transformed the game into a powerful one. A relentless competitor who fears no one. He overwhelmed the opposition, patrolling the airways with reckless advantage. He is an unyielding defender with uncanny answers. Thriving in adversity, he will always find a way. And while strength is usually measured in numbers, his comes from within. That was a special moment for me, because I can go back to his childhood days. He always said to me, 'One day I'll be a champion.' And I said, 'Yeah, sure.' And then to win the gold medal—it was so thrilling. It was one of my spaceship moments. I will always remember, when he put it around my neck, that was a special bond that will stay with me forever. No one can take that away from me. It was in this house in Wilmington, North Carolina, where Michael's parents instilled in him the values of hard work. But it was his daily battles in the backyard with his older brother Larry that fueled his competitive drive. We used to play all the time. We would play every day. I would normally beat him. The thing that always drove Michael crazy was that Larry beat up on him so much. I think he really became competitive playing against his own brother. He really helped me develop some determination in myself to beat him. If I could beat him, I thought I could beat anybody. And finally, when I started to grow and my skills began to catch up with my height, I started to beat him consistently. Not solely a scoring machine, Michael also dominates defensively, bringing a cerebral approach to shutting down his opponent. First, I'd turn the high hand over the ball. If he has great ball-handling skills, it's more difficult for me to steal the ball from him. But if he doesn't, there are different ways—I can check him one way and reach around him, or just go straight ahead for the steal. But if he handles the ball very well, then we have to sneak up on him. Initially famous for his offensive brilliance, in a sense Michael did sneak up on the NBA defensively. But in 1988, his tenacious play earned him Defensive Player of the Year honors and the recognition he so richly deserved. To say Michael Jordan doesn't play defense is ridiculous. Interestingly enough, great players never want to be seen as one-dimensional. One thing that always bothered Michael was that he got no credit for his defense. Well, it's been a goal of mine to really get that defensive recognition. Right now, I'm still getting most of the recognition on the offensive end because I score so many points. But the defensive end is where I really want some recognition because it takes a little bit of pressure off that all-offense image. I don't want to be remembered as just someone who shoots and scores. That's not the image I want. Throughout his life, Michael Jordan has met all obstacles head-on. One can only imagine what challenges he has yet to conquer. This is something to keep in mind as we look forward to more spectacular moments from the world's most breathtaking athlete.

The above is the content of Episode 6, Part 57: Fly with Me, organized by Qicaiwang. I hope it helps you!