写在前面
2020年1月27日，早上一觉醒来习惯性地刷朋友圈，突然被一条消息震惊，科比的直升机在那个最熟悉的凌晨四点意外坠机，简直不敢相信自己的眼睛，然后多方核实后才意识到，这是真的，瞬间眼睛湿了，那个坚强的曼巴真的走了。
一直以来，特别欣赏科比对篮球的热爱、对胜利的渴望、对成功的执着、对自己的严厉、对伤痛的无惧，还有很多。所以，我把科比的这本英文自传《The MambaMentality》找出来又读了遍，试图回忆凌晨四点的曼巴，找回我们青春的记忆。
我会从这本书里找几篇文章来分享，让更多的人认识真实的科比，让曼巴精神一直在我们的血液里流淌，用这种方式来表达我对他的热爱。如果你也喜欢科比，可以一起来读，我会顺便把一些单词、短语做好笔记，帮助理解。
文章原文及笔记
书名：《TheMamba Mentality》
mamba:a verypoisonous snake that lives mainly in caves or trees in parts of Africa.
mentality:aperson's particular way of thinking about things.
FOREWORD
IN FEBRUARY OF2008, MY LIFE CHANGED.
foreword:a shortpiece of writing at the beginning of a book, sometimes praise by a famousperson or someone who is not the writer，这篇是队友保罗·加索尔给科比写的序言。
It was apivotalmoment in my career as a basketball player,but also in my life away from the sport. Mypathalignedwith one of the greatest players to haveever played the game I love.
这段是讲科比对加索尔的影响。
pivotal:importantbecause other things depend on it.
path:a plan orseries of actions that will help you achieve something, especially over a longperiod of time.
aligned:toorganize or change something so that it has the right relationship to somethingelse.
Just a few hoursafter being told that I’d been traded from the Memphis Grizzlies to the LosAngeles Lakers, I was on a cross-country flight to L.A., as opposite a city asyou can find. The next morning, I had to go through amandatory
physical in order to finalize my trade. The Lakers were on the road andI couldn’t wait to join my new teammates, so as soon as my physical was over Igot on another plane to Washington, D.C. Kobe called me that morning, asking meto meet up once I arrived at the Ritz Carlton. It was past 1 AM when I finallygot to my room, and shortly after I heard someone knocking at my door. It wasKobe. To me, that was atremendous demonstration ofa true leader, and our meeting had a huge impact on me,instantly. The message was clear: there was no time to waste, themoment was now, let’s go get ourselves a ring. Hismindsetwasunmistakable—it was all about winning.
在加索尔被交易到湖人后，科比凌晨造访，传达曼巴精神、哲学。
mandatory:madenecessary, usually by law or by some other rule.
physical:anexamination of a person's body by a doctor in order to discover if that personis healthy, sometimes done before a person can be accepted for a particular job，这里指代球员交易前的体检。
tremendous:greatin amount, size, or degree.
demonstration:anaction that proves that someone or something has a particular ability, quality,or feeling.
instantly:immediately.
mindset:aperson's way of thinking and their opinions.
unmistakable:notlikely to be confused with something else; clearly recognized.
One of thequalities that has made Kobe so successful, and always will, is his attentionto detail. He always used to tell us: if you want to be a better player, youhave to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Hisdissectionof the game was at another level. I’m a player who watches a lot of tape, Ilike to watch my opponents’ latest game to see how they are playing at thepoint that I’m about to face them, but Kobe took it a few steps further thanthat. I remember it like it was yesterday: we were in Boston during the 2010Finals and I got a text from him. He wanted me to come to his room to show me afewclipsof how the Celtics were covering thepick-and-roll and how we should attack it for the nextgame. I know for a fact that degree of detail, both in preparation and study,was a key factor in us winning those championships and many of the successesthat Kobe achieved individually.
这段介绍了科比的特质：专注细节、充分准备、刻苦钻研、深度思考。
dissection:a detailed analysis.
clip:a short partof a film or television programme.
pick-and-roll:apick and roll is an offensive play in basketball where a teammate screens off adefender and then breaks free so the ball-carrier can pass it to them.
In my entirecareer, I’ve never seen a player asdedicatedtobeing the best. Hisdeterminationisunparalleled. Heunquestionablyworked harder than anyone else I have ever played with. Kobe knew that to bethe best you need a differentapproachfromeveryone else. I remember a time when we got together as a team to have ourannual dinner right before the playoffs. I was sitting next to him, and as wewere getting ready to leave, he told me he was going to the gym to get aworkoutin. As much as I was very aware of the amountof extra time he put in outside of our regular work hours, it always shocked mehowdisciplinedhe could be even during arelaxed situation. When everyone else was thinking it was time for bed, hismind was telling him it’s time to get ahead of the competition.
继续介绍科比的特质：坚韧不拔、努力拼搏、严于律己。
dedicated:believingthat an activity or idea is important and giving a lot of energy and time to it.
determination:theability to continue trying to do something, although it is very difficult.
unparalleled:havingno equal; better or greater than any other.
unquestionably:ina way that is obvious and impossible to doubt.
approach:a way ofconsidering or doing something.
workout:a periodof physical exercise.
disciplined:ableto carefully control the way that you work, live, or behave, especially toachieve a goal.
Over the years, alot of people have wondered how difficult it must’ve been to play with Kobe. Itreally wasn’t. All you had to do was understand where he was coming from, whathe was about, and howbadlyhe wanted to win. Hewouldchallengeplayers and coaches to match hisintensity, his desire, to bring their very bestevery single day, not just at games, but at practices, too. Kobe wanted to findout what you were made of, and if he could count on you to help him win,plain and simple. I will always be thankful to him. Hebrought the best out of me as a basketball player, and he made me a strongerperson, too. Our time was trulyinvaluable.
介绍近距离接触后认识的真实科比，以及科比督促、帮助队友成长。
badly:much orvery much.
challenge:topresent tasks to someone that need great mental or physical effort in order tobe done successfully.
intensity:thequality of being extreme in strength or force.
plain and simple:clearly, without any doubt or complexity.
invaluable:extremelyuseful.
I’m the oldestsiblingin my family and I always try to be an examplefor my two younger brothers, challenge them when I think they need to be andpraise them when they deserve it. Kobe is the closest thing to an older brotherfor me. He never hesitated to tell me things as they were, neversugarcoatedanything for me, and challenged me alongthe way so I could give my best at all times. Through the best moments, butespecially during the harder ones, ourbondonlygot stronger and we have always had each other’s backs, just as brothers would.Enjoy thismagnificentbook, which reflects someof what I’ve shared here with you, the qualities of anextraordinaryperson. I have no doubt that you will be inspired.
介绍科比与队友共同进步、相互扶持的兄弟情。
sibling:a brotheror sister.
sugarcoat:to make
something seem more positive or pleasantthan itreally is.
bond:a close andlasting relationship between people.
magnificent:very
good, beautiful, or deserving to be admired.
extraordinary:veryunusual and special; different in type or greater in degree than the usual orordinary.
—PAU GASOL,teammate 2008–2014
温馨提示
因为这本书是科比的亲笔自传，不是专门的畅销书作家写的，所以后面自述部分的文字读起来有点口语化，有些表达可能不符合我们学习的传统语法，我们在读的时候不用过多纠结这些，语言文字已经不是读这本书的重点。
我是用Kindle阅读器看的电子版，可以在亚马逊电子书商场购买，纸质版目前网上现货很少，都有点小贵。如果你有兴趣可以找来读，这本书总共200页左右，每篇文章都不长，并且附有大量精美插图，所以文字并不多，读起来会相对比较轻松，很快就能读完，读原版书能够更加直接地体会其中的内容。