Jun 22, 2026, 16:56

Jason Collins Wins Courage Award

Jason Collins 贏得勇氣獎

Introduction

The ESPYS will give the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage to Jason Collins on July 15.

ESPYS 將於 7 月 15 日將亞瑟·艾許勇氣獎頒給 Jason Collins。

Main Body

Jason Collins was a professional basketball player. In 2013, he told the world he was gay. He was the first active player in his league to do this. He helped other gay people in sports.

Jason Collins 曾是一位職業籃球員。2013 年，他向世界宣布自己是同性戀。他是該聯盟中第一位這樣做的現役球員。他幫助了許多體育界中的同性戀者。

Jason also had a brain tumor. He told people about his illness to help them understand it. He died on May 12. He was 47 years old.

Jason 之前還患有腦瘤。他向大眾說明自己的病情，以幫助人們了解。他在 5 月 12 日去世，享年 47 歲。

This award is for people who are brave. Jason's brother, Jarron Collins, will take the award for him. Other famous athletes won this award before.

這個獎項是頒給勇敢的人。Jason 的弟弟 Jarron Collins 將代表他領獎。之前也有其他著名運動員贏得過這個獎項。

Conclusion

New York will honor Jason Collins for his bravery at the ESPYS event.

紐約將在 ESPYS 活動中表彰 Jason Collins 的勇敢。

Vocabulary Learning

🕰️ Talking about the Past

In this story, we see the word was many times. We use it to talk about a person's state or job in the past.

The Pattern: Person + was + Description/Job

Examples from the text:

Jason Collins was a professional basketball player.
He was the first active player.
He was 47 years old.

🛠️ Action Words in the Past

To tell a story, we change the action word (verb) to show it already happened. Usually, we just add -ed to the end.

How it works:

Help → Helped
Win → Won (This one is a special 'rebel' word!)

Quick Guide: Today $\rightarrow$ Yesterday

I help $\rightarrow$ I helped
I play $\rightarrow$ I played
I win $\rightarrow$ I won

Vocabulary Learning

courage (n.)

The ability to do something brave

Example:It takes a lot of courage to speak in front of many people.

professional (adj.)

Doing something as a job to earn money

Example:She is a professional tennis player.

active (adj.)

Currently doing a job or taking part in a sport

Example:He is still an active member of the club.

tumor (n.)

A group of abnormal cells in the body

Example:The doctor found a small tumor in the patient's brain.

illness (n.)

A state of being sick

Example:He missed school because of a sudden illness.

brave (adj.)

Not afraid of dangerous or difficult things

Example:The brave firefighter saved the cat from the tree.

athletes (n.)

People who are very good at sports

Example:Many athletes train for many hours every day.

honor (v.)

To show great respect for someone

Example:The city will honor the hero with a special parade.

bravery (n.)

The quality of being brave

Example:The soldier was given a medal for his bravery.

Jason Collins to Receive Posthumous Arthur Ashe Award for Courage

Jason Collins 將獲頒亞瑟·艾許勇氣獎（追贈）

Introduction

The ESPYS have announced that Jason Collins will be honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage during the ceremony on July 15.

ESPYS 已宣布，Jason Collins 將在 7 月 15 日的頒獎典禮上獲頒亞瑟·艾許勇氣獎。

Main Body

This honor recognizes Jason Collins' efforts to increase LGBTQ+ visibility in professional sports. In 2013, he became the first active player in a North American men's professional sports league to come out as gay. Although he was a free agent at the time, he later signed a short contract with the Brooklyn Nets. After retiring from professional basketball, he continued to work as an advocate for gay rights, helping to make sports more inclusive for everyone.

這項榮譽旨在認可 Jason Collins 在提升職業體育界 LGBTQ+ 能見度方面所做的努力。2013 年，他成為北美男子職業體育聯賽中首位公開出櫃的現役球員。雖然當時他是自由球員，但隨後他與布魯克林網隊簽署了一份短期合約。在從職業籃球退役後，他繼續擔任同志權益的倡導者，致力於讓體育界對每個人都更加包容。

In addition to his sports career, Collins showed great strength during his final months. In December, he publicly shared that he had been diagnosed with a brain tumor to help others understand the disease. He passed away on May 12 at the age of 47. The Arthur Ashe Award is given to people who show courage during difficult times, similar to how Arthur Ashe fought against apartheid. Because Jason cannot attend, his twin brother, Jarron Collins, will accept the award. Other previous winners include famous athletes and survivor groups, highlighting the award's focus on positive social change.

除了體育生涯外，Collins 在生命最後幾個月展現了極大的堅強。12 月，他公開分享自己被診斷出腦瘤，以幫助他人了解這種疾病。他於 5 月 12 日逝世，享年 47 歲。亞瑟·艾許勇氣獎頒發給在困難時期展現勇氣的人，正如亞瑟·艾許當年對抗種族隔離制度一般。由於 Jason 無法出席，他的雙胞胎哥哥 Jarron Collins 將代表領獎。其他過往得獎者包括著名運動員與倖存者團體，凸顯了該獎項對正面社會變革的關注。

Conclusion

Jason Collins will be remembered for his bravery and advocacy at the upcoming ESPYS event in New York.

在即將於紐約舉行的 ESPYS 活動中，人們將會銘記 Jason Collins 的勇敢及其倡導精神。

Vocabulary Learning

⚡ The 'Power-Up' Shift: From Simple to Sophisticated

At an A2 level, you describe things using simple sentences: "He was brave. He helped people." To reach B2, you need to connect these ideas using Complex Connectors and Abstract Nouns. This transforms your speech from a 'list of facts' into a 'story with meaning'.

🧩 The 'Bridge' Logic

Look at how the text connects an action to a result. Instead of saying "He was gay and he told people, so sports became better," the text uses:

*"...efforts to increase LGBTQ+ visibility... helping to make sports more inclusive."

The B2 Secret: Notice the words Visibility and Inclusive. These aren't just adjectives; they are concepts.

🛠️ Level-Up Your Vocabulary

Stop using "good" or "hard." Start using these 'Bridge Words' found in the text:

A2 (Basic)	B2 (Bridge)	Why it's better
Hard times	Difficult times	More formal and precise
Help	Advocacy	Describes professional/social support
Show	Highlighting	Focuses the reader's attention
Big change	Social change	Defines what kind of change

💡 Grammar Hack: The "Although" Pivot

B2 speakers don't just use "but." They use concession clauses to show contrast.

A2 Style: He was a free agent, but he signed a contract. $\rightarrow$ (Simple contrast)
B2 Style: Although he was a free agent at the time, he later signed a short contract... $\rightarrow$ (Sophisticated flow)

Try this logic: Start your sentence with "Although [Fact A], [Fact B] happened." It instantly makes you sound more fluent and academic.

Vocabulary Learning

posthumous (adj.)

Occurring, awarded, or appearing after the death of the originator

Example:The soldier received a posthumous award for his bravery during the war.

visibility (n.)

The state of being visible or prominent in a particular area or society

Example:The campaign aimed to increase the visibility of women in science and technology.

advocate (n.)

A person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy

Example:As a lifelong advocate for animal rights, she spent years working at the shelter.

inclusive (adj.)

Including all the services or people involved, especially those who are typically excluded

Example:The company is striving to create a more inclusive environment for employees of all backgrounds.

apartheid (n.)

A policy of systemic racial segregation and discrimination

Example:Nelson Mandela spent decades fighting to end apartheid in South Africa.

advocacy (n.)

The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause or a policy

Example:Her advocacy for mental health awareness helped change the local laws.

Posthumous Conferral of the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage upon Jason Collins

Jason Collins 追贈亞瑟·艾許勇氣獎

Introduction

The ESPYS have announced that Jason Collins will be posthumously granted the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage during the July 15 ceremony.

ESPYS 宣布，將在 7 月 15 日的典禮上追贈亞瑟·艾許勇氣獎給 Jason Collins。

Main Body

The bestowal of this honor pertains to the contributions of Jason Collins toward the enhancement of LGBTQ+ visibility within professional athletics. As the inaugural openly gay active player in a North American men's professional sports league, Collins' 2013 disclosure occurred during his tenure as a free agent, subsequently leading to a brief engagement with the Brooklyn Nets. Following his professional retirement, he maintained a role as an advocate for gay rights, facilitating a systemic shift toward inclusion.

頒發此項榮譽是基於 Jason Collins 對提升職業體育界 LGBTQ+ 能見度的貢獻。作為北美職業男子體育聯盟首位公開出櫃的現役球員，Collins 在 2013 年擔任自由球員期間公開身份，隨後短暫加盟布魯克林網隊。在職業生涯退休後，他持續擔任同志權利倡導者，推動系統性地向包容文化轉型。

Parallel to his athletic legacy, the recent period of Collins' life was characterized by a public disclosure of a brain tumor diagnosis in December, an act intended to augment societal understanding of the pathology. His subsequent decease occurred on May 12 at the age of 47. The Arthur Ashe Award, established to recognize individuals who exhibit fortitude in the face of adversity—mirroring Arthur Ashe's own opposition to apartheid and his transparency regarding his AIDS diagnosis—will be accepted by the recipient's twin brother, Jarron Collins. Previous laureates of this distinction include various high-profile athletes and survivor groups, underscoring the award's focus on extra-athletic societal impact.

與其體育遺產並行的是，Collins 生命的近期階段在 12 月公開披露了腦瘤診斷，此舉旨在增加社會對該病理的了解。他隨後於 5 月 12 日去世，享年 47 歲。亞瑟·艾許勇氣獎旨在表彰在逆境中展現堅韌精神的人——鏡像亞瑟·艾許本人反對種族隔離以及對其愛滋病診斷的透明度——該獎項將由獲獎者的雙胞胎兄弟 Jarron Collins 代領。此項殊榮之前的獲獎者包括多位知名運動員和倖存者團體，凸顯了該獎項對體育之外社會影響力的關注。

Conclusion

Jason Collins will be honored for his advocacy and courage at the upcoming ESPYS event in New York.

Jason Collins 將在紐約舉行的 ESPYS 活動中，因其倡導與勇氣而獲得表彰。

Vocabulary Learning

The Architecture of Nominalization: Engineering 'High-Register' Gravitas

To move from B2 to C2, a student must shift from narrating events to constructing concepts. The provided text is a masterclass in Nominalization—the process of turning verbs (actions) and adjectives (qualities) into nouns. This is the primary linguistic engine used in legal, academic, and high-ceremonial English to create an air of objectivity and formality.

⚡ The Morphological Shift

Observe how the text avoids simple verbs in favor of heavy noun phrases:

B2 Level (Action-oriented): "The ESPYS announced they will give the award to Jason Collins after he died." $\rightarrow$ C2 Level (Concept-oriented): "Posthumous Conferral of the Arthur Ashe Award..."
B2 Level: "He told everyone he was gay in 2013." $\rightarrow$ C2 Level: "Collins' 2013 disclosure occurred..."
B2 Level: "He died on May 12." $\rightarrow$ C2 Level: "His subsequent decease occurred..."

🔍 Scholarly Breakdown: Why This Matters

Nominalization achieves three critical C2-level objectives:

Information Density: By turning disclose (verb) into disclosure (noun), the writer can then attach modifiers to it (e.g., "public disclosure"), packing more meaning into a single phrase.
Emotional Distancing: Using "decease" instead of "died" creates a professional, clinical distance, which is the hallmark of official commendations and obituaries.
Syntactic Flexibility: Once an action becomes a noun, it can function as the subject of a complex sentence. Example: "The bestowal of this honor pertains to..." Here, the act of giving is the subject, allowing the sentence to focus on the reason rather than the person.

🛠 Precision Lexicon: The 'Academic' Substitutes

To replicate this style, replace common verbs with their Latinate noun counterparts:

Common Verb	C2 Nominalization	Textual Application
To give / grant	Bestowal / Conferral	"The bestowal of this honor..."
To make better	Enhancement	"...enhancement of LGBTQ+ visibility"
To increase	Augmentation	"...intended to augment [augmenting] societal understanding"
To be open	Transparency	"...his transparency regarding his AIDS diagnosis"

Vocabulary Learning

posthumously (adv.)

Occurring, awarded, or appearing after the death of the originator.

Example:The author was posthumously awarded the Nobel Prize for her unfinished manuscript.

bestowal (n.)

The act of presenting an honor, gift, or right to someone.

Example:The bestowal of the knighthood was a moment of immense pride for the scientist.

pertains (v.)

To be appropriate, applicable, or related to a specific matter.

Example:The new regulation pertains specifically to the handling of hazardous waste.

inaugural (adj.)

Marking the beginning of an institution, activity, or period; the first of a series.

Example:The president gave an inspiring inaugural address to the nation.

augment (v.)

To make something greater by adding to it; to increase.

Example:He took a part-time job to augment his monthly income.

pathology (n.)

The science of the causes and effects of diseases, especially the manifestations of a disease in tissues.

Example:The medical team studied the pathology of the virus to develop a more effective vaccine.

fortitude (n.)

Courage in pain or adversity.

Example:She faced her illness with remarkable fortitude and grace.

laureates (n.)

People who have been honored with an award for their outstanding achievement in a particular field.

Example:The Nobel laureates gathered in Stockholm for the annual ceremony.

Practice All words in a crossword→