網壇前球王阿格西日前接受雜誌專訪，談論網球生涯。這位和前球王山普拉斯共同宰制九○年代男子網壇，也是史上第一位男子單打金滿貫（四大滿貫與奧運金牌）得主卻說，「我恨網球」。他的父親從他還包著尿布就對他進行魔鬼訓練，他登上球王後卻對人生迷惘，世界排名一度跌出百名外，但兩年後又傳奇地從谷底攀升，再度稱王。阿格西心中是如何看待這一切呢？來瞧瞧吧。
At first it was a lack of alternatives. As a child, I knew nothing but success would be accepted. Or, if I didn’t succeed, it would take a toll on our family. So I put my head down and did the best I could. I thought that getting to number one was going to be the moment I made sense of my life. But it left me a little empty, and I spiraled down until something had to change….that journey from rock bottom to the summit a second time was a great accomplishment for me. It was all authentic.
一開始是因為沒有其他選擇。還是孩子的時候，除了成功能被接受以外，我什麼都不懂。或者說，如果不成功，我的家庭將付出代價，所以我埋頭苦幹做到最好。我以為成為世界第一會使我明白人生的意義，但我卻感到空虛，於是逐漸沉淪直到不得不改變⋯⋯，但那趟從谷底再度攀上巔峰，對我來說是了不起的成就。這一切都非常真實。
take a toll 對某人／某事產生不好的影響，使某人付出代價等
例句：Long hours of work takes a toll on our health.
長時間工作使我們的身體付出代價。
put one's head down 埋頭苦幹，或指努力寫文章
例句：To turn in the article on time, I need to put me head down now!
為了準時交稿，我現在就必須埋頭寫文章！
authentic (a.) /ɔˋθɛntɪk/ 真實的、可信的
例句：Everyone knows China’s economic statistics are not authentic.
每個人都知道中國的經濟數據不可信。
