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The Joy of Sliding: Inline Skating 直排轮飙上路

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

The first known inventor of inline skates was a British instrument maker named Joseph Merlin. In 1760, he made a pair of wheeled boots for a masquerade party, but ended up crashing into a mirror while making his grand entrance. Despite this striking beginning, inline skates fared less well than roller skates, which blossomed as a popular fad through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

第一位众所周知的直排轮鞋发明人是英国籍的乐器师傅名叫约瑟夫默林。他在1760年为了一场化妆舞会制做了一双有轮子的靴子，可惜在风风光光进场的当时，撞到一面镜子而告失败结束。纵然有这样声势浩大的开端，直排轮鞋并没有像传统的四轮溜冰鞋那样大红大紫。传统轮鞋在19和20世纪时大放异彩、深受溜冰迷的欢迎。

In 1979, Scott Olson – a Minnesota hockey player – stumbled upon an antique pair of roller skates with wheel inline, rather than the traditional “quad” design of two wheels under the toe and two under the heel. In 1983, Olson began aggressively promoting his updated inline skate under the name “Rollerblade.” Rollerblades quickly prevailed over “quad” skates because they allow greater maneuverability, stability, and speed.

1979年时，史考特奥森──一位明尼苏达州曲棍球员──无意间找到一双古董直排轮鞋，它的四个轮子不像传统轮鞋那样，传统轮鞋是两个轮子在脚趾下两个轮子在脚跟下。在1983年，奥森开始积极地促销他改良过，以「Rollerblade」为名的直排轮鞋。很快地新直排轮鞋受欢迎的程度超过了传统四方轮鞋，因为它们的操控性、稳定性、和速度都比较好。

Many discovered that inline skates were a fast, convenient way to get around their neighborhood, while “extreme” skaters began performing death-defying stunts, much like skateboarders. Ice hockey players began playing roller hockey in the summer, thus introducing hockey to a whole new audience. These days, there’re men’s and women’s semi-professional roller hockey leagues, and televised extreme skating – trends now spreading through Europe and Asia as well. Inline skating has come a long way since Merlin smash debut!

很多人发现直排轮鞋因为快速又方便，是在邻近活动的好工具，而喜好极限运动的溜冰者则学习滑板玩家，开始从事性命攸关的惊人轮鞋特技。而冰上曲棍球球员开始在夏季玩直排轮曲棍球，因此把曲棍球带入了新阶段，介绍给一批全新的观众群。如今已经有男子与女子的半职业性直排轮曲棍球联盟，以及电视转播的极限直排轮特技表演──这些流行趋势现在也传到了欧洲和亚洲。打从默林一开始的轰动出场到如今，直排轮已经一路走来站稳了自己的脚步。

Vocabulary

课文讲解

masquerade [͵mæskəˋred] n. 假面舞会；化装舞会

blossom [ˋblɑsəm] v. 发展，繁荣

fad [fæd] n. 一时的流行；一时的风尚

stumble [ˋstʌmb!] v. 偶然碰见，碰巧发现[（+on/upon/across）]  discover, find

quad [kwɑd] n. 同类四个构成的一组

prevail [prɪˋvel] v. 胜过，战胜[（+over/against）]

maneuverability [mə͵nuvərəˋbɪlətɪ] adj. 可操作性, 机动性

get around 可以四处走动 to travel from place to place

death-defying 不畏死亡的; 视死如归的 does not fear death like a warrior

stunt [stʌnt] n. 惊人的表演，绝技；惊险动作

skateboarder [ˋsket͵bɔrdɚ] n. 参加滑板运动的人

have come a long way 大有进步 to make a lot of progress and improvement

Sentence of the Day

The popularity of inline skating is going full steam ahead in Asia.

直排轮在亚洲的人气已越来越旺了。

full steam ahead 开足马力地, 尽力地

课文讲解

Tina and Ben are two friends about to go inline skating. It’s Ben’s first time: 蒂娜和班是朋友，两人要结伴去溜直排轮。这是班第一次溜直排轮。

B: OK, so I make sure the boots fit nice and tight, right?

好，我要确定这轮鞋很舒服、很合脚，对吧？

T: Exactly. Since skate companies started using buckles instead of laces in the early nineties, it’s gotten much easier to make skates snug and stable.

正是如此。自从九十年代初期轮鞋制造商开始采用扣子、不再用鞋带以后，轮鞋很容易就既舒服又平稳。

B: I’ve got my pad and a helmet. What about wrist guards?

我有自己的护膝和安全帽。那护腕呢？

T: For sure! Wrist guards will prevent you from hurting your wrist if you break a fall with your hands.

当然！护腕能保护你，让你一旦跌倒时，如果用手支撑的话，手腕就不会受伤。

B: Could you explain this brake again?

妳能不能把这个煞车再解释一遍？

T: Sure. Just straighten your leg and the brake engages.

好，你只要把腿打直，就能停下来了。

B: This system seems a lot safer than the old “tilt your heel back” brakes. So, where are you taking me anyways?

这套系统似乎比以前那种「踮脚尖式」的煞车系统安全多了。不过，妳打算把我带到哪儿去？

T: I thought we could check out the skateboard ramp near here.

我想我们可以去附近玩滑板的斜坡看看。

B: You gonna show me how to get air?

妳要示范教我如何腾空吗？

T: Uh, no. There’s a nice empty parking lot next to the ramp.

哦，不是。那个斜坡附近有个很不错的空旷停车场。

B: When I get used to this stopping thing, can we go on the ramp?

一旦我学会了怎么使用这个煞车，我们能不能去那个斜坡道试试身手？

T: Not yet. Instead, how about we go to a group skate downtown this Saturday? In cities like New York and Paris, thousands of skaters get together every week to get some exercise and socialize.

稍安勿躁。要不然，这星六我们去城里参加团体溜冰怎么样？像纽约和巴黎这些大城市，每周都有几千位聚集在一起练习溜冰，又能互相认识。

B: That sounds cool! Now, let’s go blading.

真酷！现在我们开始溜直排轮吧。

－by Lyle Wagner

Vocabulary

课文讲解

buckle [ˋbʌk!] n. 带扣；扣子

lace [les] n. 鞋带；带子

snug [snʌg] adj. 舒适的;（衣服等）紧贴合身的

helmet [ˋhɛlmɪt] n. 头盔

guard [gɑrd] n. 防护物; 护具

engage [ɪnˋgedʒ] v. 啮合，接合; 从事，忙于

tilt [tɪlt] v. 倾斜；翘起

ramp [ræmp] n. 斜坡；坡道

blade [bled] v. (用直排轮鞋)溜冰

Sentence of the Day

Inline skates should fit as snug as a bug in a rug.

直排轮鞋应该要合脚，很舒服。

as snug as a bug in a rug【口】【谑】非常舒适, 十分安逸