常春藤生活英语【143】Four Wheels and a Board 滑板——冲浪者的突发奇想

Four Wheels and a Board 滑板——冲浪者的突发奇想

In the 1950s, surfing had taken off in America. But there was one problem with waiting for the perfect wave—sometimes it just wouldn't come. On days when the ocean was flat, surfers still longed for the feeling of riding on top of the water. Eventually, a surfer took the wheels off of a pair of roller skates and attached four of them to his surfboard. While it wasn't perfect, this was the beginning of what would later be known as skateboarding.

By the 1960s, makers were producing skateboards and sold 50 million of them in just three years. Soon, some experts claimed that skateboards were unsafe, which caused sales to slow. In the 1970s, though, with the invention of a kick tail and new material for the wheels, skateboarding started becoming popular again. Skate parks were constructed and many new tricks were developed during this time. However, it wasn't until the 1980s and 1990s that skateboarding became a mainstream sport. Skaters were doing amazing tricks in big competitions that were attended by thousands of people. Skateboarding is now a sport that captures people's attention worldwide, all thanks to the cleverness of one surfer who got tired of waiting for waves. 

Building Your Vocabulary  

1. attach　vt. 连接，固定；附上
You must attach a picture to your resume.
你必须要在你的履历表上附上一张照片。
2. material　n. 材料，原料
The material for building the house is wood.
这栋房子的建筑材料是木头。
3. construct　vt. 建造，构筑
Taipei 101 was constructed starting in 1999.
台北101大楼于1999年开始兴建。
4. competition　n. 竞赛；竞争
There is fierce competition between those two companies.
那两家公司之间的竞争很激烈。
5. attend　vt. 参加，出席
Why didn't David attend the meeting today?
为什么戴维没有出席今天的会议？ 

Phrases for Learning  
 
1. take off　　开始流行∕成功
I have heard that their business has taken off since they changed managers.
我听说自从换了经理之后，他们的生意便开始兴隆起来。
2. long for...　　渴望……
The worker longs for a higher salary.
那名员工渴望拥有一份更高的薪水。
3. capture + 所有格 + attention　　吸引某人注意
Ann's lovely smile captured Tim's attention.
小安甜美的笑容吸引了提姆的注意。 
 
Extra Words  

1. surf　vi. 冲浪
surfer　n. 玩冲浪的人
surfboard　n. 冲浪板
2. roller skate　n. 四轮溜冰鞋
3. skateboarding　n. 滑板（运动）
skateboard　n. 滑板
4. kick tail　n. 滑板两端扬起的部分
5. mainstream　n. 主流（本文中作形容词用）

Tips In Use  

While it wasn't perfect, this was the beginning of...
（虽然他的成品称不上完美，但这就是……的雏形。）
以下为您介绍 while 作连接词用时的三种用法：
1. while 表『虽然』时为副词连接词，等于 though 或 although，其引导的副词子句通常置于句首，其后加逗点，再接主要子句。本句即为此用法。
2. while 表『当……时』时为副词连接词，其所引导的副词子句可置于主要子句之前或之后，通常用来表示持续的动作或状态。
Your mother called while you were taking a shower.
（你在淋浴的时候你妈曾打电话过来。）
3. while 表『（然）而』时为对等连接词，引导的主要子句通常置于另一主要子句之后，其前加逗点，即等于 whereas 或 but。
Max is good at cooking, while his wife doesn't cook at all.
（麦斯很会做菜，然而他太太却从不下厨。）

中文翻译  

冲浪在1950年代开始盛行于美国。不过在等待着完美的海浪打来之时却有一个问题－－有时候它就是怎样也不出现。在海面风平浪静的日子里，喜爱冲浪的人们仍渴望着驾驭浪头的快感。最后终于有一个冲浪者把一双溜冰鞋的轮子拆下来，再把其中四个固定在他的冲浪板上。虽然他的成品称不上完美，但这就是尔后为人们所熟知的滑板运动的雏形。

到了1960年代，各家厂商纷纷制造了大量的滑板，甚至在三年内就卖出了五千万个。不久之后，一些专家声称滑板不甚安全，结果造成销售下滑。不过在 1970年代，因为kick tail及轮子新材质的发明，滑板运动又开始流行起来。于是在这段期间内，很多滑板公园就此兴建，不少新花招也纷纷出笼。然而一直到1980和1990年代，滑板运动才成为一项主流运动。滑板选手在参加数千人围观的大型比赛中，不断秀出令人叹为观止的各种惊人技巧。如今滑板运动俨然成为一项吸引全球注目的『潮』运动，这都得归功于一位冲浪者在厌烦等浪之际时的机智巧思。 

本课程选自常春藤免费电子刊物。若对您英语学习有所帮助，请支持购买常春藤英语相关正版教材。