Sports like figure skating,ice hockey,speed skating,and ski jumping have been part of Olympic history since the first Winter Olympics were hosted in France,in 1924.But the origins of many Olympic sports stretch back even further.
ωThe ancient origins of skiing
Skiing has been around since early civilization,evidenced by a 5,000-year-old rock carving showing men on skis in Norway,and the discovery of a ski dating back to 6000 B.C.found in Russia.Modern skiing can be traced back to the Scandinavians,who primarily used skis as a means of travel or for other practical purposes.Some of the first official competitions began around 1850 in Norway,with the first recorded race in Sweden held outside Stockholm in 1879.
The British are the ones who transformed skiing from its Scandinavian roots into the highly competitive sport it is now.Alpine skiing or downhill skiing is the most popular form of skiing,and it first appeared in the Winter Olympics in 1936.
ωThe development of snowboarding
Snowboarding originated as a backyard activity known as snurfing—invented by a father to entertain children.
In 1965,Sherman Poppen of Muskegon,Michigan,was looking for something his children could use as a sled.He tied together two skis—creating a toy he named "Snurfer".Less than a year,the toy exploded into a national craze.
Although an annual championship in Muskegon was sponsored by the makers of the Snurfer,competitors began to create their own boards.Because Poppen had trademarked the term Snurfer,they began to call the sport snowboarding instead.By 1985,snurfing fell out of fashion,but snowboarding had caught on worldwide.It finally became an official Olympic sport for the 1998 Games.
ωThe earliest evidence of curling
The predecessor (前身) of curling is a Scottish game in the 16
th century played on frozen lakes and ponds,using smooth stones from riverbeds.
Centuries later,the first curling club was founded in Scotland and received the approval of Queen Victoria in 1843.In the sport,players slide the stones toward a target—earning more points the closer the stone lands to the center.By the 20
th century,curling was so widespread that it was one of the few sports played in the first Olympic Games in 1924.
(1)The first recorded skiing race was held in
A
A
.
A.Sweden
B.Russia
C.Britain
D.Norway
(2)What can be learned about snowboarding from this passage?
B
B
A.It became well known before 1965.
B.It originated from the toy "Snurfer".
C.It was invented as a means of travel.
D.It was named by the inventor Poppen.
(3)Which sports appeared in the first Olympic Games in 1924?
C
C
A.Snurfing and ice hockey.
B.Skating and Alpine skiing.
C.Figure skating and curling.
D.Snowboarding and ski jumping.