常春藤解析英語 74 Parkour 飛檐走壁的跑酷

The art of running up walls 飛檐走壁的極限藝術

by David Archdall

To the untrained eye, parkour (跑酷) looks as absurd as it does dangerous. Participants, known as traceurs (練習者), throw themselves around like Spiderman without a web or like freestyle street-skateboarders without the skateboards. They literally bounce off buildings, leap across rooftops, run up walls, jump onto thin ledges, and sometimes fall seven meters to the ground, all without injuring themselves.

Parkour is _(1)_ the art of moving from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible. Any obstacles along the way must either be passed without a moment lost or used by the traceurs to _(2)_ themselves forward. Seeing someone doing parkour, you might be _(3)_ to think that there is some emergency and the traceur is fleeing.

Parkour does not _(4)_ contests or teams, and it is strictly noncompetitive. In this sense, it cannot be described as a sport. It also has a strong philosophical aspect that sets it apart _(5)_ many other physical pursuits. Dedicated traceurs take parkour _(6)_, and they even describe it as "a way of life."

David Belle, _(7)_ his friend Sébastien Foucan, started parkour in France in the late 1980s. David's father was an elite fireman who _(8)_ his son to physical training using military obstacle courses. When this obstacle-course training was combined with elements of martial arts and gymnastics and applied to the physical _(9)_ of a city, parkour was born.

Since its beginning in the _(10)_ of Paris, parkour has spread around the world, and has even turned up in Hollywood. Aside from YouTube, you can see some amazing parkour action in the James Bond film, Casino Royale.

(A) propel (B) inclined (C) essentially (D) suburbs (E) from

(F) introduced (G) involve (H) along with (I) seriously (J) surroundings

原來如此

1. Parkour is essentially the art of moving from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible.

理由:

a. 空格前有主詞 Parkour(跑酷)和 be 動詞 is，后有名詞詞組 the art of...(……的藝術)作主詞補語，可知空格內(nèi)應置入副詞修飾 is。

b. 選項中為副詞的有 (C) essentially(基本上)和 (I) seriously(嚴肅地;認真地)，惟 (C) 置入后符合語意，故選之。

c. essentially adv. 基本上

= basically adv.

例: This soundtrack is essentially adapted from Bach's works.

(這張原聲帶基本上是改編自巴哈的作品。)

2. Any obstacles along the way must either be passed without a moment lost or used by the traceurs to propel themselves forward.

理由:

a. 空格前有不定詞 to，可知空格內(nèi)應置入原形及物動詞，使其后的 themselves 作其受詞。

b. 符合上述的選項有 (A) propel(推動，推進)和 (G)　involve(包含)，惟 (A) 置入后符合語意，故選之。

c. propel vt. 推動，推進

例: The force of the wind propelled the garbage can across the lawn.

(強風把垃圾筒從草坪的一邊吹到另一邊。)

3. Seeing someone doing parkour, you might be inclined to think that there is some emergency and the traceur is fleeing.

理由:

a. 空格前有原形 be 動詞，后有不定詞 to，可知空格應置入形容詞或分詞。

b. 選項中為形容詞或分詞的有 (B) inclined(傾向的)和 (F) introduced(被介紹的)，惟 (B) 置入后符合語意，并形成下列用法：

be inclined to V　　有……傾向，往往會……

= be apt to V

= be liable to V

= be prone to V

= tend to V

例: Sally tends to work late at the office.

(莎莉經(jīng)常在辦公室加班到很晚。)

c. 根據(jù)上述，故選 (B)。

4. Parkour does not involve contests or teams, and it is strictly noncompetitive.

理由:

a. 空格前有第三人稱單數(shù)助動詞 does，后有受詞 contest or team(競賽或隊伍)，可知空格內(nèi)應置入原形及物動詞。

b. 符合上述的選項僅剩 (G)　involve(包含)，置入后亦符合語意，故選之。

c. involve vt. 包含

例: Soccer involves running and kicking.

(足球包含了跑和踢。)

5. It also has a strong philosophical aspect that sets it apart from many other physical pursuits.

理由:

a. 本空格測試下列固定用法：

set A apart from B　　使 A 不同于 B

例: What sets Mike apart from Bill is his willingness to work on a team.

(麥克有別于比爾的地方在于他樂于參與團隊工作。)

b. 根據(jù)上述，可知應選 (E)。

6. Dedicated traceurs take parkour seriously, and they even describe it as "a way of life."

理由:

a. 本空格測試下列固定用法：

take...seriously　　認真看待……

例: The couple never took their marriage seriously, so they ended up getting a divorce.

(那對夫妻從沒認真看待他倆的婚姻，因此最后以離婚收場。)

b. 根據(jù)上述，可知應選 (I)。

7. David Belle, along with his friend Sébastien Foucan, started parkour in France in the late 1980s.

理由:

a. 空格前有專有名詞 David Belle，其后亦有專有名詞 Sébastien Foucan，中間僅有逗點，可知空格內(nèi)應置入連接詞或連接詞詞組。

b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (H) along with(連同……一起)，置入后亦符合語意，故選之。

c. along with...　　連同……一起

= together with...

例: Along with Jane, Sarah will be coming to the party tonight.

(莎拉今晚會和阿珍一起來參加派對。)

8. David's father was an elite fireman who introduced his son to physical training using military obstacle courses.

理由:

a. 空格前有關系代名詞 who 作主詞，后有受詞 his son(他的兒子)，且根據(jù)本句時態(tài)，可知空格應置入過去式及物動詞。

b. 符合上述條件的僅剩 (F) introduced(介紹、引進)，置入后符合語意，并形成下列用法：

introduce sb to sth　　介紹某人認識某事物

例: My friend introduced me to this kind of hamburger.

(我的朋友讓我初次嘗到這種漢堡。)

c. 根據(jù)上述，可知 (F) 為正選。

9. When this obstacle-course training was combined with elements of martial arts and gymnastics and applied to the physical surroundings of a city, parkour was born.

理由:

a. 空格前有形容詞 physical(實體的)，后有介詞詞組 of city，可知空格內(nèi)應置入名詞。

b. 選項中為名詞的有 (D) suburbs(郊區(qū))和 (J) surroundings(環(huán)境)，惟 (J) 置入后符合語意，故選之。

physical surroundings　　實體環(huán)境

10. Since its beginning in the suburbs of Paris, parkour has spread around the world, and has even turned up in Hollywood.

理由:

a. 空格前有定冠詞 the，后有介詞詞組 of Paris，可知空格內(nèi)應置入名詞。

b. 選項中為名詞的僅剩 (D) suburbs(郊區(qū))，置入后符合語意，并形成下列用法：

in the suburbs of + 地方　　在某地的郊區(qū)

= on the outskirts of + 地方

例: Michael lives on the outskirts of Chicago.

(麥克住在芝加哥郊區(qū)。)

c. 根據(jù)上述，故選 (D)。

難句分析

To the untrained eye, parkour looks as absurd as it does dangerous.

= To the untrained eye, parkour looks as absurd as it looks dangerous.

(對于外行人而言，跑酷看起來既荒謬又危險。)

精解字詞詞組

1. to the untrained eye　　對不知情的人來說，對外行人來說

例: To the untrained eye, skydiving might seem easy.

(對外行人來說，高空跳傘也許看似簡單。)

2. literally adv. 的確;根據(jù)字面意思

例: The snake we saw was literally two meters long.

(我們看見的那條蛇確實有兩公尺長。)

3. obstacle n. 障礙(物)，妨礙(與介詞 to 并用)

be an obstacle to + N/V-ing　　是……的障礙

= be a hindrance to + N/V-ing

例: Tradition is often an obstacle to progress.

(傳統(tǒng)常常是進步的絆腳石。)

4. strictly adv. 完全地;嚴格地

Strictly speaking, S + V　　嚴格說來，……

例: Strictly speaking, black is not a color.

(嚴格來說，黑色不是種顏色。)

5. be described as...　　被描述為∕形容成……

= be depicted as...

describe A as B　　將 A 描述∕形容成 B

= depict A as B

例: In the news report, the soldier is depicted as a hero.

(在這篇新聞報導中，那名軍人被描述成英雄。)

例: The witness described the suspect as tall and thin.

(目擊者形容那名嫌犯又高又瘦。)

6. be applied to...　　被應用在……上

apply A to B　　將 A 運用到 B 上

例: Nanotechnology is applied to many aspects of our lives.

(奈米科技被應用在我們生活中的許多層面。)

例: Scientists are trying to apply solar technology to automobiles.

(科學家試圖將太陽能科技運用于汽車上。)

7. Aside from + N/V-ing, S + V

= Apart from + N/V-ing, S + V　　除了……外，還……

例: Aside from her great singing voice, Tammy has a good personality.

(除了歌聲動聽外，黛咪的個性也很好。)

單字小鋪

1. absurd a. 荒謬的，不合理的

2. participant n. 參與者

3. freestyle a. 隨性的;(游泳等)自由式的

4. street-skateboarder　　街頭滑板運動者

skateboarder n. 參加滑板運動者

5. skateboard n. 滑板

6. bounce vi. 彈起，彈回

bounce off...　　從……彈回

7. ledge n.(自墻壁突出的)壁架

8. efficiently adv. 有效率地

9. emergency n. 緊急情況

in case of (an) emergency　　緊急情況時

10. flee vi. 逃走，三態(tài)為：flee, fled , fled。

11. contest n. 競賽，比賽

12. noncompetitive a. 非競爭性的

competitive a. 競爭的，競爭性的

13. philosophical a. 哲學的

14. pursuit n. 追求;嗜好，消遣

15. dedicated a. 專注的，獻身的

16. elite n. 精英份子

17. obstacle course　　超越障礙訓練場

18. gymnastics n. 體操

詞組小鋪

1. from point A to point B　　從甲地到乙地

2. in this sense　　從這個方面來說

3. A be combined with B　A 與 B 結(jié)合

4. turn up　　出現(xiàn)

= show up

中文翻譯

對外行人來說，跑酷看起來既荒謬又危險。參與跑酷活動的人又稱練習者，他們像蜘蛛人一樣，不用蜘蛛網(wǎng)就可以蕩來蕩去，也像不用滑板的街頭滑板者，隨性地滑行。他們的確在建筑物上跳來跳去、越過屋頂、沿著墻壁往上奔跑、跳上細細的壁架，有時還從 7 呎高的地方跳向地面，并且毫發(fā)無傷。

跑酷基本上是一種以最快最有效率的方式，從甲地移到乙地的藝術。跑酷練習者必須避開沿途所有的障礙物，一秒都不能多停，或是利用障礙物來幫助自己前進。看到有人在跑酷，你可能會以為這些練習者正在逃離什么緊急狀況。

跑酷并不包含競賽或隊伍，而且完全屬于非競賽活動。就這方面來說，它不能算是項運動。它也含有相當深厚的哲學觀點，使它有別于其它體能活動。專注的跑酷練習者非常認真看待這項活動，他們甚至將跑酷描述為是『一種生活方式』。

David Belle 和朋友 Sébastien Foucan 在 80 年代末期于法國開始跑酷。David 的父親是位優(yōu)秀的消防員，他讓兒子到軍方障礙物訓練場所進行體能訓練。當這種體能訓練結(jié)合武術和體操的元素，并運用于城市的實體環(huán)境中，跑酷因而誕生。

自從在巴黎的郊區(qū)崛起后，跑酷便在全球流行開來，而且還出現(xiàn)在好萊塢電影中。除了可以在 YouTube 網(wǎng)站欣賞到跑酷外，詹姆斯?龐德的電影《皇家夜總會》中，也得以一窺跑酷的英姿。

標準答案: 1. (C) 2. (A)　3. (B)　4. (G)　5. (E)　6. (I)　7. (H)　8. (F)　9. (J)　10. (D)