Pickleball 你听说过匹克球吗？

　

　　匹克球是一种用球拍击球的运动。这项运动使用的球身较轻，它被看作是网球、羽毛球和乒乓球运动的结合体。匹克球运动对身体的冲击较小，老少皆宜。也正是因此，这项运动在英国越来越受欢迎。本期 “随身英语” 介绍这个新兴运动以及它受欢迎的原因。
 

　　词汇：sport 运动

　　Pickleball. It's got nothing to do with pickles¹ – it's a sport. It has been described as a combination of tennis, badminton and table tennis. Picture a small plastic ball soaring through the air that you need to bat back to your partner, or partners.

　　Many Brits are listening to their inner athlete and picking up this racket game. In the UK, there are currently around 7,000 players, according to Pickleball England. But the association aims to have more than 25,000 players by 2025 and is even attempting to get the sport played as part of promotion² for the 2028 Olympics.

　　How exactly do you play this game? Well, it can be played indoors or outdoors and it can be played as a singles or doubles game. There are a few easy-to-understand rules. The ball is served underhand and should be batted diagonally across the court. On the first two hits, the ball has to bounce, but after that, players are free to volley. To win a point, the defending side must miss the ball.

　　So, why is it popular? Firstly, it appears to be a game for all ages. The ball is lightweight because it's full of holes. This means that, when batting, there is much less impact on the body than when hitting a tennis ball, for example. Elaine Brown, who is in her 50s and a regular pickleball player, told news organisation³, The Guardian⁴ why she loves the sport. "It's good exercise, it's strategic, it can be as hard or as easy as you want it to be, and most of the time it's just good fun."And the social aspect and low-impact nature of the game has been attracting players worldwide, creating a blossoming community of pickleball enthusiasts⁵, such as celebrities⁶ Bill Gates and Leonardo DiCaprio. So, if you fancy picking it up, find your local pickleball court and give it a go!

　　词汇表

　　pickleball 匹克球运动

　　badminton 羽毛球运动

　　soar 飞行

　　bat 用球拍击（球）

　　athlete 运动员，擅长运动的人

　　racket 球拍

　　Olympics 奥林匹克运动会

　　singles 单打比赛

　　doubles 双打比赛

　　serve 发球

　　underhand 下手（发球）

　　diagonally 对角地

　　court 球场

　　bounce 反弹，落地后弹起

　　volley 截击球，凌空击球

　　defending side 防守方，接球方

　　miss 未击中

　　lightweight 重量轻的

　　impact 冲击

　　strategic 有策略的

　　low-impact 对身体冲击力小的，低强度的

　　enthusiast 爱好者，热衷于…的人

 

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