常春藤解析英语 74 Parkour 飞檐走壁的跑酷

The art of running up walls 飞檐走壁的极限艺术

by David Archdall

To the untrained eye, parkour (跑酷) looks as absurd as it does dangerous. Participants, known as traceurs (练习者), 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

原来如此

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

理由:

a. 空格前有主词 Parkour(跑酷)和 be 动词 is，后有名词词组 the art of...(……的艺术)作主词补语，可知空格内应置入副词修饰 is。

b. 选项中为副词的有 (C) essentially(基本上)和 (I) seriously(严肃地;认真地)，惟 (C) 置入后符合语意，故选之。

c. essentially adv. 基本上

= basically adv.

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

(这张原声带基本上是改编自巴哈的作品。)

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. 空格前有不定词 to，可知空格内应置入原形及物动词，使其后的 themselves 作其受词。

b. 符合上述的选项有 (A) propel(推动，推进)和 (G)　involve(包含)，惟 (A) 置入后符合语意，故选之。

c. propel vt. 推动，推进

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

(强风把垃圾筒从草坪的一边吹到另一边。)

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 动词，后有不定词 to，可知空格应置入形容词或分词。

b. 选项中为形容词或分词的有 (B) inclined(倾向的)和 (F) introduced(被介绍的)，惟 (B) 置入后符合语意，并形成下列用法：

be inclined to V　　有……倾向，往往会……

= be apt to V

= be liable to V

= be prone to V

= tend to V

例: Sally tends to work late at the office.

(莎莉经常在办公室加班到很晚。)

c. 根据上述，故选 (B)。

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

理由:

a. 空格前有第三人称单数助动词 does，后有受词 contest or team(竞赛或队伍)，可知空格内应置入原形及物动词。

b. 符合上述的选项仅剩 (G)　involve(包含)，置入后亦符合语意，故选之。

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. 本空格测试下列固定用法：

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.

(麦克有别于比尔的地方在于他乐于参与团队工作。)

b. 根据上述，可知应选 (E)。

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

理由:

a. 本空格测试下列固定用法：

take...seriously　　认真看待……

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

(那对夫妻从没认真看待他俩的婚姻，因此最后以离婚收场。)

b. 根据上述，可知应选 (I)。

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

理由:

a. 空格前有专有名词 David Belle，其后亦有专有名词 Sébastien Foucan，中间仅有逗点，可知空格内应置入连接词或连接词词组。

b. 符合上述的选项仅有 (H) along with(连同……一起)，置入后亦符合语意，故选之。

c. along with...　　连同……一起

= together with...

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

(莎拉今晚会和阿珍一起来参加派对。)

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

理由:

a. 空格前有关系代名词 who 作主词，后有受词 his son(他的儿子)，且根据本句时态，可知空格应置入过去式及物动词。

b. 符合上述条件的仅剩 (F) introduced(介绍、引进)，置入后符合语意，并形成下列用法：

introduce sb to sth　　介绍某人认识某事物

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

(我的朋友让我初次尝到这种汉堡。)

c. 根据上述，可知 (F) 为正选。

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. 空格前有形容词 physical(实体的)，后有介词词组 of city，可知空格内应置入名词。

b. 选项中为名词的有 (D) suburbs(郊区)和 (J) surroundings(环境)，惟 (J) 置入后符合语意，故选之。

physical surroundings　　实体环境

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. 空格前有定冠词 the，后有介词词组 of Paris，可知空格内应置入名词。

b. 选项中为名词的仅剩 (D) suburbs(郊区)，置入后符合语意，并形成下列用法：

in the suburbs of + 地方　　在某地的郊区

= on the outskirts of + 地方

例: Michael lives on the outskirts of Chicago.

(麦克住在芝加哥郊区。)

c. 根据上述，故选 (D)。

难句分析

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

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

(对于外行人而言，跑酷看起来既荒谬又危险。)

精解字词词组

1. to the untrained eye　　对不知情的人来说，对外行人来说

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

(对外行人来说，高空跳伞也许看似简单。)

2. literally adv. 的确;根据字面意思

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

(我们看见的那条蛇确实有两公尺长。)

3. obstacle n. 障碍(物)，妨碍(与介词 to 并用)

be an obstacle to + N/V-ing　　是……的障碍

= be a hindrance to + N/V-ing

例: Tradition is often an obstacle to progress.

(传统常常是进步的绊脚石。)

4. strictly adv. 完全地;严格地

Strictly speaking, S + V　　严格说来，……

例: Strictly speaking, black is not a color.

(严格来说，黑色不是种颜色。)

5. be described as...　　被描述为∕形容成……

= be depicted as...

describe A as B　　将 A 描述∕形容成 B

= depict A as B

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

(在这篇新闻报导中，那名军人被描述成英雄。)

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

(目击者形容那名嫌犯又高又瘦。)

6. be applied to...　　被应用在……上

apply A to B　　将 A 运用到 B 上

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

(奈米科技被应用在我们生活中的许多层面。)

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

(科学家试图将太阳能科技运用于汽车上。)

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

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

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

(除了歌声动听外，黛咪的个性也很好。)

单字小铺

1. absurd a. 荒谬的，不合理的

2. participant n. 参与者

3. freestyle a. 随性的;(游泳等)自由式的

4. street-skateboarder　　街头滑板运动者

skateboarder n. 参加滑板运动者

5. skateboard n. 滑板

6. bounce vi. 弹起，弹回

bounce off...　　从……弹回

7. ledge n.(自墙壁突出的)壁架

8. efficiently adv. 有效率地

9. emergency n. 紧急情况

in case of (an) emergency　　紧急情况时

10. flee vi. 逃走，三态为：flee, fled , fled。

11. contest n. 竞赛，比赛

12. noncompetitive a. 非竞争性的

competitive a. 竞争的，竞争性的

13. philosophical a. 哲学的

14. pursuit n. 追求;嗜好，消遣

15. dedicated a. 专注的，献身的

16. elite n. 精英份子

17. obstacle course　　超越障碍训练场

18. gymnastics n. 体操

词组小铺

1. from point A to point B　　从甲地到乙地

2. in this sense　　从这个方面来说

3. A be combined with B　A 与 B 结合

4. turn up　　出现

= show up

中文翻译

对外行人来说，跑酷看起来既荒谬又危险。参与跑酷活动的人又称练习者，他们像蜘蛛人一样，不用蜘蛛网就可以荡来荡去，也像不用滑板的街头滑板者，随性地滑行。他们的确在建筑物上跳来跳去、越过屋顶、沿着墙壁往上奔跑、跳上细细的壁架，有时还从 7 呎高的地方跳向地面，并且毫发无伤。

跑酷基本上是一种以最快最有效率的方式，从甲地移到乙地的艺术。跑酷练习者必须避开沿途所有的障碍物，一秒都不能多停，或是利用障碍物来帮助自己前进。看到有人在跑酷，你可能会以为这些练习者正在逃离什么紧急状况。

跑酷并不包含竞赛或队伍，而且完全属于非竞赛活动。就这方面来说，它不能算是项运动。它也含有相当深厚的哲学观点，使它有别于其它体能活动。专注的跑酷练习者非常认真看待这项活动，他们甚至将跑酷描述为是『一种生活方式』。

David Belle 和朋友 Sébastien Foucan 在 80 年代末期于法国开始跑酷。David 的父亲是位优秀的消防员，他让儿子到军方障碍物训练场所进行体能训练。当这种体能训练结合武术和体操的元素，并运用于城市的实体环境中，跑酷因而诞生。

自从在巴黎的郊区崛起后，跑酷便在全球流行开来，而且还出现在好莱坞电影中。除了可以在 YouTube 网站欣赏到跑酷外，詹姆斯‧庞德的电影《皇家夜总会》中，也得以一窥跑酷的英姿。

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