英语听力精选进阶版 6124（在线收听）

From Whiff to Pong: The Story of Table Tennis 从小到大：乒乓球的故事

Do you fancy a game of whiff-whaff? How about pim-pam?

Never heard of them?

Well, these were both early names for the game that has come to be known as table tennis or ping-pong around the world.

It is a sport China has largely dominated since the middle of the last century, and with the Beijing Olympics just around the corner it might not be far-fetched to expect yet another clean sweep for Chinese athletes in the event.

But what is the history of the game? First we have to rewind the clock to Victorian-era Britain, where lawn tennis was just starting to catch on.

It was soon proving so popular that eager players wanted to play indoors as well as outdoors, and began improvising with makeshift household equipment such as using corks from wine bottles as balls and empty cigar boxes as bats.

Game manufacturers quickly cottoned on to the potential of indoor table tennis as a commercial product and began producing ready-made sets in the late 19th century.

The names of many early products, such as ping-pong, whiff-whaff and pom-pom, mimicked the sound of a bat hitting a ball.

Ping-pong was introduced to China in the early years of the 20th century, and gradually became a national sport; loved and played by millions.

Chinese players such as Liu Guoliang have pioneered techniques and styles of gripping the bat, which helped them to great international sporting success.

The game has even played a role in international politics when a group of American table tennis players were invited to China in 1971 to play and train with Chinese athletes.

The move signalled a renewal of ties between China and the US during an era of what became called ‘ping-pong diplomacy’.

Now, as Beijing 2008 approaches, TV ratings experts anticipate that alongside the men’s 110m hurdles and women’s volleyball, table tennis will be the most-watched Olympic event in China.

With the top five women and top four men in official rankings, it is highly possible that once again we will see Chinese players battling it out amongst themselves for the top spots.

GLOSSARY 词汇表

just around the corner 近在咫尺，临近

far-fetched 异想天开的

clean sweep 横扫

rewind the clock 退回到

Victorian-era 维多利亚时代

lawn tennis 草地网球

catch on 流行

makeshift 临时凑合的

corks 软木瓶塞

bats 球拍 

cottoned on 明白，了解

ready-made 现成的

mimicked 模仿

pioneered 先驱

signalled 发出信号，预示

renewal of ties 恢复关系

diplomacy 外交

TV ratings 电视收视率

anticipate 预期

official rankings 官方排位