特别广播英语第 257 课：Pair Skating and Ice Dancing 双人花样滑冰与冰上舞蹈-2

Figure skating was one of the events at the very first Winter Olympics in 1924. 花样滑冰是1924年首届冬季奥运会的比赛项目之一。

Before that, figure skaters had competed at the Summer Games as early as 1908. 在那之前，早在1908年的夏季奥运会，花样滑冰选手们就曾较量过。

Ice dancing is a relatively new addition to the Games, making its debut at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. 冰上舞蹈则是奥运会中一个比较新的比赛项目， 于1976年在奥地利因斯布鲁克冬季奥运会中首次登场。

The use of skates as a means of transportation in cold northern regions of the world began in prehistoric times. 从史前时代起，冰鞋在寒冷的北国就被当作一种交通工具使用。

Ice-skating as a sport, however, originated in Holland. 不过滑冰作为一项运动则起源于荷兰。

From there, it spread to the rest of northern Europe and North America. 它从那儿传到北欧的其它地区和北美洲。

The world's first ice-skating club was formed in Edinburgh, Scotland, sometime around the end of the seventeenth century. 大约在17世纪末，全世界第一家滑冰俱乐部在苏格兰爱丁堡成立。

Though ice-skating is a highly technical activity, it is easy to appreciate. 虽然滑冰是一项技术性很高的运动，欣赏起来却很容易。

Millions of people around the world enjoy watching the harmonious movements of a skating couple even if they don't know the names of the particular spins or jumps being used. 即使不知道运动员采用的那些特殊旋转或跳跃动作的名称，全世界数百万的人也乐于欣赏一对滑冰选手表演的和谐动作。

They are simply attracted by the graceful beauty of this highly entertaining sport. 他们仅仅是被这项高娱乐性的运动所展现的奇妙美感所吸引。