1 . In 1965, three fathers in Washington faced a dilemma familiar to beleaguered (被困扰的) parents in 2021: How to keep their restless children entertained. They threw together wooden paddles, a badminton net and a plastic ball. The sport “pickleball” was born, with its name — according to one legend — originating from a dog named Pickle, which kept running away with the ball.
Today, pickleball, which is a hybrid (混合物) of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, is the fastest-growing sport in America. In the five years to the end of 2019, pickleball participation grew by more than 7%, while Americans’ overall activity level stayed flat, according to the Sport & Fitness Industry Association. And the sport has picked up more swing definitely, thanks to COVID-19 in 2020. Last March, when quarantines (隔离期) went into effect and gyms were closed, portable pickleball nets temporarily sold out. Players set up courts, which are half the size of tennis courts, in driveways.
The 3.5 million Americans who play pickleball are about one-tenth the number who golf and one-fifth the number who play tennis. Yet there are reasons to bet on the sport’s spread. Like many outdoor activities, pickleball is social, but it is easier to learn than tennis and faster and less expensive than golf. Country clubs and recreation centers across the country are changing some of their tennis courts into pickleball courts to meet demand. The more places there are to play, the more players will try the sport.
“Pickleball was seen as a threat in the tennis community,” says Stu Upson of USA Pickleball, the sport’s national governing body, who used to work for the International Tennis Hall of Fame. But now, he insists, it is viewed as an opportunity. Tennis pros are adding pickleball lessons to their list. As more people take up the sport, demand for televised matches and sponsorships will increase. “It’s reasonable that pickleball could become an Olympic sport. But to be recognized by the International Olympic Committee, we need at least 70 countries with pickleball federations (联合会), so it’s not going to be in the next four or eight years,” says Mr. Upson.
1. Why was pickleball invented initially?
| A．To afford children amusements. | B．To provide special training for dogs. |
| C．To reduce parents’ pressure of work. | D．To help children build up their health. |
2. What could be inferred from paragraph 2?
| A．Pickleball has achieved its dominance in sports market in America. |
| B．Playing pickleball was the most popular sport in the US during the quarantine. |
| C．Americans’ participation in sports except pickleball decreased from 2015 to 2019. |
| D．Pickleball began to regain its popularity around the world due to COVID-19. |
3. What’s the advantage of pickleball?
| A．Its playing skills are easy to master. | B．It’s the first choice for people to socialize. |
| C．It can replace other sports during COVID-19. | D．Its courts could easily be altered from tennis courts. |
4. Which of the following might Mr. Upson agree with now?
| A．Pickleball is bound to have a place at the Olympics. |
| B．Tennis will fade out with the rapid spread of pickleball. |
| C．Pickleball remains to be a major threat to tennis community. |
| D．It would take great efforts for pickleball to be selected for the Olympics. |
5. What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Great popularity of pickleball in America. | B．The development of pickleball in America. |
| C．The influence of pickleball on pecople’s lives. | D．The threat of pickleball in the tennis community. |
