Skiing
Skiing is an extremely popular sport that is enjoyed worldwide. The oldest and most accurately documented evidence of skiing origin is found in modern day Norway and Sweden.
Skiing has evolved into two major different types: Alpine skiing and Nordic skiing. Alpine skiing, also
Nordic skiing, also known as “cross country” skiing,
2 . Stand-up paddleboarding, or SUP, is rising quickly in popularity. The idea is simple.
First, it's easy. Almost anyone, young or old, can get on a board and start paddling around. It doesn't take much skill. Second, it's healthy.
Different kinds of accessories(配件) open up more possibilities for fun on paddleboard. Would you like to attach a camera or fishing pole to your paddleboard? Do you want to tie down some camping equipment for a big trip?
Stand-up paddleboarding is a great way to enjoy nature, exercise and have fun. Give it a try!
| A．SUP is safe, effective exercise. |
| B．Do you want to race and surf big waves? |
| C．And don't forget to wear a personal flotation device! |
| D．There's SUP surfing, racing, fishing and even “touring”! |
| E．You can learn a lot of important things about SUP by searching online. |
| F．You stand on a floating board and use a paddle to travel across the water. |
| G．Some companies can make sure you safely enjoy your time on a paddleboard. |
3 . A MAGICAL PLACE
Theme parks? I just love them. In a month or so, the UK’s finest will throw their gates open for the new season to thrill us with their engineered delights. As usual, I will be the first person inside. Yes, I may be a digital enthusiast, but to me there is nothing as irresistible or as thrilling as the full-on experience of spending a day in someone else’s imagination.
Dr. Carissa Baker, assistant professor in theme parks and storytelling at the University of Central Florida, argued in 2018 that theme parks are gatherers and tellers of stories. Their distinct narratives start before you enter the park, are played out in what you experience there, and continue after you’ve left. How do they do it? Some believe it’s down to creative direction and narrative system design. But I call it like I see it: they use all the psychological tricks in my social psychology textbooks to get us to feel and act in the way that the people behind the scenes foretell.
Everything in theme parks is manipulated(操纵). Everything is accounted for. Whereas in the digital world, designers infer what we feel, these theme parks digest these emotions. A famous example is Disneyland’s Main Street USA, which you walk down on first entering the park: the sets have been designed with forced perspective so the buildings appear taller and grander than they really are. Techniques like this are everywhere to be seen in the squares of Renaissance Italy and Georgian England to make the buildings seem bigger than they were. The mythical Main Street is made to feel larger and more impressive, which gets visitors excited when they enter the park—we are the hero of Disneyland’s narrative. Now that’s a powerful trick.
The digital world is nowhere near as magical as these places are. Yes, digital designers can create something out of nothing with mathematics and electricity, but their best attempts are only shortcuts in two-dimensional space. All they have in their toolboxes are sight and sound. But in theme parks, digital is out of place. Yes, behind the scenes there are data machines that are trying to track us to make our experiences better and more personal. Except for one or two notable examples, digital tech isn’t being used to enhance our time at the park in any practical way. It just gets in the way. And perhaps that is why I love theme parks. Because when I’m there, I want to be propelled(推动) by someone else’s vision, and give over to the feeling.
The next killer app isn’t on your device. It’s in the places that thrill us and compel us to keep our phones in our pockets so we can truly experience them.
1. From the first paragraph we can conclude that ________.| A．engineers in the UK are full of imagination |
| B．the writer is enthusiastic about digital devices |
| C．the writer finds theme parks charming and exciting |
| D．it takes much imagination to guess visitors’ preferences |
| A．the experience in theme parks helps him to let out emotions |
| B．they provide a designed setting in which he is easily absorbed |
| C．the digital effect makes theme parks a wonderland full of magic |
| D．the psychological tricks they use make him feel manipulated |
| A．It is advisable to put down your phone and get a taste of what theme parks bring you. |
| B．Nowhere else can you find a place as magical as the digital world. |
| C．The huge constructions in theme parks are designed to appeal to more visitors. |
| D．Digital tech plays an irreplaceable role in keeping theme parks running smoothly. |
| A．The distinct properties that theme parks and digital devices have. |
| B．The thrilling and irresistible experiences the writer has in theme parks. |
| C．Digital devices meant to create a magic world with simple techniques. |
| D．Clever techniques used by theme parks to make your visit memorable. |
