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詞匯提示
1.ascendancy 優(yōu)勢
2.wagered 打賭
3.prowess 英勇
4.platform 平臺
5.unfolded 展開
6.distinction 獎賞
7.recreational 娛樂
8.equally 同樣的
9.dispense 免除
原文
Rowing
The sport of rowing is one of the oldest organized sports in the Western world.
The modern version of the sport was developed mainly in England in the nineteenth century，especially in the public school system.
However，boat races somewhat similar to the modern sport took place in ancient Greece during the ancient version of the Olympics.
In the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries，rowing gained much popularity.
The sport was particularly famous in countries with a history of immigration from Great British：Canada，Australia，and the United States of America.
Most of the main colonial countries had national championship，and a world championship was regularly held.
The sport developed either in private clubs or in elite educational institutions.
In 1852，a race between Yale and Harvard universities in the U.S. was the first organized athletic competition of any kind.
The turn of the century saw the sport's ascendancy to one of the largest spectator sports.
Many regularly held races depended on betting and gambling to attract spectators.
The biggest international matches attracted thousands of spectators，and much money was wagered.
Canadian Ned Hanlan was perhaps the greatest of the early rowing champions.
In the late nineteenth century，he dominated international rowing races.
Hanlan also combined his rowing skill and prowess with his own unique brand of showmanship to attract spectators.
Hanlan is also known for having invented the “sliding seat”.
His wooden seat set on wheels greatly increased his efficiency and speed and gave him a distinct advantage over competitors.
Before Hanlan's time，rowers would wipe grease on a wooden platform in the boat and slide over the grease.
The old technique was less reliable and not allow as much leg drive as Hanlan's newly invented seat.
As the twentieth century unfolded，rowing lost some of its earlier public support and distinction.
In North America，as professional sports attracted the attention of spectators and television viewers，other amateur sporting traditions，such as rowing，lost support.
Today，rowing maintains a strong tradition under the administration of the world governing body for the sport.
However，the yearly world championship dose not typically receive attention of other major sport events，such as track and field.
The highlight of rowing competition is undoubtedly the Olympic Games.
However，older traditional races，such as the English Henley and the yearly Oxford-Cambridge Boat race，still attract large crowds.
A more recently development in rowing is recreational and Masters rowing.
In an attempt to regain popularity in the sport，many clubs in North America are offering less competitive recreational programs and encouraging older Master rowers to participate.
This is probably a positive move in at least two reasons.
One is that the sport will attract many more participants.
However，the other equally importance reason is that the sport might dispense some of the “elitist”image many people have of the sport as “English old-boy”sport.
翻譯
賽艇
賽艇運動是西方世界最古老的有組織運動之一。
這項運動的現(xiàn)代版本主要在19世紀的英國發(fā)展起來，尤其是在公立學校系統(tǒng)。
然而，在古代奧運會期間，古希臘舉行了與現(xiàn)代體育運動有點相似的劃船比賽。
在十九世紀末二十世紀初，劃船運動得到了廣泛的普及。
這項運動在有著英國移民歷史的國家尤其著名：加拿大、澳大利亞和美利堅合眾國。
大多數(shù)主要殖民地國家都舉辦了全國錦標賽，并定期舉辦世界錦標賽。
這項運動要么在私人俱樂部發(fā)展，要么在精英教育機構(gòu)發(fā)展。
1852年，美國耶魯大學和哈佛大學之間的比賽是所有活動中第一次有組織的體育比賽。
在世紀之交，這項運動逐漸成為觀眾最多的運動之一。
許多定期舉行的比賽依靠博彩和賭博來吸引觀眾。
最大規(guī)模的國際比賽吸引了數(shù)千名觀眾，下了很多賭注。
加拿大人內(nèi)德·漢蘭可能是最偉大的早期賽艇冠軍。
19世紀末，他主導了國際賽艇比賽。
漢蘭還將自己的劃船技巧和實力與自己獨特的表演技巧相結(jié)合，以吸引觀眾。
漢蘭還因發(fā)明了“滑動座椅”而聞名。
他的木制座椅安裝在輪子上，極大地提高了他的效率和速度，使他比競爭對手具有明顯的優(yōu)勢。
在漢蘭的時代之前，劃船者會在船上的木制平臺上擦油，然后在油上滑行。
舊的技術(shù)不太可靠，不允許像漢蘭新發(fā)明的座椅那樣多的腿部活動。
隨著二十世紀的發(fā)展，劃船運動失去了一些早期的公眾支持和聲望。
在北美，隨著職業(yè)體育吸引了觀眾和電視觀眾的注意，劃船等其他業(yè)余體育傳統(tǒng)也失去了支持。
今天，在世界劃船運動管理機構(gòu)的管理下，劃船運動保持著強大的傳統(tǒng)。
然而，一年一度的世界錦標賽通常不會受到類似田徑等其他重大體育賽事的關(guān)注。
賽艇比賽的高光時刻無疑是奧運會。
然而，古老的傳統(tǒng)比賽，如英國亨利和每年的牛津劍橋劃船比賽，仍然吸引著大量的觀眾。
賽艇運動最近的一個發(fā)展是休閑和大師級賽艇。
為了在這項運動中重獲人氣，北美的許多俱樂部正在提供競爭力較弱的娛樂項目，并鼓勵年長的賽艇大師參加。
這可能是一個積極的舉動，其中至少有兩個原因。
一是這項運動將吸引更多的參與者。
然而，另一個同樣重要的原因是，這項運動可能要抹去許多人對這項運動的“精英”形象，即“英國老男孩”運動。
