近來，“citywalk（城市漫步）” 成為瞭一種廣受人們歡迎的休閑方式。不論你身處城市還是鄉間，出門散步都是一種有益於放松身心的活動。但散步作為一種消遣方式起初並沒有被世界各地的人們所接受。本文介紹散步的起源以及它如何演變成為現代人的一項重要日常活動。
詞匯：walking 步行
‘Going for a walk‘ is a popular pastime among older and younger generations alike because of its well-known benefits for our physical and mental health. But you may be surprised to hear that meandering through pretty streets or hiking along mountainous ridges have not always been considered leisure activities, according to Daniel Gale, a researcher of pedestrianism.
He says that in Britain, walking for fun “wasn’t really a thing” until the 1780s. Before that, it was just something people did out of necessity, and some people associated it with criminal activity. But for Charles Dickens, the famous English 19th Century author, marching through London streets and tramping around the countryside was a big part of the creative process; a time to absorb what was going on around him. He walked at an impressive pace of four miles per hour, according to his biography by Peter Ackroyd.
But if speed-walking isn’t your thing, perhaps you can take inspiration from another big-thinking wanderer. 19th Century American writer Henry David Thoreau took a slower approach, preferring to saunter over hills and fields and meander through the woods. He said that he could not preserve his health and spirits, unless he spent four hours a day walking at least.
This idea of taking a stroll to clear your head has survived through to the 21st Century, but has pedestrian etiquette remained the same? A 1780 article for the London Magazine advised pedestrians to avoid things such as loitering in conversation and obstructing people behind you with a “sauntering gait“. Nowadays, we could probably add distracted phone-users to that list.
In this modern age, when many of us are tied to our desks and to our screens, the simple act of stepping out onto the city pavements, or getting lost in nature, may make all the difference to our wellbeing. Whether you see yourself more as a casual stroller or a purposeful strider, why not build a habit out of it?
詞匯表
go for a walk 散步
pastime 消遣，娛樂
meander 漫步，閑逛
hike 遠足
leisure activity 休閑活動
pedestrianism 徒步主義
march 行走
tramp 長途行走
pace 步速
speed-walking 快速行走
wanderer 四處遊走的人
saunter 漫步，閑逛
stroll 散步，溜達
pedestrian etiquette 行人禮儀
loiter 遊蕩，徘徊
gait 步態，步法
step out 走出去
pavement 人行道
stroller 散步的人
strider 闊步行走的人
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Why is going for a walk a popular pastime?
2. Before people walked for fun, what was walking associated with?
3. True or False? Charles Dickens walked to forget about writing.
4. How is Henry David Thoreau’s approach to walking different to Charles Dickens’s?
5. What two things were pedestrians advised to avoid in the 1780 London Magazine article?
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. There was no clear, straight track, so we had to _______ through the trees.
pace loitered striding meander
2. Stopping in the middle of the street without warning is bad _______.
leisure activity pedestrian etiquette pastime pavement
3. The doctor assessed the patient’s _______ to identify any signs of discomfort.
loiter strider wanderer gait
4. The adventurous _______ set off on a journey to discover the meaning of life.
wanderer loiter saunter wander
5. We’re walking too fast. Can we try _______ for a while instead?
stepping speed-walking strolling striding
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Why is going for a walk a popular pastime?
Walking is a popular pastime because it has well-known physical and mental health benefits.
2. Before people walked for fun, what was walking associated with?
Walking was associated with poverty and criminal activity.
3. True or False? Charles Dickens walked to forget about writing.
False. Charles Dickens walked as part of the creative process.
4. How is Henry David Thoreau’s approach to walking different to Charles Dickens’s?
Henry David Thoreau preferred to walk more slowly than Charles Dickens, who had a fast pace.
5. What two things were pedestrians advised to avoid in the 1780 London Magazine article?
Pedestrians were advised to avoid loitering in conversation, and obstructing people behind you with a “sauntering gait”.
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. There was no clear, straight track, so we had to meander through the trees.
2. Stopping in the middle of the street without warning is bad pedestrian etiquette.
3. The doctor assessed the patient’s gait to identify any signs of discomfort.
4. The adventurous wanderer set off on a journey to discover the meaning of life.
5. We’re walking too fast. Can we try strolling for a while instead?
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