第17课（285字 2分钟）

Passage Seventeen

（K9 level）

1. Today, roller skating is an enjoyable and simple activity, but long ago, it was anything but easy.

2. Before 1750, the concept of skating had not even been imagined.

3. That changed due to the creativity of a man named Joseph Merlin.

4. Merlin’s profession involved crafting musical instruments, though in his leisure time, he enjoyed playing the violin.

5. Known for his visionary ideas and lofty dreams, people often referred to Joseph Merlin as a dreamer.

6. One day, Merlin received an invitation to attend a prestigious masquerade ball, which left him both thrilled and slightly nervous.

7. As the event approached, Merlin began brainstorming ways to make an unforgettable entrance at the party.

8. Inspiration struck, and he decided he would surely capture everyone's attention if he skated into the ballroom.

9. Merlin experimented with various methods to make himself glide effortlessly.

10. Eventually, he devised a solution by attaching two wheels to the bottom of each shoe.

11. These rudimentary contraptions became the first roller skates in history.

12. Proud of his innovative creation, Merlin envisioned arriving at the ball in style, skating while playing his beloved violin.

13. On the evening of the event, Merlin rolled into the room with his violin music echoing around him.

14. The crowd was utterly amazed by the spectacle before them.

15. However, there was a significant issue—Merlin had not figured out a way to stop his skates.

16. He collided with a wall, causing a massive mirror to crash to the floor, shattering into countless fragments.

17. Merlin’s dramatic entrance was unforgettable, ensuring his performance was remembered for years to come.

生词表（New Words）

1. enjoyable 愉快的 simple 简单的  

2. concept 概念 imagined 想象  

3. creativity 创造力 changed 改变  

4. crafting 制作 leisure 空闲

5. visionary 远见 dreams 梦想  

6. invitation 邀请 prestigious 隆重的 thrilled 兴奋

nervous 紧张  

7. approached 临近 brainstorming 思考 unforgettable难忘的  

8. inspiration 灵感 capture 吸引 attention 注意  

9. experimented 尝试 methods 方法 effortlessly 轻松  

10. rudimentary 简陋 solution 办法 bottom 底部  

11. first 第一 history 历史 contraptions 装置  

12. proud 自豪 innovative 创新 envisioned 想象

beloved 心爱的  

13. evening 晚上 echoing 回荡  

14. crowd 人群 amazed 震惊 spectacle 景象  

15. significant 重大 issue 问题 figured out 设计出  

16. collided 撞上 massive 巨大的 fragments 碎片  

17. dramatic 戏剧性的 performance 表演

1. 今天，溜冰是一项令人愉快且简单的活动，但很久以前，它一点也不容易。

2. 在1750年之前，人们甚至没有想象过溜冰的概念。

3. 这一切因为一个名叫约瑟夫·梅林的人的创造力而改变了。

4. 梅林的职业是制作乐器，而在空闲时间，他喜欢拉小提琴。

5. 因为他的远见和大胆梦想，人们常常称约瑟夫·梅林为梦想家。

6. 有一天，梅林收到了一封邀请，参加一场隆重的化装舞会，这让他既兴奋又有些紧张。

7. 随着舞会的日子临近，梅林开始思考如何在舞会上留下难忘的亮相。

8. 灵感来了，他决定，如果他能滑进舞厅，肯定会吸引所有人的注意。

9. 梅林尝试了各种方法让自己能够轻松滑行。

10. 最终，他想出了一个办法，在每只鞋的底部安装两个轮子。

11. 这些简陋的装置成为了历史上第一双溜冰鞋。

12. 对自己的创新充满自豪，梅林想象着自己边滑行边拉着他心爱的提琴进入舞会的场景。

13. 舞会当晚，梅林滑进了房间，他的小提琴声在四周回荡。

14. 人群被眼前的景象完全震惊了。

15. 然而，存在一个重大问题，梅林没有设计出让溜冰鞋停下来的方法。

16. 他撞上了一堵墙，导致一面巨大的镜子摔到地上，碎成了无数片。

17. 梅林戏剧性的亮相令人难以忘怀，他的表演多年后仍被人津津乐道。