You might have seen hot shots drop into a bowl at a skate park and glide around a tight corner. But have you ever wondered how skateboarding got started? Or what gave people the idea to create those curvy concrete courses? It's all part of the twisting, turning history of skateboarding.
Sidewalk Surfing Takes Off
Skateboarding evolved from another sport: surfing. Surfing became popular in the 1950s in Hawaii and California. Sometimes, however, surfers faced a problem—there were no waves. Fortunately for fun-loving thrill-seekers everywhere, they came up with a solution. When seas were calm, some surfers hopped on smaller boards with wheels and rode them on land. This became known as "sidewalk surfing" or skateboarding.
The Wheel Gets Reinvented
Originally, skateboards had slippery, rattling steel wheels. Then, clay wheels came along. They rode more smoothly but still slid around a lot. Some serious accidents resulted. Many people therefore began to view skateboarding as a menace to public safety. Some cities banned it. By 1965, the popularity of skateboarding had tumbled.
What turned things around? Better wheels. In 1973, a company started by a surfer named Frank Nasworthy introduced skateboards with wheels made of a material called polyurethane. They gripped the ground for a safer, smoother ride. That propelled the sport forward on a second wave of popularity.
Backyard Skaters Try New Tricks
In the late 1970s, California experienced a severe drought. Because water was scarce, many backyard swimming pools were empty. Where other people saw basins drained of joy, however, resourceful skaters spotted an opportunity for fun. They jumped in on their skateboards and glided along like surfers riding concrete waves. That helped create a whole new type of skateboarding. Now many skate parks have concrete bowls shaped like swimming pools where skaters attempt tough tricks.
Those were just a few of the ups and downs in the early history of skateboarding. Today, the sport is still rolling along, changing with the times. It's safe to say there are plenty more twists and turns to come.
Think about the article. Why were there a lot of crashes when skateboarding started?
Early skateboarders had accidents because the boards were too small.
Early skateboarders had accidents because they were too careless.
Early skateboarders had accidents because the wheels slid around.
Early skateboarders had accidents because they were not good athletes.
Early skateboarders had accidents because the wheels slid around.
The article states:
Some serious accidents resulted. Many people therefore began to view skateboarding as a menace to public safety. Some cities banned it.
Which is the closest synonym for the word menace?
pledge
favor
threat
quarrel
The closest synonym for the word "menace" is "threat".
According to the article, why did surfers invent "sidewalk surfing"?
Skateboarding in pools caused too many accidents.
Skate parks did not allow skateboarders to do tricks.
A drought made it impossible to go surfing.
A calm sea meant there were no waves for surfing.