What do you get when you mix tennis, badminton, and ping-pong? The answer is pickleball — a fast-growing sport in the world! This exciting game has taken the world by storm, catching the interest of millions of players of all ages. ____1____

It’s said that it all started on a summer day in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Three dads — Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum—were looking for a way to get a houseful of bored kids to go outside and play. ____2____ They lowered the badminton net (羽毛球网), got some ping-pong paddles (乒乓球拍), and hit a plastic ball with holes back and forth (来回地). And so, the game was born!

____3____ One story goes that an inventor then had a pet dog named Pickle. The dog would often run around with the ball. That is how the sport got its fun name!

Pickleball is beginner-friendly. ____4____ And it can be played both indoors and outdoors. A pickleball game is usually played to 11 points, and you must win by 2 points. One interesting rule: Only the serving team can score points. Another key rule is the “two-bounce rule (双反弹规则)”. After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side before players can hit it in the air.

With its simple rules and social nature, pickleball has enjoyed great popularity in China. Pickleball courts (球场) can be easily found across the country. Whether you are a beginner or a skilled player, pickleball offers a fun and friendly way to stay active and build relationships. ____5____

A. But how did it begin?

B. Then they got a creative idea.

C. It’s easy to learn and fun to play.

D. Let’s get a paddle and give it a go!

E. Where did the name “pickleball” come from?

1.1.

A

B

C

D

解析：选A。解析：上文引出匹克球这项运动，下文第二段开始讲它的起源故事。A 选项 “但它是怎么起源的？” 起到承上启下，引出起源段落的作用。

2.2.

A

B

C

D

解析：选B。解析：前文说三位爸爸想让无聊的孩子出去玩，后文写他们改造球网、球拍，创造出新运动。B 选项 “然后他们想到一个有创意的点子” 承接前后。

3.3.

A

B

C

D

解析：选E。解析：本段后面整段都在讲匹克球名字的来历。E 选项 “‘匹克球’这个名字从何而来？” 是本段的主题句。

4.4.

A

B

C

D

解析：选C。解析：前一句 “Pickleball is beginner-friendly（对新手友好）”，C 选项 “它易学又好玩” 和这句呼应，继续讲匹克球的优点。

5.5.

A

B

C

D

解析：选D。解析：文章末尾介绍完匹克球的好处，收尾发出邀请。D 选项 “我们拿起球拍试一试吧！” 适合放在文末，号召大家体验这项运动。