China'sCountryBall1890年，幾位駐守印度（India）的英國（navy）軍官偶然發(fā)覺在一張不大的臺子上玩頗為刺激。后來他們改用空心的小皮球代替彈性不大的實心球，并用木板代替了網(wǎng)拍，在桌子上進行這種新穎的“網(wǎng)球賽”，這就是table得名的由來。Tabletennis出現(xiàn)不久，便成了一種風靡一時的熱門運動。20世紀初，美國開始成套地生產(chǎn)乒乓球的比賽用具。最初，tabletennis有其它名稱，如Indoortennis。后來，一位美國制造商以乒乓球撞擊時所發(fā)出的聲音創(chuàng)造出ping-pong這個新詞，作為他制造的“乒乓球”專利注冊商標。Ping-pong后來成了tabletennis的另一個正式名稱。當它傳到中國后，人們又創(chuàng)造出“乒乓球”這個新的詞語詞語反手削球backhandchop中臺middlecourt反手抽球backhanddrive近臺shortcourt反手扣球backhandsmash中線center反手直線球backstraight臺角corneroftable反手弧圈球backhandloopdrive網(wǎng)柱pole兩面攻、左右開攻attackonbothside全臺fullcourt削球chop臺的邊緣edgeoftable前沖弧圈球acceleratedloop球臺端線frontedgeoftable命中率accuracy(球臺)中區(qū)centrezone發(fā)球者佔先advantageserver再平分again場外指導advicetoplayersduringplay接球員的右半?yún)^(qū)receiver'srighthalfcourt以削球為主的戰(zhàn)術allcut底線區(qū)goalzone揮拍的幅度amplitudeofswing反手斜線推擋angledbackhandblock斜線球angleshot調(diào)整排形anglethebat抽出角度來anglethedrive發(fā)球搶攻attackafterservice攻擊型選手attackingplayer進攻作用attackingrole進攻性發(fā)球attackingservice兩面攻attackonbothsides遠臺backcourt進攻位置、攻擊點、進攻時機attackpoint反手對攻backhandattackandcounterattack反手斜線球backcross反手進攻打法backhandattackingplay反手連續(xù)攻球backhandattackingrally發(fā)反手下旋球backhandbackspinservice反手推擋backhandblock左推右攻、右推左攻backhandblockwithforehand反手削球backhandchopButwhatisthehistoryofthegame?Firstwehavetorewindtheclock（退回到）toVictorian-era（維多利亞時代）Britain,wherelawntenniswasjuststartingtocatchon.Itwassoonprovingsopopularthateagerplayerswantedtoplayindoorsaswellasoutdoors,andbeganimprovisingwithmakeshift（臨時湊合的）householdequipmentsuchasusingcorks（軟木瓶塞）fromwinebottlesasballsandemptycigarboxesasbats.（球拍）Gamemanufacturersquicklycottonedon（明白，了解）tothepotentialofindoortabletennisasacommercialproductandbeganproducingready-made（現(xiàn)成的）setsinthelate19thcentury.Thenamesofmanyearlyproducts,suchasping-pong,whiff-whaffandpom-pom,mimicked（模仿）thesoundofabathittingaball.Ping-pongwasintroducedtoChinaintheearlyyearsofthe20thcentury,andgraduallybecameanationalsport;lovedandplayedbymillions.

ChineseplayerssuchasLiuGuolianghavepioneeredtechniquesandstylesofgrippingthebat,whichhelpedthemtogreatinternationalsportingsuccess.ThegamehasevenplayedaroleininternationalpoliticswhenagroupofAmericantabletennisplayerswereinvitedtoChinain1971toplayandtrainwithChineseathletes.Themovesignalled（預示）arenewaloftiesbetweenChinaandtheUSduringaneraofwhatbecamecalled‘ping-pongdiplomacy’（外交）.Now,asBeijing2008approaches,TVratings（電視收視率）expertsanticipate（預期）thatalongsidethemen’s110mhurdlesandwomen’svolleyball,tabletenniswillbethemost-watchedOlympiceventinCh