Read the following article about ice-skating. Choose the most suitable heading from the list A-I for each part (1-8) of the article.
A. Prepare yourself
B. The benefits of the sport
C. When things go wrong
D. Different skating techniques
E. A change in approach
F. The right attitude
G. Moving off
H. Holding your body correctly
I. How it all started
1......
Ice skating has a history of thousands of years. Archaelogists have discovered skates made from animal bone. It seems that bone skates were used until the introduction of iron into Scandinavia about the year 200 AD. Among the Scandinavian upper classes, skating was seen as an essential skill.
2.......
In the early 20th century, skating was stylish and reserved, but at the 1924 Winter Olympics, 11-year-old Sonja Henie introduced a more athletic attitude which inspired a new wave of popularity. Nowadays art and athletics are combined and modern skating is both graceful and physically demanding.
3......
For the beginner, balance and control are still important and speed can only increase with proficiency. The position of your body plays a great part in the balance. Legs slightly bowed and the knees bent keep the body weight centred; in effect the body leans slightly forward in this position. For skating, probably more than any other sport or recreation, relaxation is vital.
4......
For the starting position, the heels shoould almost be touching and the feet should be turned outwards. While pushing forward with the back foot, you make a very small movement with the other foot. Fairly easy, isn't it? If you can keep this up for a while, you can then slowly increase the length of your movements as you gain experience.
5......
Knowing how to fall must be learned among the skater's first skills. Even the best of the professionals fall. In order to fall without injury, you should be as relaxed as possible. In this way the shock of hitting the ice is lessened. To get up, use your hands to get into a kneeling position, then stand.
6......
Once you have learned to move on the ice with confidence, there are various styles to be practised - figure skaing, free style, distance, speed, skating in pairs and so on - but the basis of them all, and by far the best approach, is first to learn figure skating and then elementary freestyle. With proper guidance available at most of the ice rinks troughout the country, the basic figures can soon be learned and the turns, jumps and spins of elementary free style will soon follow.
7......
If you look at any good or professional skater, you will see how relaxed they are and how easily they move. To achieve this an expertise programme should be regularly practised. It can be dangerous to skate with a stiff body and warm-up exercises should at least include those for the legs, back and shoulders, with special emphasis on the ankles and knees. After a long or intense session, the same exercises should be used afterwards to avoid stiffness.
8......
Skating improves balance, co-ordination, relaxation and movement. It improves heart and lung activity and generally strengthens the body. Combined with swimming or jogging, it provides a great programme for all-round health and fitness.
