近来，“citywalk（城市漫步）” 成为了一种广受人们欢迎的休闲方式。不论你身处城市还是乡间，出门散步都是一种有益于放松身心的活动。但散步作为一种消遣方式起初并没有被世界各地的人们所接受。本文介绍散步的起源以及它如何演变成为现代人的一项重要日常活动。

词汇：walking 步行

'Going for a walk ' is a popular pastime  among older and younger generations alike because of its well-known benefits for our physical and mental health. But you may be surprised to hear that meandering  through pretty streets or hiking  along mountainous ridges have not always been considered leisure activities , according to Daniel Gale, a researcher of pedestrianism .

He says that in Britain, walking for fun "wasn't really a thing" until the 1780s. Before that, it was just something people did out of necessity, and some people associated it with criminal activity. But for Charles Dickens, the famous English 19th Century author, marching  through London streets and tramping  around the countryside was a big part of the creative process; a time to absorb what was going on around him. He walked at an impressive pace  of four miles per hour, according to his biography by Peter Ackroyd.

But if speed-walking  isn't your thing, perhaps you can take inspiration from another big-thinking wanderer . 19th Century American writer Henry David Thoreau took a slower approach, preferring to saunter  over hills and fields and meander through the woods. He said that he could not preserve his health and spirits, unless he spent four hours a day walking at least.

This idea of taking a stroll  to clear your head has survived through to the 21st Century, but has pedestrian etiquette  remained the same? A 1780 article for the London Magazine advised pedestrians to avoid things such as loitering  in conversation and obstructing people behind you with a "sauntering gait ". Nowadays, we could probably add distracted phone-users to that list.

In this modern age, when many of us are tied to our desks and to our screens, the simple act of stepping out  onto the city pavements , or getting lost in nature, may make all the difference to our wellbeing. Whether you see yourself more as a casual stroller  or a purposeful strider , why not build a habit out of it?

词汇表

go for a walk 散步
pastime 消遣，娱乐
meander 漫步，闲逛
hike 远足
leisure activity 休闲活动
pedestrianism 徒步主义
march 行走
tramp 长途行走
pace 步速
speed-walking 快速行走
wanderer 四处游走的人
saunter 漫步，闲逛
stroll 散步，溜达
pedestrian etiquette 行人礼仪
loiter 游荡，徘徊
gait 步态，步法
step out 走出去
pavement 人行道
stroller 散步的人
strider 阔步行走的人

责编：田梦瑶

一审：田梦瑶

二审：秦慧英

三审：黄晓辉

来源：中国日报网