Could you rephrase "Americans got their first good look at skiing and made for the hills?"
Not too long ago, skiing had virtually no part in the American sports scene. If it was thought of at all, it was purely as a European sport. Then came the 1932 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York. Americans got their first good look at skiing and made for the hills.

I suppose "Americans got their first good look at skiing and made for the hills" could mean "the first time, Americans took the game, skiing seriously, and prepared to train hard for the Winter Olympics.

Could you rephrase "Americans got their first good look at skiing and made for the hills?"

Thank you.

Question

Could you rephrase "Americans got their first good look at skiing and made for the hills?"
Not too long ago, skiing had virtually no part in the American sports scene. If it was thought of at all, it was purely as a European sport. Then came the 1932 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York. Americans got their first good look at skiing and made for the hills.

I suppose "Americans got their first good look at skiing and made for the hills" could mean "the first time, Americans took the game, skiing seriously, and prepared to train hard for the Winter Olympics.

Could you rephrase "Americans got their first good look at skiing and made for the hills?"

Thank you.

Answer

It means "When Americans saw people skiing, they thought it was cool.  Many people decided to start skiing."  It is not saying they took it seriously or tried to ski at an olympic level.  It is that they tried skiing at all.

There's also a little bit of a joke in there.  Usually "head for the hills" or "run for the hills" or "make for the hills" is an idiom that means to go to somewhere safe during a time of danger.  (Not always a literal "hill" but somewhere that you think is safer to hide until the danger has gone away).  In this sentence, the author is making a joke, because to ski, you have to go up a hill.
It isn't a very good joke.
But most native English speakers would pick up on the wordplay.

Answer

"Americans got their first good look at skiing and made for the hills"

"Americans got their first taste of skiiing and headed for the slopes."

Answers · 4

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