ZM: Would you please explain the sentences one by one?
K: Sure! Let’s begin with statement two because it provides the definition of the word “biathlon” which comes from the Greek word for “two contests”. So today biathlon has come to mean the “joining of two sports: skiing and shooting”.
The third sentence gives us more information for understanding biathlon, telling us how the Scandinavians’ survival was dependent on carrying a rifle while skiing as they searched for food in the
snowy winter months.
The first statement describes how skiing requires great strength and speed, whereas shooting requires a person to be calm and have excellent rifle skills — “marksmanship”. Thus cross-country skiing and shooting, two very different sets of skills, are combined in one sport.