A. brush B. draw C. state D. cautionary E. report F. run G. packed H. shot I. introduced J. phenomenon K. exceptional |
Rongjiang county, tucked away in the rainy hills of south-west China, has little going for it at first glance. The grey tiles covering houses in the county sea give it a rather drab feel. Locals often have to find work elsewhere, travelling to distant factories and construction sites.
Yet this summer it was Chinese from far-off cities who flocked to Rongjiang. They came to watch an amateur football league involving 20 of the county’s villages. It started in May and quickly became a
There are many reasons behind the popularity of the Rongjiang league, which is men only. Start with the
The Rongjiang league, by contrast, has an authentic, even wholesome feel. Football in the county dates back to the 1940s, when it was
The league’s cultural diversity is another
To the delight of officials at all levels, the league appears to have stimulated the local economy. During the Dragon Boat festival in June tourism spending
But there are concerns that the success of Rongjiang may be fleeting. Attracting crowds to this part of China is not easy. The city of Zibo, in the northern province of Shandong, provides a
Still, officials think they have found a winning strategy for the countryside. A new football league began this month and will
A. included B. promising C. achievements D. proved E. transfer F. outstanding G. sign H. appearances I. scoring J. capture K. referred |
Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima was born on 22 September 1976 in a poor suburb of Rio de Janeiro. Like most of his childhood friends, Ronaldo began his football (soccer) career playing barefoot in the streets of his neighbourhood. At the age of 14, he joined Sao Cristovao football club and only two years later became the star of Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Belo Horizonte
Since his
Since the 1998 World Cup he has suffered serious knee injuries that have severely limited his
A. virtually | B. pride | C. drawn | D. consistently |
E. course | F. spot | G. spied | H. representing |
I. dominate | J. banning | K. host |
China is challenging South Korea’s e-sports dominance
Some 4,000 fans gathered at the BEXCO Centre in Busan, a big port city in South Korea, on May 29th. Another 2.2m tuned in online. They were there for the finals of the Mid-Season Invitational, a prestigious(有声望的) e-sports tournament. A dozen teams had been competing over the
The enthusiasm, and bitter disappointment, reflect the place e-sports have in South Korean youth culture. The games are not just fun, but a source of national
No longer. China is now on the rise. Chinese companies are at the heart of gaming globally. The country’s biggest tech firm, Tencent, owns Riot Games, which developed LOL, as well as 40% of Epic Games, which makes Fortnite. Interest in the pastime has grown, too. There are some 685m gamers in China, including those who play on their phones, compared with 33m in South Korea. Over the past few years China has
South Korea contributed to its own downfall. “Skilled Korean players and coaches played a role in cultivating the e-sport scene in China,” says Choi Eun-Kyoung of Hanshin University, near Seoul. South Korean masters,
South Korea has now
take part in be familiar with fall in love with date back to in part break out break down stand out to some extent transform…from… bring people together take place |
You must
There is a particular amusing event called wife-carrying that
A. peak B. bound C. considerate D. announced E. defeated F. related G. determination H. measure I. fever J. serve K. considerable |
It was very hot outside. The Chengdu Little Warriors were facing off against the Legendary Mighty Dragons of Beijing at a local indoor skating-rink (溜冰场). When I arrived, the Little Warriors, whose oldest player was eight years old, had just
The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were praised as a success by almost every
If 2008 was about China getting a seat at the table, the 2022 Winter Olympic Games
While the audience for winter sports may still be a small, relatively rich group, it is growing. To prove his commitments (承诺) to winter sports, President Xi Jinping
With all these efforts, the 2022 Winter Olympic Games are