Take Away English-Snooker Superstar 台球巨星

Ding Junhui celebrates winning the UK Championship

If 2005 was the year that Ding Junhui exploded onto the international snooker scene, then 2006 could be the year he becomes a legend.

Ding fulfilled his potential in a nail-biting confrontation¹ with Steve Davis in the final of the prestigious² UK Championship last December. He defeated the six-time world champion by 10 frames to 6 in a thrilling final at the Barbican Centre in York.

In defeating Davis he has already secured a place in history as he is the first ever player from outside the British Isles³ to win the UK Championship.

Having won his first prize in competitive snooker at the age of thirteen, Ding is unquestionably a precocious⁴ talent. It seems that he has now matured into a world-class player – “It was only a matter of time before he joined the world’s elite”, says Steve Davis.

Ding’s talent has been developed by his father, Ding Wenjun who became aware of his son’s remarkable⁵ abilities when he was just eight years old. Ding Wenjun explains, “When I was playing with my friends, he was attracted by the colourful balls and would play by himself on another table for a whole day”.

Many years of hard work and sacrifice followed as Ding’s father gave up his business and moved to Dongguan in order to find better training facilities for his son. Both father and son lived in cramped⁶ conditions, sharing a five-square-metre room adjoining the local snooker club.

However, their efforts began to pay off when Ding started to win prizes in Asian tournaments. He turned professional at the age of sixteen and celebrated⁷ his eighteenth birthday by winning the China Open in April 2005, thrashing Stephen Hendry by nine frames to five.

Despite his international status, Ding prefers to address his English-speaking fans through an interpreter. However, when we asked Ding how he felt about winning the UK title he replied, “I’m feeling very well and very happy and very confident for the next tournament.”

GLOSSARY 词汇表
exploded 轰动（出场） nail-biting 紧张的 frames 台球的比局 secured a place in history 确立历史地位 matured 成熟 remarkable abilities 超人的能力 cramped conditions 拥挤的条件 pay off 回报 international status 国际声望	fulfilled his potential 潜力终得展现 prestigious 具有名望的 thrilling 惊心动魄的 precocious talent 超常才能；奇才 elite 精英 sacrifice 牺牲 adjoining 相连的 thrashing 痛击； interpreter 翻译

 

1 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

2 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

3 isles   

岛( isle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the geology of the British Isles 不列颠群岛的地质
• The boat left for the isles. 小船驶向那些小岛。

4 precocious   

adj.早熟的；较早显出的

参考例句：

• They become precocious experts in tragedy.他们成了一批思想早熟、善写悲剧的能手。
• Margaret was always a precocious child.玛格丽特一直是个早熟的孩子。

5 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

6 cramped   

a.狭窄的

参考例句：

• The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
• working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

7 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。