高三课外阅读teens.docxVIP

2018届高三（上）课外阅读 2017.11.27Always a soccer fanWorld Football Day is coming up on Dec 9. In football, known as soccer in the US, two teams of 11 players fight for possession of a ball. They score by putting the ball in the other team’s goal. The team that scores the most goals wins at the end of 90 minutes. It’s fun, but nothing more. It’s not a matter of life and death. It’s just a game. Or is it?Well, although it really isn’t a matter of life and death, for its billions of fans around the world, soccer is far from just a game. When a fan’s club suffers a failure, it can feel as painful as the death of a family member.On a national level, it can even be an “apocalypse (大灾难)”. Just take a look at Italy. When they failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup on Nov 13, it was one of the biggest shocks in soccer for years. “It’s an intolerable footballing disgrace (耻辱) ... It’s the end. Apocalypse, tragedy, catastrophe. Call it what you want, but our football is in a serious crisis,” commented Italian sports newspaper Corriere dello Sport-Stadio.But why does soccer create such strong feelings? To answer the question, we need to understand how fans grow to love the game.Soccer fans learn about the sport at a young age. They likely have family members who are fans, a father or a big brother, or even mother or big sister. Soccer fans are of both sexes and all ages. Soccer takes over such fans’ lives.They pick a team, most likely their local club. They cover their bedroom walls with photos of the team’s players. They go to games whenever they can. In fact, the biggest fans never miss a game. Many will play soccer themselves, with friends at the local park, or in the school playground.It’s a passion that will be lifelong. Marriage won’t kill their passion for soccer, and when they have kids, they’ll become fans too.Indeed, being a soccer fan is something that only ends with the grave.Read and answer the following questions:1. What happened to Italy? And what words can you use