Paul the Psychic Octopus Is the Real Hero of the World Cup
(from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rory-fitzgerald/paul-the-psychic-octopus_b_639229.html)
- psychic /ˈsaɪkɪk; ˋsaɪkɪk/ 有通靈能力的
In the face of threats that he would be turned in to calamari, Paul the Psychic Octopus bravely, and accurately, predicted Germany's defeat by Spain yesterday. 儘管面對被變成墨魚圈的威脅，Paul 這隻勇敢的，有超能力的章魚還是準確預測了昨天德國會被西班牙打敗。The German-based psychic octopus has now achieved a 100% accurate prediction rate for the World Cup 2010.這隻德國的超能力章魚在2010年世界盃預測命中率目前高達百分之百。
An unexpected media phenomenon of the World Cup, Paul has gained such popularity that German television have started to broadcast his predictions on-air, with two reporters sitting by his tank, offering live commentary from his home at Aquarium Sea Life in Oberhausen, Germany. 因為這個世界盃的非預期媒體現象，Paul 的聲望已經讓德國電視台開始直播它的預測，有兩位播報員坐在水族箱旁邊為Paul在Oberhausen的水底生活提供解說。
- phenomenon /fəˈnɔmɪnən/ (n.) 現象. 非凡的人事物
- on-air (adv)直播地
- tank 大容器. 大桶
- commentary (n.) 實況報導，現場解說
Paul has become world renowned, but recently provoked hostility in South America after the quarter-finals when he correctly predicted that Argentina would lose to Germany. Some Argentineans even threatened to kill Paul and put him in a paella. - renown /rɪˈnaun/ (n.) 聲譽. 聲望 renowned 有名的provoke / prəˈvəuk; prəˋvok/ (v.) 激怒. 氣惱
- hostile /ˈhɔstaɪl;/ (adj.) 有敵意的 hostility (n.) 敵意
- quarter-finals 四強賽
- Argentinean 阿根廷人 Argentina 阿根廷
- paella /paɪˈelə/ 西班牙什錦飯
The newspaper El Dia offered a recipe for any Argentine patriots who managed to capture Paul: "All you need is four normal potatoes, olive oil for taste and a little pepper." 報紙El Dia 提供了一份阿根廷愛國者的回信，他們打算捕捉Paul: "你只需要四個馬鈴薯. 橄欖油和一些胡椒就可以吃。"
The Argentinan chef Nicolas Bedorrou suggested a harsher way to cook the octopus: "We will chase him and put him on some paper. We will then beat him in order to keep the meat tender and then put it in boiling water." 我們會槌打他來讓肉質鬆軟易嚼，然後把它丟入滾水。- chef / ʃef; ʃɛf/ 廚師
- harsh (adj.) 粗糙的
- chase (v.) 追逐，追尋
- tender (adj.) 嫩的，易咀嚼的
His keepers encourage Paul to make his predictions by putting mussels into two glass cubes, with each cube having one of the competing nations' flags on the front. Whichever mussel Paul chooses first is taken as his prediction.
用兩個玻璃箱各裝入淡菜，兩個玻璃箱前面各有一面參賽國家的國旗，Paul先選擇的箱子就當作它的預測。
- mussel / ˈmʌsl; ˋmʌsl/胎貝. 淡菜
Paul showed special talents from his early life in Weymouth sea life park in England. According to the park's entertainment director Daniel Fey: "There was something about the way he looked at our visitors when they came close to the tank. It was so unusual, so we tried to find out what his special talents were."
The first time Paul's psychic abilities were tested was during the UEFA Euro 2008 soccer championship when he was proven correct in 80% of predictions made. Paul 的超能力在2008年的歐洲杯足球賽初次展現，已被證明有八成的預測準確率。Paul's current keeper in Germany, Oliver Walenciak, says Paul is not bothered by the death threats sent by Argentinean supporters, some of whom now blame the octopus for their World Cup exit:
"There are always people who want to eat our octopus but he is not shy and we are here to protect him as well. He will survive."
Paul's antics have been reported to millions throughout the world, adding yet another light-hearted and quirky twist to the great celebration of humanity that is the World Cup in South Africa. The phrases "Paul the Octopus" and "Pulpo", the Spanish for octopus, are both currently in the top 10 global trends on Twitter. Octopi are apparently highly intelligent animals and have been shown to have a good short and long-term memory. Some say their intelligence is similar to that of a dog. It has been calculated that if you placed accumulator bets on the basis of Paul's predictions at the beginning of this World Cup, you would have now made 131 times your money.
- antic 滑稽事
- light-hearted not intended to be serious 不介意的，不介懷的
- quirky (adj.) unusual, especially in an interesting way 古怪. 詭詐
- humanity 人性
- phrase 詞語.
- twist (v.) 纏繞
But don't base your pension plan on gambling on Paul's predictions during the next World Cup, as Paul is unlikely to live until 2014 - octopi only live an average of 3 to 5 years, and he was born back in 2008. I can see already unprecedented grief for this octopus on his passing, perhaps even a state funeral, as millions unite in silence and the Last Post is played -- on a vuvuzela, of course.
- pension /ˈpenʃn; ˋpɛnʃən/ (n.) 養老金，撫恤金
- unprecedented (adj.) 前所未有的
- grief (n.) 憂傷
- funeral (n.) 葬禮
Calamari will never taste the same again.
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