The excitement has peaked, and the quadrennial FIFA World Cup is drawing to a close. The quarter-finals took place last weekend, followed by the semi-finals this week. France and Croatia will now compete in the final, while Belgium and England will meet in the third place play-off.
Among the three soccer superstars for this World Cup, both Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo failed to advance to the quarter-finals, while Brazil’s Neymar has been ribbed for rolling on the field dramatically in several games after contact with opponents: Fans even dubbed his alleged theatrics “Neymar rolling.”
Meanwhile, Japan won applause for beating Colombia in its first game, becoming the first Asian team to beat a South American squad in 88 years of World Cup history. The final is scheduled in Moscow, Russia for 11pm Taiwan Time on Sunday.
Photo courtesy of Adidas
照片：愛迪達提供
(Eddy Chang, Taipei Times)
四年一度的世界盃足球賽目前已接近尾聲，熱烈的賽事也將進入最高潮。八強在上週末開打，緊接著就是本週的四強大戰。最終法國和克羅埃西亞將爭奪冠軍寶座，比利時和英格蘭則將爭奪季軍。
至於本屆世界盃的三大球星，阿根廷隊的梅西和葡萄牙隊的「C羅」羅納度稍早皆止步於八強門外。巴西隊的內馬爾則因在幾場比賽被對手踢倒後，戲劇化地躺在地上打滾，遭球迷嘲諷為「內馬爾滾」。
此外，日本隊因首戰踢走哥倫比亞隊而贏得掌聲，成為在世界盃八十八年歷史上，首支戰勝南美洲球隊的亞洲勁旅。本屆世界盃的冠軍戰，將於台灣時間週日晚上十一點在俄國莫斯科開踢。
（台北時報張聖恩）
A: Wow, singer Bruno Mars will be visiting Kaohsiung for the first time. B: Really? Where will he be performing? A: He’s going to hold a concert at the National Stadium on Sunday. B: Why do the Taiwanese like to call him the “Martian” in Chinese? A: Because his last name “Mars” is the same word as the planet Mars. A: 哇！火星人布魯諾將首度唱進高雄。 B: 真的嗎？在哪裡？ A: 他將於本週日，在國家體育場開唱唷。 B: 但是為什麼台灣人喜歡叫他火星人呢？ A: 因為他的姓氏「Mars」這個字剛好是「火星」的意思啊。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
A: Bruno Mars is definitely one of today’s most popular singers. B: He has even won 14 Grammy Awards. A: I love all his megahits, like “Just the Way You Are.” B: And his new song with Lady Gaga “Die with a Smile” has a caused worldwide sensation. A: I wonder if we’ll hear the new song at his Kaohsiung concert? A: 火星人布魯諾是近年來最受歡迎的流行歌手。 B: 對啊他還曾榮獲14座葛萊美獎。 A: 他所有的金曲我都愛，像《Just the Way You Are》。 B: 最近他和女神卡卡合唱《Die with a Smile》更造成大轟動！ A: 不知道在高雄有沒有機會聽他演唱這首新歌呢？ (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
The Lord returned home after a long day of hunting, a deer on his horse and a bow on his back. His apprentice had stayed behind, feeling unwell. He rode slowly through the forest, closed his eyes, and felt the warm sunlight on his face. He opened his eyes to a full moon rising. Time to make offerings and pray for peace, good weather, a bountiful harvest. And a child with his beloved wife. He smiled. As he approached, the house was quiet. Too quiet. He dismounted in the empty courtyard. “Feng Meng?” he called. Silence. He went to his apprentice’s
You can’t help but notice the woman’s blonde hair, blue eyes, and bizarre outfit. She’s in a white dress that reaches below the knee and a Prussian blue jacket highlighted by a brooch on a ribbon at the collar. Together with her leather boots and the brown suitcase in hand, her overall look gives her an air of mystery. This distinctive appearance isn’t merely for style; it’s her way of embracing cosplay. Combining the words “costume” and “play,” cosplay is an art form in which participants dress up as specific characters, usually at anime conventions. It not only involves
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